“Don’t let your commitment to prophecy replace your commitment to follow Christ”, said Dr. Yohanna Katanacho, of Nazareth Evangelical College. “Following Christ” means learning to love your enemies, the only basis for a just solution in Israel-Palestine (see note 1). To many “Prophecy” is a divinely-inspired prediction which must be literally fulfilled. On that basis Christian Zionists support Likud’s demand for exclusive control of all Palestine “from the Sea to the River” (note 2), with the inevitable demonisation of any who resist (note 3). But in reality, “Prophecy” is a centuries-long debate, first as the people of Israel struggled to imagine their own future, either rigidly excluding others (as in Ezra chapter 9), or offering the widest possible inclusion (as in Psalm 87, where Zion- Jerusalem- will be home to many peoples, all said to be “born in it”). And then later, as the Church of the New Testament reflects on its future, and their relationship with the Roman Empire in their own day. Whether any of these debates have value today may be questioned- but in politics “historical” myths can be more powerful by far than facts, so cannot be ignored. And meanwhile the UK adheres to a “Two-State Solution” that many see as long dead (note 4)- few churches have enough consensus to argue for something more sustainable.
In Cuba life has come to near crisis point, with Havana devastated by floods caused by Hurricane Melissa, and electricity mainly dependent on now-embargoed Venezuelan oil. Power cuts are frequent, and heavily impact health services. Charcoal (at a price) is increasingly used for cooking. President Trump is now allowing oil to be sold, but only to private companies, and his unpredictability adds to the uncertainty and tension. The Cuba Solidarity Campaign, and individuals with personal contacts, work to help with food shortages, and value all the support they can get in this.
Some manuscript versions of Luke chapter 11 contain a shorter version of the Lord’s Prayer than the one usually used (see note 5)- perhaps a more original version which the early Church expanded to make its clauses clearer? The parable which follows (verses 5 to 8) describes a neighbour in need who has to persist in asking to gain any response. Relying on friendship alone does not work. God, says Jesus, is not like that- there is no need for dogged persistence to gain any response. God is only too willing and ready to give what is needed- to give “the Holy Spirit” to those who ask. Asking for God to hallow God’s own name and to bring in God’s kingdom (Reign) recognises that the world of humanity has gone seriously awry and needs a complete reset. At the beginning of his letter to the Christians in Rome Paul writes of those who “suppress the truth” (verse 18 of chapter 1), and so end up living out violence and abuse instead of love and justice. Whatever else Paul might have had in mind, it is an image that fits perfectly all we know of the imperial court of Tiberius on the island of Capri, well known at the time to many Romans. And equally familiar to us today, as Soumaya Ghannoushi wrote in Middle East Eye on February 3rd (note 6).
- Faith, Gaza and the Baptist Response.
- Likud Party.pdf
- Fact Checking Claims About Israeli Soldiers and the ‘Seed of Amalek’ – Alex Demas – The Dispatch
- Demise_of_the_Two State.pdf
- “Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. Do not bring us to the time of trial.”
- From Epstein to Gaza: The depravity of the western elite is now fully exposed | Middle East Eye