Chalice Press publishes “Rooted in Faith and Justice: Christian Calls to Conscience & Cries for Peace in Palestine”
Are you struggling to understand the complexities and injustices in Israel/Palestine? Rooted in Faith and Justice offers a powerful and enlightening perspective through the eyes of Palestinian Christian leaders and thinkers.
Immerse yourself in the stories of Gaza’s devastation and the ongoing struggle for justice and peace. Gain deep insights into the historical and contemporary issues facing Palestinians, from displacement to daily oppression. Rooted in Faith and Justice will challenge your perspectives, confront double standards, and help you discover pathways to solidarity and action. Engage with the realities of Palestine, rooted in faith, justice, and peace, and become part of the movement towards a just and lasting peace.
This new book, published by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Chalice Press, includes sections on basic history and context, religious and specifically Christian aspects, modern day realities, and ideas for the future. Chapters are short, designed for study in church groups and book clubs. The book incorporates contributions from Palestinian Christian leaders and partners with thematic chapters written by Global Ministries staff.
Partner contributors include Dr. Bernard Sabella, an expert on Palestinian Christians and immigration and former Executive Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches’ Department of Service for Palestinian Refugees; Rev. Prof. Mitri Raheb, Founder and President of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem and preeminent contextual Palestinian theologian; Rifat Kassis, general coordinator of Kairos Palestine and founder of the Palestinian section of the global child rights movement, Defense for Children International; Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, Palestinian Christian pastor and theologian; Jonathan Kuttab, Executive Director of Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA); Dr. Mira Rizeq, President of the World YWCA, former general secretary of the YWCA of Palestine, and an activist in the area of human rights; and Rev. Dr. Naim Stifan Ateek, an Anglican priest and author, founder of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, a Palestinian Arab and a citizen of Israel.
The foreword is written by Global Ministries’ Co-Executives, Rev. Shari Prestemon and Rev. Dr. LaMarco Cable. Rebekah Choate, Krista Johnson Weicksel, and Peter Makari, staff for Global Ministries of the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, edited this book and with Derek Duncan, also in Global Ministries, wrote the thematic chapters.
Click to read a sample and to order the book through Chalice Press.
A few short excerpted quotes:
“Our partnerships in Israel and Palestine are long-standing and deep….This book is in many ways a testament to the depth and importance of our partner relationships. We need to hear what these faithful and prophetic leaders have to say to us. We need to be challenged, inspired, and moved toward action and advocacy. No doubt the voices of our partners, and the broader context and history provided in this book, will do all of that.” – Rev. Dr. LaMarco Cable and Rev. Shari Prestemon
“Despite the constant efforts of the Israeli occupation to crush the social and communal fabric, women have been key in sustaining the family and the community by joining women’s movements, cooperatives, and other forms of collectives that also became their main source of emotional, social, and economic support.” – Dr. Mira Rizeq
“Women have also had to watch their children being killed during the shelling and bombing and die of hunger as the siege of Gaza continues. For the women in Gaza, staying alive is both a blessing and a curse that can never be forgotten.” – Dr. Mira Rizeq
“Palestinian Christians face the same challenges as their Muslim compatriots. Even so, and as their numbers diminish, they remain steadfast—proud of their two-millennia history and presence, committed to serving their society, and determined in the struggle for justice.” – Dr. Bernard Sabella
“The God whom we have come to know in Jesus Christ is the God of love, righteousness, and justice who stands with the oppressed and against the oppressors. This is the authentic God of the Bible, the liberator God who champions the weak and vulnerable and leads them into liberation.” – Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek
“Over the past seventy-plus years, Palestinians have shown over and over again a tremendous strength to resist, incredible forms of resilience, and creative ways to survive. The Palestinians are not moving, and they will persist in the face of the Israeli settler colonial project.” – Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb
“A solution based on ideologies of exclusive national claims and national identity will always perpetuate the conflict and will never satisfy either party…Perhaps it is better to seek solutions or frameworks that address the true needs of the people on both sides.” – Jonathan Kuttab
“Only by adhering to international law embedded within principles of justice through genuine international efforts towards a just peace that perceives Palestinians as rights holders and respects their struggle for liberty can the Palestinian people realize their long-awaited liberation and fulfill their aspirations for a future defined by dignity, freedom, and self-determination. The time for echoing empty statements is long over; now is the time for action.” – Rifat Kassis
“So today let the way of the cross be our way. Let the way of sacrificial love be our way. The crucified Jesus, who sacrificed his life for the sake of those he loved, calls us for costly solidarity, the costly solidarity of love. This is a call to action, for the church to be Jesus’ church—to follow in the footsteps of our crucified savior.” – Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac