Palestinian Christians:
A presence of hope and action
Each week, Al Quds Newspaper (the largest circulation daily newspaper in
the Palestinian territories), publishes a column that is authored by
Kairos Palestine. The column, “A Moment of Truth,” is named after the
Palestinian Kairos Document that was published in 2009.
In December 2016, Rifat Kassis (former coordinator for
Kairos Palestine, and current member of the coordination group) was
published in an article entitled “The Future of Christians in Palestine:
Presence rather than Existence.” In this month’s “Voices from the
South,” we present an adapted article that was based on Rifat’s original
Arabic piece. Rifat discusses three theological elements that are
crucial to understanding how Christians in the region have managed to
preserve their existence and role in their societies.
Photo: Peaceful march by the Bethlehem wall for World Week of Peace in Palestine & Israel EAPPI | Photography by @jbabounChristians in Palestine are part and parcel of the Arab Palestinian
nation, and Christianity is deeply rooted in this region. For centuries,
Palestinian Christians have managed to preserve their existence, and to
survive all turmoil and wars all through their history in this region.
Nevertheless, many would not ignore or feign ignorance of the fact that
this presence is more troubled today than at any time in history. There
are new and old forces in the region that pose threats to religious and
ethnic minorities. There are justified concern over occurring in many
Arab countries and the rise of political movements that claim to be
Islamic, those which attack and oppress religious minorities in the
region. In addition, there are the racist policies of Israel, its
systematic expropriation of land, and the absence of any political
horizon for a just peace that can bring political and economic stability
to our region.
Yet Palestinian Christians will and shall preserve their presence and
existence in this region forever. There are three theological elements
that are crucial to understanding Christians in this area have managed
to preserve their existence and role in their societies.
1. Theology of Hope
Most Palestinian Christians believe that they descend from the first
Christians, belonging to the first church. The circumstances they have
undergone for the last 2000 years could be considered a kind of
perpetual war: passed from one empire to another, one battle to another,
one occupation to another. These continual hardships have generated
many challenges, yet they have also yielded a theology that could be
described as a “survival theology”: drawn from hope, it is a theology
that longs for life. Christians understood their presence as an integral
part of Christ’s mission and its continuation; they kept their hope,
steadfastness and faith alive. This, in short, is the conviction shared
by the remaining Christians in Palestine.
What matters is that we have a mission assigned for us to protect
steadfastly our faith, our presence and the future of our children,
regardless of the size of our population.
2. Theology of Coexistence and Acceptance
Christians in Palestine have lived as a religious minority for the past
1000 years, and have always faced ever-changing challenges. Like how to
maintain a dignified presence and keep their identity without losing or
eroding it? How to reach out to others on the one hand, while protecting
their rights as Christians and as Palestinians on the other?
Over time, these underlying questions have integrated another element into their
theology: a coexistence theology, a theology based on love, freedom,
understanding, reconciliation among themselves and with others,
accepting and respecting pluralism.
Coexistence and pluralism become more difficult when you live, as
today, in a context of military occupation and oppression, where your
very existence is at stake. But coexistence continues to be a command
and reconciliation a duty while working for justice.
3. Theology of Love and Resistance
As mentioned, the presence of Christians in Palestine is at stake due to
the Israeli military occupation of their land. It is at stake in the
entire region, too, due to various emerging powers that are less
tolerant of other religions and ideologies.
Christians must hold their ground in the face of such difficulties, not
withdrawing or losing their vision. This is a key part of what Kairos
Palestine tried to say in its document “A Moment of Truth”: that we must
adopt a loving stance in response to others’ presence, but a stance
that – even through love – is baptised with resistance and struggle.
We must remember that our faith equips us to overcome the injustices we
suffer and the conflicts we undergo. Resistance does not prevent love,
nor does love prevent resistance. Both need to go hand in hand. We are
hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in
despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed
(2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
Solidarity and the Struggle for Justice
Through these three theological elements, we can better understand the
dynamic role of Christians in Palestine and their important
contributions to society throughout history. Faith, hope, and love are
the magic words that have perpetuated their existence and strengthened
their presence. Needless to say, the Palestinian Christian reality is
not an easy one. It is a presence based on hope, but hope in action; a
presence that consists not of merely waiting, but of dynamism and
struggle. Our choice is to refuse the easy road of withdrawal and
isolation; our commitment is to live openly, love truthfully, resist
with dignity, and keep our presence vibrant and engaged.
At the same time, we ask our friends and all justice loving people to
turn their eyes to Palestine, think of your Palestinian Christian
brothers and sisters who suffer under a foreign military occupation, and
remember that their lives and their presence – physical, cultural,
spiritual – is at stake.
We ask, too, that you walk alongside us in our peaceful struggle against
oppression, joining your voices and speaking up before your governments
in support of our rights and equality. With such help and solidarity,
we can finally live in peace with justice: the peace that all people
aspire to and deserve, the peace that was announced in Bethlehem, the
peace that will prevail again.■
Rifat Kassis is the previous coordinator
of Karios Palestine, and now sits in the coordinating group. He works
with GRIP. Consulting in Beit Sahour. He can be reached at rifatkassis15@gmail.com.
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Posted by Karibu Foundation - Last updated 27.02.2017