Cornerstone Issue 76
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ISSUE 76, FALL 2017 CORNERSTONE A PUBLICATION BY SABEEL ECUMENICAL LIBERATION THEOLOGY CENTER Sabeel 10th International Conference: BALFOUR AND RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM IN THIS ISSUE Opening Sermon Challenging Religious Extremism Challenging Religious Extremism by: The Rev. Naim Ateek p. 1 by: The Rev. Naim Ateek The Balfour Declaration: Historical Context by: Dr. Peter A. Shambrook p. 6 With gratitude and thanksgiving to God, we have Islamic Fundamentalism and arrived safely in Bethlehem and there is room in the the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict by: Dr. Ghada Karmi p. 8 Inn for all of us. You are our modern magi who have come anxiously to search for peace and well-being of Jewish Extremism by: Sahar Vardi p. 12 the children of God who live in this land. You have come to stand with us, your sisters and brothers, in Comprehending Christian Zionism Palestine. We are here to bear witness to the importance by: Dr. Robert O. Smith p. 16 of peace that needs to be based on truth and justice. Post-Conference Reflections On behalf of the Sabeel Board, General Assembly, and by: Adam Keller p. 19 2 ISSUE 76, Fall 2017 ISSUE 76, Fall 2017 3 phenomenon. other religions. Some Muslims they believe they are redeeming into political decisions and Who is a religious extremist? A are speaking out against Islamic and sanctifying the land. They actions. It continues to have religious extremist is a person who extremists, and their lives have believe they are transferring the dire consequences on the life holds extreme, fanatical religious been threatened. Many Muslims land from the satanic to the and future of our Palestinian views, especially one who resorts have fled the Middle East for divine sphere, and that the use of people -- the indigenous people to, or advocates extreme action. fear of ISIS. Some have given up force is permitted wherever and of this land. In fact, western Our three monotheistic religions, on religion and turned secular. whenever necessary. They believe Christian Zionists must share the in various ways and degrees, are in Religion has been debased and they are doing God’s work. They responsibility for the creation of a crisis regarding this phenomenon. degraded for many good people. believe that God is with them Zionism and the establishment Religion is supposed to lead us · Israeli Jewish settlers: What is whenever, in his name, they kill of the state of Israel. One of the closer to the one God and closer to less known and exposed are the Palestinians. There are many closest friends of Theodor Herzl, each other. Yet religion has become Israeli Jewish settler extremists. Israeli and American Jews (as the founder of political Zionism, a problem. We are supposed to They have been cleverly hidden well as Jews of other countries) was an Anglican priest by the believe in the God of love and from many people in the west, who are disturbed about what is name of William Hechler. Rev. compassion, the God of justice and especially in the United States. happening. Some are speaking Hechler was instrumental in truth, the God of forgiveness and These religious extremists out against these extremists inspiring and educating Herzl Visit to Aida Camp, Bethlehem reconciliation. Yet we find ourselves are no longer a fringe group but the majority of Israeli Jews on those passages of the Bible very far from this God. Religion and in Israeli society. Some are are silent. Frankly speaking, I that, he believed, call for the staff, I would like to welcome you struggle for the liberation of all our our worship of God are supposed to ministers in Netanyahu’s right- see many similarities between return of Jews to Palestine in all. Many of you have been with peoples, Palestinians and Israelis. make us more human and accepting wing government. They dictate extremist Muslims like Da’ish/ fulfillment of prophecy. There us many times. Many of you have I would like to pause here and of one another. Yet religious government policies that are ISIS and Israeli Jewish religious are western Christians who are been committed to a just peace for express my heartfelt thanks to all the extremists, due to their beliefs and extremely vicious against the settlers. They both have the same sympathetic to the Palestinians many years. It is wonderful to see presenters, local and international, behaviors, are making a mockery of Palestinians. The Palestinians mindset and both share similar but still believe that the land you. I am thankful for your courage, who have accepted our invitation God. They have contaminated and have little recourse to the rule racist religious laws. of Palestine was given by God perseverance, and sacrifice to be and are with us to guide our thinking polluted their