Israel, Apartheid, and the Churches
Part II
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Last month's newsletter covered recent actions by the U.S. denominations to name Israeli Apartheid. In this issue we turn to the global church. The World Council of Churches is the institutional expression of the ecumenical movement. Its roots go back to the early 20th century, when students, pastors and theologians from Europe and North America gathered in the wake of World War I to ensure that the catastrophe of war would not happen again. After World War II, the newly formed World Council of Churches confronted anti-colonial struggles, legalized racism, militarism, environmental destruction, and economic inequality. Internal struggle and dissension accompanied the big decisions -- but by and large the World Council has spoken and acted in accord with the imperative to do justice.
A legacy of the colonial reality into which the WCC was born is the tension between the former colonial powers and its former colonies -- what have come to be known as the “Global North” and “Global South.” Proclamations and actions aimed at systemic violations of human rights, while fully supported by the Global South, were in some cases opposed or questioned by the churches of the North, who perceive a threat to established systems and relationships. This dynamic was on display at last week’s WCC General Assembly, when a resolution calling on member churches to name Israeli apartheid and take a stand for the Palestinians introduced by the Anglican Church of South Africa was opposed by the Protestant Church of Germany. Our story covers the resolution that resulted from negotiations between supporters and opponents.
The accompanying story about a recent conference of Asia-Pacific Solidarity for Palestine coalition highlights this contrast between North and South. The conference statement expresses "radical solidarity with the people in Palestine in their struggles to overcome the decades-long colonial/apartheid regime." This clear, unequivocal statement demonstrates the growing influence of the Global South not only for the ecumenical church but also for civil society throughout the world.
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Resolution on Israeli Apartheid Comes Before the World Council of Churches
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Last week the World Council of Churches convened its General Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany. The Anglican Church of South Africa submitted a resolution to the Assembly describing Israel’s systematic ethnic cleansing and oppression of the Palestinians as apartheid and calling on member churches to stand with the oppressed. Support has been growing for such a declaration over the nine years since the last General Assembly, not only among the churches of the Global South but in the North as well. Sponsors of the resolution from sixteen churches from Southern Africa, Cuba, Colombia, Brazil and Argentina were joined by churches in Canada, the United States, Sweden and Norway. However, opposition was also anticipated, chiefly from the Protestant Church of Germany, necessitating significant revision. The resolution that was eventually adopted represented the global body’s attempt to balance its commitment to justice with its mission to seek “unity” by hearing all voices and keeping peace within the large tent.
The attempts in the resolution to obfuscate, redirect, and deflect attention from the criminality of Israel’s actions are transparent: so many factors lead to the violence by both sides, maintains the resolution, number one on the list being “religious extremism” -- translation, the violence and worst abuses can be attributed to a radical fringe on both sides. “Systematic violations of human rights” are cited as “affecting all in the region” and “vulnerable communities” in particular. ”Settlers” are blamed for “systematic harassment” of Palestinians in the West Bank. Throughout, however, the voice of the Palestinians and their supporters shines through the smokescreens. But it is in the one place in the resolution that the word apartheid is allowed to be spoken that that the importance of this moment emerges:
"Recently, numerous international, Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations and legal bodies have published studies and reports describing the policies and actions of Israel as amounting to “apartheid” under international law. Within this Assembly, some churches and delegates strongly support the utilization of this term as accurately describing the reality of the people in Palestine/Israel and the position under international law, while others find it inappropriate, unhelpful and painful. We are not of one mind on this matter."
We are not of one mind on this matter. The statement is stunning in its implications. In its attempt to neutralize the impact of the words “Israeli” and “apartheid” appearing in the same sentence, the WCC has surfaced the continuing struggle to define the mission of the ecumenical movement, indeed to answer the question posed by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Karl Barth close to a century ago: what is the true church? In 1935 Bonhoeffer demanded of the nascent ecumenical movement in Europe that the “German Christians,” who had thrown in with the Nazi government, be rejected in favor of the Confessing Church. His ecumenical colleagues said “no” -- we can’t do that, we need to maintain peace between our members, keep everyone in the tent. Bonhoeffer had posed the question that the movement has confronted throughout its history: are we an organization of churches, or a form of the church itself, founded to follow the teachings and the example of Jesus Christ?
