We have a good friend who has been doing important peace work with the Muslim community for many years. The Palestinian/Israeli struggle is complicated and thousands of years in the making. Here is some good resources from Andy.
Palestine, Protests, & Responding to Questions
Finally getting a chance to respond to the difficult news from Palestine/Israel. One writer asks what to do when his morals collide with his reading of the Bible. Here is my extended response with helpful resources for going deeper.
“Dear friend, your note is refreshing because I see a person asking some very important questions. I wish more would be prompted while reading the news. Or their Bible! Seems like your moral quandary is really Jesus-inspired. I would encourage you to keep asking questions when your morals collide with your reading of the Bible. That just might be a good interpretive grid to guide you. If our theology hurts people, or in this case supports a massive military state just because it’s called “Israel,” (please don’t judge me before reading to the end) it might be time to go back and read more carefully. I know your pastor and think he will be a great mentor in this journey. I’ve been on a similar path and have now given my life to asking your basic question, in relation to how we engage Palestine–Israel as well as our Muslim neighbors.
Let me offer a few more resources from my own work. I address your specific challenge of questioning my faith (not in a destructive way but honestly asking, “how do I respond?”) in Chapter 4: The Day I Became a Real Peacemaker. This is part of a study guide I’ve produced addressing the moral quandary you ask. Go to this link and scroll down to chapter 4: http://worldlyholiness.com/movies-study-guide-from-peacetalkers-to-peacemakers/. It’s about a 4 minute video and I think it is an honest portrait of our shared journey. But you can be the judge of that.
Additionally, we’ve produced two feature documentary movies, available in this section of my blog. The first (Blessed Are The Peacemakers) is a little dated (produced in 2016) but might help you get some perspective from several people on the ground working for peace. The stories are still the same. The occupation continues. And people suffer. I interview peacemakers (Israeli and Palestinian) and common people (taxi drivers, shop owners, a former IDF soldier) asking about peace for Israel/Palestine. Our conversation with Munther Isaac might be most revealing because he speaks as a Palestinian Christian growing up reading the story of David and Goliath (he teaches at Bethlehem Bible College, one of our ministry partners for the Covenant Church). It’s an important, and often missed perspective in the church outside of Palestine. There is also a story/interview with a Palestinian Muslim refugee (Mazen) who lost his father to an Israeli sniper but chose to “not hate.” Instead, he has given his life to leveraging his pain for peace, alongside a Jewish friend who lost a family member to a suicide bomber. His story always makes me weep. It’s powerful.
The second movie (Make Hummus Not Walls) focuses on the Nakba and Jerusalem Day which we experienced on location in the Holy Land in the contentious surroundings of the embassy move and a change in US policy in 2018. There’s a beautiful story near the end of my wife meeting a Palestinian woman on the bus between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. We’ve been back to visit Mona since the movie, visiting her family just before the pandemic for Christmas in 2019. We find so much hope in the stories of our friends in Palestine, and also Israel, in spite of the difficult days we find ourselves in. Their resilience and capacity for community and hospitality are hard to match! By the way, this year’s Jerusalem Day (which we talk about in the 2nd movie, Make Hummus Not Walls, was part of the powder keg that led to rocket fire from Gaza last week. Our Jewish friend, Judy, in the movie gives some important context.
I am also reading two very good books on the topic. Apeirogon: A Novel by Colum McCann (a secular but very powerful story about The Parent’s Circle) and Munther’s book, The Other Side of the Wall: A Palestinian Christian Narrative of Lament and Hope. Munther’s book is probably my top recommendation currently. He does important theological work on an array of topics related to the occupation and tells the stories of the many voices on the other side of the wall.
Other helpful news sources outside of the mainstream media are Mondoweiss and the +972 Magazine.
For a helpful guide to answering basic questions about the Holy Land and Christian Zionism, I’d recommend Christianzionism.org. This site provides some clear answers to questions you might have regarding your “moral quandary” especially. They give straightforward answers to questions like, “Who owns the Holy Land? Has the Church replaced Israel? Who are God’s “chosen people” today? etc.
When things open up a bit more I’d love to come to your church and help with the larger conversation on how to engage both Muslims in our neighborhoods and peacemaking in Israel/Palestine. I help build relationships with Muslims in your neighborhood and also take vision trips to the Holy Land. This is my full-time work. Write me if you have more questions. It may take a while currently as many people are reaching out. But I’ll get back to you.”
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* Biblical Israel should not be conflated with the modern state of Israel. For a constructive look at what the Bible teaches look here.
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Introducing our new video series–Countering Islamophobia: Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
Join a cohort hosted by Andy Larsen where we will learn how to make peace with your Muslim neighbors in the way of Jesus. We have produced a new 3-part video series including extended interviews with several of our Muslim friends and will help guide your learning and new relationships with your Muslim neighbors! Come to learn, ask questions, read scripture and consider how Jesus is calling you to be a peacemaker. Write Andy (click to email) for more information.
Thanks for joining us in this important work in peacemaking with our Muslim neighbors and in Palestine/Israel.
Andy Larsen