religion. By so doing, of law. By and large, the Israeli · Western Christian extremists: to the Jewish people. Do they with us this week. As many of you and to challenge us through their they are dehumanizing us and de- courts and the judges are in the Christian extremism expresses support us because they feel sorry know, Sabeel is a family. If you are presentations. In a very special way, humanizing themselves. A case in service of the settlers and most of itself, to a large extent, in for us? The biblical texts they here for the first time, we want you I would like to thank Father Rami point is what has been happening the verdicts are in their favor. The Christian Zionist ideology that use reflect a tribal and exclusive to know that you are automatically a Asakerieh for allowing us the use of in al-Arish in Sinai, Egypt lately extremist settlers have a free hand usually has been translated understanding of God that has member of our Sabeel family. When St. Catherine’s Nativity Church. where Coptic Christians were and they seem to be unstoppable. we welcome you, we say in Arabic, This is Sabeel’s 10th international harassed and killed by Muslim They are motivated and inspired Ahlan wa Sahlan. Ahlan means you conference. For this opening religious extremists. The Egyptian by their religious sacred books, are family; Sahlan means, may your worship service, I have entitled government needs to do more to put not only the Torah but also the stay with us be pleasant and smooth. my sermon: Challenging Religious an end to such criminal actions. The Talmud and the Halakha. These (But living under occupation, it is Extremism. The Middle East – word religion has become repulsive. extremist settlers begin with a difficult to guarantee pleasantness where Judaism, Christianity, and Let us briefly take a look at religious major premise that God gave all and smoothness.) Be that as it may, Islam originated – still stands out extremism: of the land of Palestine to Jews we extend to all of you a hearty as the area of the world with the · Muslim extremists: I believe that and that the Arabs/Palestinians welcome; and we hope and pray that highest levels of social, religious, the case of militant and extremist living on the land are thieves. This your stay with us will be blessed, and political hostilities that involve Muslims has become widely is what they believe. Therefore, safe, and fruitful. religion. There is a proliferation of exposed and well known. I know they must liberate the land. In a special way, I would like to religious extremism, and it has been Muslims that are bewildered and When they build settlements, welcome those of you who are spreading beyond our area. As you even ashamed about the crimes they do not believe that they are friends of Sabeel and I pray that all know from our program, we will of ISIS/Da’ish. These extremists confiscating Palestinian land. For we will not only reflect and learn be addressing this problem through use exclusive Quranic texts to them, it is not an act of stealing, together, but that this conference our different speakers. At this time, kill their own brothers and sisters as the Palestinians and the will energize us to continue the I am only introducing this menacing in the faith, as well as people of international community say it is; Wall at Aida Camp 4 ISSUE 76, Fall 2017 ISSUE 76, Fall 2017 5 religion. Oftentimes, some of the worst religious persecutions happened from within the same religion. The hostilities within the same religion can oftentimes exceed the enmities from outside. As examples, one can point to wars between Catholics and Protestants within Christianity; Sunnis and Shias within Islam; Haredim and mainline Jews within Judaism. From one perspective, religious extremists have different religious labels but they share the same basic Israeli road built on Palestinian land; Wall separating Beit Jala from its land mentality and mindset. We need to Opening Worship at Church of St. Catherine, Bethlehem recognize that our religious histories been annulled and transcended communities at the end of are full of crimes committed against values. This exercise must be done have love, I am nothing. If I give He has given us the antidote of love by later prophetic writing the first century. The recorded each other, and tragically, western not only by religious people but away all my possessions, and if I for healing our religious extremism: within the Old Testament itself, words of Jesus were a great Christians bear some responsibility by individuals, men and women, hand over my body (to be burned) You have heard that it was said, and most certainly by the New encouragement to the believers for atrocities against other religions. whether practicing their religion so that I may boast, but do not you shall love your neighbor and Testament.