Palestinian Christians In Israel

Although Christians form a significant proportion of the Palestinian Arab minority in Israel, very little research has, until now, been undertaken to examine their complicated position within Israel. This book demonstrates the limits of analyses which characterise state-minority relations in Israel in terms of a so-called Jewish-Muslim conflict, and of studies which portray Palestinian Christians as part of a wider exclusively religious-based transnational Christian community. This book locates its analysis of Palestinian Christians within a broader understanding of Israel as a Jewish ethnocratic state. It describes the main characteristics of the Palestinian Christian community in Israel and examines a number of problematic assumptions which have been made about them and their relationship to the state. Finally, it examines a number of intra-communal conflicts which have taken place in recent years between Christians and Muslims, and between Christians and Druze, and probes the role which the state and various state attitudes have played in influencing or determining those conflicts and, as a result, the general status of Palestinian Christians in Israel today.

In the pains and hopes of his people, Raheb reveals an emerging Palestinian Christian theology.

Because events in the Middle East continue to escalate in tragic complexity, Christians still struggle with making sense of it all. In this updated version of "Whose Land? Whose Promise?," Gary Burge further explores the personal emotions and opinions, and sharpens his theological argument in the context of the new developments surrounding the crisis in the Middle East. "Whose Land? Whose Promise?" offers insight for the thoughtful reader on an explosive topic and challenges personal truths on peace.

"Christianity arose from the lands of biblical Palestine and, regardless of its twentieth century association with the Arab-Israeli conflict, to Christians around the world it remains first and foremost the birthplace of Christianity. Nevertheless the size of the Christian population among Palestinians today living in Israel and the Palestinian territories is now relatively insignificant. Here Samuel J. Kuruvilla argues that Christian Palestinians often employ politically astute as well as theologically radical means in their efforts to appear relevant as a minority community within Israeli and Palestinian societies. He charts the development of a theology of Christian liberation, particularly in the work of Palestinian Anglican cleric Naim Stifan Ateek and Palestinian Lutheran Pastor Mitri Raheb, among others, as part of the Palestinian people's struggle for independence. In doing so, Kuruvilla provides a new perspective of the Israel-Palestine conflict and the role of Christians within it." -- from the publisher's website.

"From the text: "The background is clear. . . . [Jerusalem] has been conquered and re-conquered more than 37 times. The latest conquest in 1967 was by the Israeli army. After the war Israel 'took in' not only the 5 square kilometers of Arab East Jerusalem - but also 65 square kilometers of surrounding open country and villages, most of which never had any municipal link to Jerusalem. Overnight they became part of Israel's 'eternal and indivisible capital.' The history of Jerusalem has been written with blood."" "The first part of this sequel to Justice and Only Justice focuses on events since the Intifada of 1987, including the violence that has come from Israel's aggression and from the use of suicide bombers by Palestinians. The second part of the book draws on scripture, lifting up biblical figures such as Samson, Jonah, Daniel, and Jesus as it examines issues of ownership of the land. In the final section, Ateek presents a strategy to achieve peace and justice nonviolently that will promote justice for the Palestinians and security for both Israel and Palestine."--BOOK JACKET.

The rapidly deteriorating situation in Israel/Palestine has dashed hopes of any imminent peace or even accommodation between the Israeli people and the Palestinian people. A leader in Palestinian Christianity, and an outspoken advocate of nonviolence and of Palestinian rights, Bishop Munib Younan directly addresses this situation and its imperatives. Born of Palestinian refugee parents and raised in Jerusalem, Younan has spent his life pastoring Palestinian Christians and searching for nonviolent solutions in this complex and volatile religious and political scene. In this volume, Younan presents first the historical and social context of the Palestinian situation, beginning with the not-well-known story of Arab Christianity and his own background. He elaborates his own theology of nonviolence, centered in the idea of martyria-heeding a call to justice, inclusion, and forgiveness. He illustrates the notion with dramatic and often tragic episodes and shows how it can address key issues in the current struggle with Israel over statehood, land, and refugees. Younan's model of Christian nonviolence also has demonstrable benefits in addressing terrorism, interreligious strife, and global peacemaking. Younan's is a voice all Christians of conscience should hear.