Pastor Munther Isaac har ett budskap

Pastor Munther Isaac har ett budskap

The International Conference of Kairos Palestine:

“The People, the Church & Resisting the Occupation”

Beit Sahour, November 18 & 19, 2022

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives  and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Luke 4:18-19

Opening Address Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac

The Reality on the Ground: Recognizing what has already existed

As churches that seek justice and righteousness in obedience to the commandment of Christ, we must deal with the facts on the ground. I will talk about clarifying the data, not changing it. We are not talking about new facts, but rather about things that have been clear, even if we tried to ignore them. First, Israel is a manifestation of settler colonialism and must be dealt with accordingly. Historically, Israel is a product of the British colonization of our land. This is the legacy of the colonial movement. Today, Israel is an extension of the neo-colonialism. Second, today Israel practices in a way that is a clear and proven apartheid regime. Therefore once again, the countries of the world and the churches of the world must deal with an apartheid country—Israel in this case. Israel is not a normal country under international law.

The problem is that the countries (and churches) of the world still accept this reality of apartheid as normal (normalization) including, unfortunately, Arab countries. There is no legal accountability or deterring sanctions imposed on Israel. Let us not forget that this colonization is feasible and profitable for Israel. Israel does whatever it wants because it can, and because it is feasible and profitable. All this in the absence of a political horizon to achieve the two-state solution and the absence of the will on the part of Israel, which has declared that there will never be a Palestinian state.

This Reality requires new and different responses

Based on the foregoing, we must no longer speak in our churches of “peace,” or even of the resolution of conflict. We must speak instead of an end to tyranny and injustice. Vocabulary is important. The words we use are important. We are not talking about a struggle between equal forces.

The way in which the churches of the world deal with injustice in our land will reveal a great deal about these churches. We do not exaggerate to say that the credibility of the churches and our Christian witness is at stake according to our dealings with Israel’s policies. Today, according to many, our issue has become the central issue. I recall here something the South African theologian and thinker Allan Boesak said, namely that Palestine is the gauge for churches and the conscience of churches today.

This is what we made clear in the work and witness of Kairos Palestine and Global Kairos for Justice, specifically that the issue is theological, moral and related to the credibility of our Christian message both to ourselves and to the world. Thus, we presented theological arguments on this subject. The avoidance of the churches, especially in the West, from questioning Israel, and from classifying it as an apartheid state, is something that will be held against them in history, and we must not stop in Kairos from pursuing and putting pressure on them to take a stand.

Despite the great pressures on us, the Kairos movement and Global Kairos for Justice along with many partners had a significant achievement in the General Assembly of the World Council of Churches this year in Germany: the final statement of the World Council of Churches recommended the necessity of studying the many recent reports that conclude that there is an apartheid system in Israel. The statement called for member churches and WCC leadership to respond to these reports. It is something for us to invest in and build on.

Today, we note the beginning of a major change in the evangelical movement in the United States, in the younger generations’ attitude towards Palestine. This has been highlighted by many studies and opinion polls in the past two years.

There are many reasons for this change, including the role of advocacy movements, new media, and the role of Palestinian Christians and their supporters, including the Christ at the Checkpoint group of Bethlehem Bible College, which targets evangelicals for dialogue and clarification of concepts. This change must be invested in.

The role of churches

What is the role of churches today? And what is our message? First, we stress that the conflict is not a religious conflict, that we are not against any religion, and that we refuse to place religions and their followers in a position of conflict and hostility. The issue is humanitarian. It is an issue of justice, righteousness, and the promotion of dignity and equality. We strive to live with everyone. Our calling is to love everyone. Therefore, believers of all faiths have an important role, and “religion” must be part of the solution. Here, as Christians, we say that the churches in the West were and still are part of the problem! There is a need for repentance and change. There is Christian Zionism with its political and financial support for the colonial state. Today, we suffer from the spread of this thought in the countries of the Global South. There are also what we call cautious, diplomatic, or neutral churches which do not take a decisive position, seeking to avoid difficult issues. They choose comfort over justice.

At the same time, it is vital to invest in the growth of support for Palestine around the world. We appreciate the position of many churches, which was evident in the assembly of the World Council of Churches. There are churches that have honorably stood with us: Palestinian, Middle Eastern, from the South in Africa and Latin America, and even in the West. Today, this support is growing, especially in the southern regions. And as I mentioned, there is change is among evangelicals, especially young people.

We invite all these churches to review the concept and theology of peacemaking. I really like a term that I learned from our friends in South Africa, specifically not to be a ”toothless church.” Neutrality is a position. Taking no position is a position. And hesitant attitudes are a position. All support and strengthen the tyrant. God is on the side of the oppressed, and the Church should take sides as well. We tell the churches, it is time for bold stances, costly solidarity, and concrete actions.

The importance of Kairos

Finally, I would like to stress the importance of the Kairos movement as a popular ecumenical theological base with local and international credibility. It is in support of the churches of Palestine, and at the same time is not bound by the restrictions that are sometimes imposed on the churches. Today, after 13 years, the movement has grown locally and internationally and has become an important prophetic voice speaking out about the concerns of Palestinians and Palestinian Christians. It is an unavoidable voice. Today, Kairos expresses bold prophetic faith and theological stances. This movement has also presented—and continues to offer in cooperation with our partners in the GKJ—practical plans and tools for action, movement, and creative resistance based on love. This is why we invite the local community and the churches of the world to rally around our initiative and interact with us on all levels: theological study, advocacy and creative resistance to evil based on love. Together, imitating our Savior Jesus Christ, we proclaim good news to the poor, healing to the brokenhearted, release to the captives, sight to the blind, and freedom to the contrite. This is our calling. Here we are. May God help us.