1st Edition

Christians and the Middle East Conflict

Edited By Paul Rowe, John Dyck, Jens Zimmermann Copyright 2014
    200 Pages
    by Routledge

    200 Pages 8 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge



    Christians and the Middle East Conflict deals with the relationship of Christians and Christian theology to the various conflicts in the Middle East, a topic that is often sensationalized but still insufficiently understood. Political developments over the last two decades, however, have prompted observers to rediscover and examine the central role religious motivations play in shaping public discourses.



    This book proceeds on the assumption that neither a focus on the eschatological nor a narrow understanding of the plight of Christians in the Middle East is sufficient. Instead, it is necessary to understand Christians in context and to explore the ways that Christian theology applies through the actions of Christians who have lived and continue to live through conflict in the region either as native inhabitants or interested foreign observers. This volume addresses issues of concern to Christians from a theological perspective, from the perspective of Christian responses to conflict throughout history, and in reflection on the contemporary realities of Christians in the Middle East.



    The essays in this volume combine contextual political and theological reflections written by both scholars and Christian activists and will be of interest to students and scholars of Politics, Religion and Middle East Studies.

    Introduction, Paul S. Rowe, John H.A. Dyck, and Jens Zimmermann Part I Theological perspectives 1. Reconciliation as a Christian response to the Israel-Palestine conflict, Salim J. Munayer 2. The New Testament and the land, Gary M. Burge 3. Orientalism in Christian theology, Magih Abdul-Masih Part II Historical perspectives 4. Christian reactions to the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem (637 CE), Maher Y. Abu-Munshar 5. Albert Hourani, Arab Christian minorities and the spiritual dimension of Britain’s problem in Palestine, 1938–1947, Todd Thompson 6. The beginnings of a new coexistence: A case study of the veneration of the Prophet Elijah (Mar Ilyas) among Christians, Muslims, and Jews in Haifa after 1948, Akiko Sugase Part III Contemporary perspectives 7. In this world you will have trouble:  Christians living amid conflict in the Middle East, Paul S. Rowe 8. Christians working for peace in the Middle East:  Efforts and expectations, Peter E. Makari 9. "The cross and the crescent are the marks on my hands": The performance of Palestinian unity amidst political fragmentation, Alain Epp Weaver 10. Researching Palestinian Christian uses of the Bible:  Israeli and Israelite violence as a canonical problem? Mark Daniel Calder



    Biography



    Paul S. Rowe is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Studies at Trinity Western University.



    John H. A. Dyck is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Studies at Trinity Western University.



    Jens Zimmermann is Professor of English and Canada Research Chair in Religion, Interpretation and Culture at Trinity Western University.



    All three are senior research fellows in the Religion, Culture, and Conflict Research Group based at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia, Canada.