July 8, 2004
Off-road living
Jack Kerouac was in love with the open road, in love with being
on the move in our country’s vastness. In January, as we
began our travels across the United States, we shared his romance.
The horizon disappearing in the distance, snow-capped mountains
and sun-kissed valleys, ruddy-hued pueblos and steel skyscrapers,
the expansive nation in all its variety, unadulterated, uninhibited
freedom to move. But now it is July, and our initial infatuation
has given way to a longing to be in one place for some time. Living
out of suitcases, greasy fast food, the rental van’s gray-going-on-grungy
interior, rising gas prices, one too many books on tape. Although
we are relieved to be finished with the tour, we will always treasure
the experience. We have traveled from Billings to Boston, and
have worshiped in churches from LaCrosse to Los Angeles. We have
been in congregations that consider themselves conservative, liberal,
non-denominational, high-church, contemporary, neighborhood, urban,
rural, big-steeple, and more. In each place, we have tried to
do the same, simple thing: share the stories of the Palestinian
church—its struggles and joys, its celebrations and sufferings.
Three of Zababdeh’s pastors were able to join us and give
personal voice to the Christian experience, as a minority amidst
a Muslim majority and as Palestinians under the Israeli occupation.
We have shared with you some of the reactions we have gotten.
We saw the American Church in all its grace and brokenness, alternately
showing great compassion for human suffering and curious disregard
for any cares but its own. It is this American Church, along with
all Americans, who must decide how it will participate in the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict. It is not a question of not taking
part—we are already involved through billions of our tax
dollars, decades of foreign policy, and generations of bankrupt
Holy Land theology. Rather, the question for the Church is whether
we will be disciples of Jesus Christ, seeking to be instruments
of grace, mercy, and justice throughout the world, or will we
surrender to lethargy, to ignorance, to nationalistic idolatries
cloaked as faithfulness.
The past week, we have been at the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s
General Assembly meeting in Richmond. We are extremely pleased
that our denomination’s highest council of elders has chosen
the former when it comes to the Middle East. As a church, we have
turned our back on Christian Zionism, a militant fundamentalism
which seeks to speed the arrival of Armageddon, wielding great
political might based on narrow understandings of prophetic Scripture.
As a church, we have called on Israelis and Palestinians to return
to negotiations, recognizing that the future of that land is a
shared one. As a church, we will use a strategy successful against
apartheid and begin a targeted divestment of companies invested
in Israel, pressuring for an end to the occupation. And as a church,
we have said with one strong voice, “Mr. Sharon, stop this
wall,” calling for an end to the Israeli wall’s imprisonment
and ghettoization of the Palestinian people. (These and other
overtures passed by the 216th General Assembly can be found on
the Web at www.pcusa.org/ga216.)
We look forward to working in the echoes of these strong words
of faith from those gathered in Richmond. In mid-August, we will
relocate to Louisville, Kentucky. We will begin a new phase of
our ministry, working with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s
Middle East office as missionaries in residence. Our work will
focus on Palestine/Israel and Iraq, the situation of the church
in those lands, and the Christian response to their condition.
We will be finishing and making available our documentary film,
developing an accompanying curriculum, traveling and speaking,
and helping Christians explore ways to get involved and partner
with brothers and sisters in Christ. We ask for your prayers that
our ministry and lives would be guided by the Holy Spirit. We
ask you to dedicate yourselves to making this issue a priority
in your lives. And we ask you to walk beside us as we do our best
to be agents of God’s merciful, exquisite reign.
But until then, we’re simply looking forward to putting
our socks in drawers…
Grace and Peace,
Marthame and Elizabeth
P.S. We will not be receiving email until August 16.
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