Pastor’s eNote: Weekly Update

Like many people, there are a few things I know quite well, like Star Wars, U2, a little Bible here and there. There are a whole host of things I know a little about like plumbing or biology. When it comes to what is happening in the Holy Land right now, I fancy myself as knowing the issues well, but I am a novice much like the rest of us.

Since well before October 7, 2023, I have been aware of the issues facing Israelis and Palestinians. They are but two players in the latest dispute over a small piece of real estate which has been fought for over several millennia. Geographically speaking, it is the only navigable path (outside of the desert or sea) between Asia, Africa, and Europe. No wonder its control has been coveted for thousands of years.

I have been to the Holy Land twice in my travels. There have been quite a few in our own church family who have visited or made pilgrimage there. All three monotheistic faiths (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) trace much of their story through that small sliver of land.

Religion, politics, and power all intersect in a unique way which makes the current situation all the more complex. Many Jews claim the land as their birthright from Abraham and as a homeland after the Holocaust. Christians trace the land for its Jewish history as well as the footsteps of Jesus. Muslims have populated the area for hundreds of years, and their Jerusalem mosque marks the place of Muhammad’s ascension into heaven.

Most all of us must confess that we understand little of the experience faced by Israelis whose lives have been terrorized for years. We must also confess our small understanding of the Palestinian people who have been evicted from land handed down from generation to generation for centuries. Moreover, we might have easily overlooked our Palestinian brothers and sisters in the faith. While they are a minority, Palestinian Christians represent the only Christians “native” to the Holy Land.

Might we pause for a moment in the midst of the positioning on the subject and simply acknowledge the complex and tragic time for the Holy Land today. Perhaps, for a moment, let us wonder about the “human” side of this deep conflict. Peace can come. The true irony here is that it often seems to escape those whose faith proclaims peace. Lord, in your mercy…

Grace to You All,

Pastor Craig Brown
(August 27, 2024)