Palestinian Liberation Theology - Part III
with the Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek - March 21, 2006
Theological Features of Palestinian Liberation Theology
Today if we intend to be faithful to God we must articulate several different areas of theology:
1. The political situation in Israel and the occupied territories must be addressed:
The luxury does not exist to separate daily life from politics, nor to separate the church from the political affairs of the day. We must engage the powers that be, address the powers, and articulate where we stand in our living as people of faith.
2. The Bible and its textual problems must be addressed:
The Bible has been one of the greatest instruments used and abused to oppress people and to negate the rights of people. We must deal with difficult scriptural texts, especially biblical texts that seem to affirm the exclusion of "other" people from justice and ethical treatment.
It is helpful for Christian people to look at Jesus Christ himself and his life. This approach connects best with the local Palestinian people. The divinity of Jesus Christ is easily accentuated here. The humanity of Jesus must also be lifted up. We must read that Jesus was born under occupation, lived all his life under occupation, and was killed by the occupying forces. This does not deny His divinity, but affirms his humanity. This message resonates with the occupied people who live here. From this aspect, reading the Gospels begins to make more sense. To "love your enemy" takes on deep meaning.
Christianity flows naturally from the prophetic tradition found in the Old Testament. We must read the gospels with a view to discovering the prophetic message - the message that challenges injustice and evil ways. Wherever we live we can read and ask ourselves "How can I learn from Jesus who lived under occupation?" "How can I be faithful to God in this situation?"
Luke 18 and the verses which follow speak of the importance of prayer and persistence. The parable is also a strong teaching on justice - "a judge who neither feared God, nor respected people" - "then there was a widow.... asking for justice." At the end the question is asked "When the son of man comes will he find faith on earth?" I believe it means.... ‘there is so much injustice in this world are there people here who will stand up against injustice?" Jesus is asking "Do you have faith to work for prophetic justice?"
Certainly we read Old Testament scriptures that exclude other people. But there is also a message of inclusivity to be found in the Torah. In the book of Leviticus 25:23 we read that the land belongs to God - that we are ALL aliens in this land.
This thought continues in the prophetic writings of Ezekiel 47:21 which talks about the return of God’s people from exile. The prophet writes about a new way of life in the land - the land is for everyone including the alien. "Other" people shall be just like you and shall share in it. By developing the theology of the land and who has rights to the land you can make the translation into "peace."
A biblical understanding must be articulated that affirms God is not the God of only one people, that God is concerned about all people (even the worst enemies), that God has "other" children in whom God is interested, that God’s care and God purview cannot be underestimated, and that God is not limited in God’s care about this land, but all lands. The basis for this theology is found in the Old Testament to be certain and it continues into the New Testament. In his teaching about God’s reign, Jesus was not preoccupied with the land issue, but Jesus was preoccupied with the Kingdom of God which can be seen as the counterpart when speaking about the Land. The Kingdom with which Jesus deals is a land where God reigns everywhere and for everyone.
3. Ecumenical Issues: the dynamics within the diverse Christian community which lives in this land must be addressed. Together the Christian community must ask and explore the challenges, its ministry, and the issues that are common to all and those that are unique to each.
4. Interfaith Relations: bridges of conversation and trust must be built between Christian - Jewish - Muslim traditions.
5. Secularism: the relatively recent transformation of secular Zionism into am increasingly fundamental religious Zionism throughout the struggle for a Jewish homeland from the late 1960's onward must be opened for critique and examination.
Theological Features of Palestinian Liberation Theology
Today if we intend to be faithful to God we must articulate several different areas of theology:
1. The political situation in Israel and the occupied territories must be addressed:
The luxury does not exist to separate daily life from politics, nor to separate the church from the political affairs of the day. We must engage the powers that be, address the powers, and articulate where we stand in our living as people of faith.
2. The Bible and its textual problems must be addressed:
The Bible has been one of the greatest instruments used and abused to oppress people and to negate the rights of people. We must deal with difficult scriptural texts, especially biblical texts that seem to affirm the exclusion of "other" people from justice and ethical treatment.
It is helpful for Christian people to look at Jesus Christ himself and his life. This approach connects best with the local Palestinian people. The divinity of Jesus Christ is easily accentuated here. The humanity of Jesus must also be lifted up. We must read that Jesus was born under occupation, lived all his life under occupation, and was killed by the occupying forces. This does not deny His divinity, but affirms his humanity. This message resonates with the occupied people who live here. From this aspect, reading the Gospels begins to make more sense. To "love your enemy" takes on deep meaning.
Christianity flows naturally from the prophetic tradition found in the Old Testament. We must read the gospels with a view to discovering the prophetic message - the message that challenges injustice and evil ways. Wherever we live we can read and ask ourselves "How can I learn from Jesus who lived under occupation?" "How can I be faithful to God in this situation?"
Luke 18 and the verses which follow speak of the importance of prayer and persistence. The parable is also a strong teaching on justice - "a judge who neither feared God, nor respected people" - "then there was a widow.... asking for justice." At the end the question is asked "When the son of man comes will he find faith on earth?" I believe it means.... ‘there is so much injustice in this world are there people here who will stand up against injustice?" Jesus is asking "Do you have faith to work for prophetic justice?"
Certainly we read Old Testament scriptures that exclude other people. But there is also a message of inclusivity to be found in the Torah. In the book of Leviticus 25:23 we read that the land belongs to God - that we are ALL aliens in this land.
This thought continues in the prophetic writings of Ezekiel 47:21 which talks about the return of God’s people from exile. The prophet writes about a new way of life in the land - the land is for everyone including the alien. "Other" people shall be just like you and shall share in it. By developing the theology of the land and who has rights to the land you can make the translation into "peace."
A biblical understanding must be articulated that affirms God is not the God of only one people, that God is concerned about all people (even the worst enemies), that God has "other" children in whom God is interested, that God’s care and God purview cannot be underestimated, and that God is not limited in God’s care about this land, but all lands. The basis for this theology is found in the Old Testament to be certain and it continues into the New Testament. In his teaching about God’s reign, Jesus was not preoccupied with the land issue, but Jesus was preoccupied with the Kingdom of God which can be seen as the counterpart when speaking about the Land. The Kingdom with which Jesus deals is a land where God reigns everywhere and for everyone.
3. Ecumenical Issues: the dynamics within the diverse Christian community which lives in this land must be addressed. Together the Christian community must ask and explore the challenges, its ministry, and the issues that are common to all and those that are unique to each.
4. Interfaith Relations: bridges of conversation and trust must be built between Christian - Jewish - Muslim traditions.
5. Secularism: the relatively recent transformation of secular Zionism into am increasingly fundamental religious Zionism throughout the struggle for a Jewish homeland from the late 1960's onward must be opened for critique and examination.
posted by Philip | 5:26 a.m.
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