A Message from a Palestinian Christian …

I have great admiration for Naim Ateek and the good people of Sabeel. Here is their statement on this 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

Quotable:

Justice and peace is the work of the church. Jesus was very political when he said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.’ Peacemaking is part of the essence of the church’s work. If the clergy are not engaged, then a very important dimension of their ministry is missing. The prophetic voice of church leaders must be heard. It must be undergirded by a clear, nonviolent strategy, and courage….

There can never be peace without justice, and justice will never die so long as there are people who yearn for it, work for it, and sacrifice for it. It could, and may take a long time… Our people must continue to live in the hope of liberation and peace, remembering the words of the Apostle Paul, ‘[we know] that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us’ (Romans 5:3-5).