A cry from the heart for compassion, justice, peace, and equality in Gaza and Israel
Years ago I met The Rev Canon Dr Richard K. Toll. when I spoke at a conference of Friends of Sabeel – https://www.fosna.org/.
He recently wrote this open letter to bishops, priests, deacons, and lay leaders in the Episcopal Church. (It’s worth reading if you are not Episcopal, of course.)
I asked his permission to post it here, which he granted. Please read with an open heart.
Thank you, Rev. Canon Dr. Toll, for sharing from your heart. Our hearts are one.
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AN OPEN LETTER TO THE BISHOPS, PRIESTS, DEACONS, AND LAY
LEADERSHIP OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
A CRY FROM THE HEART
I write this letter having been ordained to the Episcopal
Church priesthood in the Diocese of Oregon in 1968. When I retired
from my parish at St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukie, Oregon in 2003,
I was asked to be the Chair of Friends of Sabeel North America by
retired Episcopal Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning. (Sabeel is an
ecumenical liberation theology center in Jerusalem founded by a
seminary classmate of mine at CDSP by the name of Naim Ateek.) I
served in this position as a volunteer for 10 years. After Bishop
Browning died in 2016 I became the honorary President of the Board.
Bishop Browning had served as President of the Board in his
retirement.
Before I became the Chair of FOSNA (Friends of Sabeel North America),
I thought I knew what was happening in Palestine and Israel. I found
my ignorance to be profound. I went over to the region over 30 times
since my first visit in 1983. Each time I learned lessons I cannot forget.
While Chair of FOSNA and afterwards. I went to 9 international
conferences hosted by Sabeel in East Jerusalem. 250 to 500 people
were in attendance at the conferences and many Christians from as
many as 40 countries attended the conferences. Thus began an
international Sabeel moment. I found that putting conferences
together in the United States was important. FOSNA hosted 34
conferences in the United Stated in 23 states during the period 2002 –
2012. Over 10,000 people attended these conferences. Archbishop
Desmond Tutu, from South Africa, became the Patron of Sabeel in
Jerusalem and he spoke at a number of our conferences.
I have been aware of the lack of leadership of our ordained clergy,
including bishops, and laypeople in our church and many other
American churches regarding justice for Palestinians. In our church and
other churches the silence is deafening on the genocide taking place in
Gaza. As people of faith, we are asked to take stands that are often
unpopular. It is clear that the killing of over 1200 Israelis on October
7th of 2023 was unacceptable. But the killing of Palestinians after that
in the tens of thousands including women and children is not
acceptable. Military planes, bombs, and equipment given to the State
of Israel by the U.S. government is not acceptable. The Anglican
Diocese of Jerusalem needs more of our support in its many programs
that mitigate the ongoing issues of the unlawful occupation of the West
Bank and the war in Gaza.
As much as I abhor what happened in October 2023, the war in Gaza is
deeply rooted in what has been happening to Palestinians since 1948
when over 750,000 Palestinians became refugees. Over 500 of their
villages were destroyed. Gaza in 1948 had 80,000 people living within
the Gaza strip and over 2,000,000 live there today. Over 70% of the
people in Gaza today are direct descendants of the 1948 refugees.
They were never allowed to return to their homes and villages so close
from where they lived in Gaza.
Since I made my first trip to the region in 1983, I have found that
walking in the footsteps of Jesus has allowed me to open my eyes to
not only the needs of Jewish people after the Holocaust but to have my
eyes opened to the needs of Palestinians who have been and are being
continuously displaced from their land.
I have found the Episcopal Church lacking in addressing justice issues
for Palestinian issues while often supporting the State of Israel
uncritically. The 1991 General Convention said it distinguishes “between legitimate criticisms
of the Israeli government and anti-Jewish prejudice, and denounces expressions of anti-Semitism.”
We have supported our government in giving billions of dollars to provide
planes, tanks, and war machinery all in the name of the State of Israel’s
self-defense while meanwhile it takes more and more of Palestinians
land.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE
In the name of God, stand up for an end to the war in Gaza.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE
Repair whatever your own issues are in regard to justice and human
rights regarding Palestinians. I hope many will join in the work of
Friends of Sabeel North America to hear and respond to the voices of
Palestinian Christians.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE
Support the people of the state of Israel. Let them know that what has
happened through their government’s oppressive Palestinian policies,
since 1948 has not helped them in defining the state they and the
world envisioned in 1948.
My prayer is for the people who live in present day Palestine and Israel
come to terms with a common goal to live together in a true
Democracy with equal rights for all the people in the Holy Land.
The Rev Canon Dr Richard K. Toll
Former Chair and President of Friends of Sabeel of North America
