Violence, Non-Violence and Religion” Third International Conference on Christian-Muslim Relations Conference Proceedings
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DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES “Violence, NON-VIOLENCE and Religion” Third International Conference on Christian-Muslim Relations Conference Proceedings edited by Fr. Jamal Khader, D.D. and Angela Hawash – Abu Eita, M.A. 9-11th February 2011 Bethlehem University I CONTENTS -Contributors ...............................................................................................................V -Supporters and Sponsors .......................................................................................XIII -Planning Committee and Moderators ................................................................... XIV -Program ..................................................................................................................XV -Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 -Objectives .................................................................................................................. 3 -Opening Remarks ...................................................................................................... 5 -Globalization, Religion and Terrorism .................................................................... 19 Dr. Jamal Nassar - Study: Violence and Non-violence in Models From Religious Texts: Qur’an and Prophet’s Sunnah ...................................................................................................... 29 Sheikh Abdel Majid Ata Muhammad al-Amarneh Ata -Christian Interpretations of Scripture in Relations to Muslims ............................... 53 Dr. Leo D. Lefebure -Violence and Non-violence in Holy Books ............................................................. 71 Dr. Barakat Fawzi Al Qasrawi -Creating a Non-violence Framework for Grassroots Holistic Democracy .............. 77 Larry Hufford Ph.D. -Worshipful Understanding in the Muslim Tradition ................................................ 91 Dr. Rusmir Mahmutc ehajic -Controversy of Religious Violence Against State and Society: -The Case of Palestine ........................................................................................... 131 Dr. Iyad al-Bargouthi -The Use of the Bible to Justify Violence ............................................................... 139 Rev. David Neuhaus, SJ -Liberation Theories in Palestine: Contextual, Secular, Humanist and Decolonizing Perspectives: A Michael Prior Memorial Lecture ................................................... 145 Dr. Nur Masalha -Martyrdom and Religious Innovation in Islamic History: Modern and Mamluk Perspectives ............................................................................................................. 155 Dr. Nick Chatrah -Religion, War And Peace: Towards an Emancipatory Palestinian Theology ........ 167 *Note: This volume contains a variety of writings, whose authors vary, according Dr. Luis N. Rivera-Pagán to their disciplines and traditions. Inherent in this fact is that writing styles will -Muslims and Christians in Norway Confronting Domestic Violence in a Joint differ, depending upon the document type, writing style of the author and the Statement ................................................................................................................. 189 discipline. Although every effort was made to ensure consistency, the editor Ms. Anne Hege Grung considered it important to preserve, as much as possible, each individual writing -From Investment to Divestment: Non-violent Religious Protest and The United style and ensure the intended meaning was kept intact. Some works are edited Methodist Church In an Historical Context ............................................................ 199 translations and every effort was made to ensure the final result reflected the Dr. Cheryl Riggs -Violence, Ideology and Religion ........................................................................... 217 original meaning. Every effort was made to include as much conference materials Dr. Fatma Kassem as possible. -An Introduction to the Kairos Palestine Document: a Tool for Non-violent Resistance .......................................................................... 223 **Translations done by Mr. Imad Abu Dayyeh. Ms. Nora Karmi II III CONTRIBUTORS DR. JAMAL NASSAR DEAN - COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES - CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN BERNARDINO Prior to joining Cal State, Dr. Nassar was chair of the Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University. Dr. Nassar is an expert on both globalization and Middle East politics. His many publications include ‘Globalization and Terrorism: The Migration of Dreams and Nightmares,’ ‘Politics and Culture in the Developing World,’ ‘Intifada: Palestine at the Crossroads,’ ‘The Palestine Liberation Organization: From Armed Struggle to the Declaration of Independence,’ and ‘Change Without Borders: The Third World at the End of the Twentieth Century.’ Many of his articles, excerpts and reviews have appeared in influential publications and have been translated to numerous other languages. Dr. Nassar is as an international authority, having chaired several national and international conferences which focused on the Middle East. SHEIKH ABDEL MAJID ATA MUHAMMAD AL-AMARNEH ATA MUFTI OF BETHLEHEM Sheikh Abdel Majid holds an M.A. in Islamic Studies, earned from Al-Quds University-Jerusalem. He earned his B.A. in Islamic Studies from Jordanian University, Jordan in 1979 and in 1984 earned a Diploma in Education from Bethlehem University, after which he attended Al-Quds University, to obtain his M.A. in Islamic Studies. He is also a licensed reciter of the Qur’an. The current mufti of Bethlehem (since 2004), Sheik Abdel Majid has also served as Imam and teacher at the Al-Aqsa Mosque as well as several other West Bank mosques. He also regularly presents religious programs on local television and radio stations, as a well-known figure in the community. DR. LEO D. LEFEBURE PROFESSOR - DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY - GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON D.C. Leo D. Lefebure, S.J., is a professor of theology at Georgetown University and a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. He co-authored ‘The Path of Wisdom: A Christian Commentary on the Dhammapada’ and is the author of ‘The Buddha and the Christ and Revelation, the Religions, and Violence,‘ which received the Pax Christi U.S.A. 2001 Book Award, which was also translated into Indonesian and published in Jakarta. Dr. Lefebure is an Honorary Research Fellow of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions, associate editor of Chicago Studies, and editor-at-large for The Christian Century. IV V Violence, Non-violence and Religion Contributors DR. BARAKAT FAWZI HASAN and Tradition’ (2003), ‘Learning from Bosnia: Approaching Tradition’ (2005), AL-QUDS UNIVERSITY, JERUSALEM ‘The Mosque: The Heart of Submission’ (2006), and ‘On Love: In the Muslim Dr. Hasan is an assistant professor of Islamic Education at Al-Quds University Tradition’ (2007). and Director of the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission at the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education. He is also author and DR. DUNCAN MACPHERSON, M. A., D.MIN. coordinator of Islamic and Christian textbooks for the ministry. Dr. Hasan is HONORARY PRESIDENT - LIVING STONES OF THE HOLY LAND TRUST-UK also Director of the Humanities and Religious Department of the Palestinian Dr. Macpherson is a permanent Deacon in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese Curriculum Development Center as well as General Director of the Jerusalem of Westminster and is an honorary research fellow at the University of Wales- Center for Studies and Islamic Media. Dr. Hasan also served as Head of the Lampeter and was a principal lecturer in Theology and Religious Studies at St. Islamic Division and responsible for Christian studies at the PCDC. A school Mary’s University College, where he taught for 33 years. He earned his doctorate teacher for more than 15 years, is from the Aquinas Institute in Saint Louis, Missouri. He published ‘The Dr. Hasan is a member of the Committee for Dialogue and Tolerance between Pilgrim Preacher: Palestine, Pilgrimage and Preaching,’ (2004 and 2008). Dr. Religions and produces and presents religious programs on Palestinian satellite Macpherson is also editor of ‘Living Stones Magazine.’ television, as well as films which focus on coexistence and religion, while also DR. IYAD AL-BARGHOUTI authoring several books and essays on Islam and education. PRESIDENT - RAMALLAH CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Dr. Al-Barghouti is a professor of political sociology at Al-Najah University- DR. LARRY HUFFORD Nablus, Birzeit University and Al-Quds University. He also serves as Chief Editor PROFESSOR - POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - ST. MARY’S of ‘Tolerance,’ and is the general director of the Ramallah Center of Human UNIVERSITY, SAN ANTONIO Rights’ Studies. Dr. Al-Barghouti, well known in the region as an advocate of Dr. Hufford has been a peace activist for 45 years and has conducted action tolerance between people of different confessions, is also president of the Arab research in Bangladesh, Haiti and Bolivia. He earned his B.S. in Education from Network for Tolerance. He has authored several books and studies on political Ohio State University, his M.A.T.in Political Science from Miami University, an Islam, as well as the roles of religion and state in Palestine. M.A. in Social Work from Our Lady