We are not of one mind on the matter. What is meant by “church unity?” Is it about finding a way for everyone to get along, or is it an unswerving commitment to justice? Bonhoeffer was clear about it: the church, he wrote, grapples in every historical period with challenges that upsets its equanimity and the desire to “keep the peace.” The true church, he wrote, is the “living, confessing, and struggling church.” Indeed, the ecumenical movement gathered in Karlsruhe last week was of one mind on the matter. The most it could muster in objection to calling apartheid by its name is that it is “inappropriate, unhelpful and painful” -- but not incorrect! It was no longer possible sidestep or defer. Even the sacred cow of the two state solution as the “path to peace” is questioned in the resolution, removing one of the most longstanding supports propping up the liberal Zionist position. As the cynical political theater of past decades finally falls away, the escape route from recognition of the reality of Israel’s illegal behavior becomes increasingly impassible. It’s apartheid. And the churches must act: “As you have done it for the oppressed and ignored of my sisters and brothers, you have done it for me.”
The voice of the institutional church in Germany is not the only voice of German Christians. Read the powerful letter of the Kairos Palestine Solidarity Network protesting the attempt to shut down the voice of the Palestinians at the General Assembly.
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Radical Solidarity: Asia-Pacific Conference Affirms Support for Palestine |
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Early this summer an important conference was convened by Global Kairos Asia Pacific Solidarity for Palestine. GKAPPS is a collective of Christian theologians across Asia-Pacific. It has widened its scope to include scholars from other faith communities- Muslims and Buddhists, indigenous persons, journalists and activists from the secular arena. Titled “Embracing Solidarities through Sharing Stories of Struggles to Resist Empires”
"We...seek to express our radical solidarity with the people in Palestine in their struggles to overcome the decades-long colonial/apartheid regime that deprives them of their fundamental human rights, including the right to life. We, a multi religious group from around 21 countries, also call upon the religious communities and civil society movements in the Asia-Pacific region and around the Globe to act decisively to address the brutal and horrific situations of Nakba that the Palestinians have been facing for more than seven decades."
The statement is infused with consciousness of a world order based on the accumulation of wealth for corporations and the power of an economic elite at the expense of the vast majority of humankind -- in short, the modern manifestations of Empire. The people of the Global South, including in large part religious communities committed to human dignity and liberation from poverty and powerlessness, are clear about the meaning of the Palestinian cause in the context of this global struggle. Their "pain" in describing the apartheid inflicted upon the Palestinian people is not about their discomfort about disturbing relationships between their communities or preserving harmony with the powers. Rather, "radical solidarity" means joining with Palestinians and with all oppressed peoples in an unequivocal commitment to justice.
The statement includes a critique of how religion has been used as a tool of power in their countries. It expresses urgent concern about the dangerous combination of religion and nationalism found in Hindutva in India, militant Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, and Zionism in Israel (with attention paid to the power and danger of Christian Zionism). As such, reads the statement, Palestine has become a "rallying cry" for those committed to the establishment of political systems working to protect diversity and ensure freedom from want and persecution.
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Dr. Michael Spath interviews Dr. Mark Braverman about his recent paper, "Theology in the Shadow of the Holocaust: Revisiting Bonhoeffer and the Jews." Mark will discuss how the focus on anti-Judaism has led the church away from confronting difficult truths about the nature of Christian identity and teaching. It has exerted a powerful influence on liberal Christian Zionism and the church's attitude toward Israel.
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Sponsored by the Kairos Puget Sound Coalition and the Episcopal Bishop's Committee Justice and Peace in the Holy Land, St Mark's Cathedral Focus Ministry will present a conversation among faith leaders and activists on current developments and strategy for the future. Join Rev Naim Ateek, Rev Richard Toll, Jonathan Kuttab, Ronna Harb and others on Saturday, 9/24 1-4PM PDT.
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Palestine Portal is a program of Kairos USA. Support the work of promoting the voices of prophetic leadership by making a gift today. Donate online or by check to Kairos USA, 1815 NW 27th Ave., Portland OR 97210.
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Palestine Portal
1815 NW 27th Ave
Portland, OR 97210
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