The Politics of the Eucharist

O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Two summers ago I spent five weeks in Lebanon. Three days after I had left the airport from which I flew out of was bombed. War had broken out between Lebanon and Israel. In the coming weeks over 1,000 Lebanese, mostly civilians, had been killed. My friends were in danger, places I had visited were bombed to smithereens. The summer after that I was in the West Bank, in Israel/Palestine. There I heard story after story of death, violence and injustice; I saw posters and spoke with the families of suicide bombers, of so called martyrs, who took their own lives and others with them. I heard stories such as that of an 18 year old girl whose life had been taken by an Israeli sniper.

These images and stories will haunt me for the rest of my life. They have left their mark on me. I have seen the true face of violence and war: it is a face marked by the very fire and suffering of hell. Here in the U.S. we are SO removed from these realities. When it does come to our shores, as it did in 9/11, we are shocked beyond belief. We are not shocked, however, by our response to it, and have no idea of what it means to live in a country where between 30,000 and 300,000 people have died (where we don’t even bother to count the “enemies” causalties) and where roughly 6 million people have had to flee their homes. These are the realities of a world marked by war and violence.

God, however, is not removed from these realities. He is not a stranger to violence, war and suffering.

When Christ came to earth, he entered a nation under siege, an Israel under a brutal Roman occupation. This Roman force would eventually give him the punishment of an insurrectionist: crucifixion. This Roman force would free Barabbas (a true, violent insurrectionist) and would, in his place, crucify our Lord.

Christ in his life and death, modeled for us the path of nonviolence, of non-retaliatory love of the enemy. When we celebrate the Eucharist, the breaking of his body and the spilling of his blood, we remember the one who took our violence upon himself and freed us from its dominion.

In the gospels we see Christ, proclaim his message in word and deed. The message he preaches in the Sermon on the Mount: “Do not resist an evil person” he lives out in Gethsemane by not resisting arrest violently and by condemning Peter’s use of the sword. He heals the bloody ear of one who was to soon to turn him over to the bloodshed of the cross. Some theologians (such as John Howard Yoder) read Christ’s greatest temptation in Gethsemane, when he prayed for the cup to be taken from him, of that of bringing the kingdom through violence, rather than through death. As Christ says: “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of Angels?” No, this is not how the kingdom comes. It comes not by force and the taking of other’s lives, but through giving of our own life, through death.

The disciple Matthew, as he enfolds the drama of the passion, continues to present Christ as a model of non-violence. We see this further, with the contrast between Barabbas and Christ. Barabbas, a known insurrectionist and murderer, was released instead of Christ. The people clamor for the release of a murderer and the murder of Christ. The one who deserved the cross, is replaced by the innocent, non-violent Christ.

This is what we celebrate in the Eucharist, this is part of what we proclaim: Christ’s death, and our freedom from the way of violence, the breaking of his body, so that we are freed to no longer break the body of others. We are freed to take the path where giving is receiving. Christ’s sacrifice is the once and for all sacrifice. No more blood is needed.

The relationship between violence and the Eucharist is illustrated well by Schlabach. It is worth quoting at length:

What most regularly and quite literally prompts Christians to pause and to keep rethinking the question of war, however, is the proclamation of the gospel and its celebration in the Eucharist. The Eucharist and the Jesus whose “real presence” it invites into the gathering of believers are not just one reason among many for staying unsettled about Christian participation in warfare. It is the core reason, and the one that simply refuses to go away. The Eucharist is an offer of life, a promise of hospitality to strangers, a sharing of peace, a taste of God’s generosity, a breaking that opens space for healing. It commemorates God’s victory over every cosmic and historical force of evil by a lion-no, of all things! – by a lamb who was slain and by the blood of the martyrs who follow this lamb (Revelation 5 and 12:11; cf. Weaver, 2001:20-33). As Christians now celebrate the Eucharist around the globe, it makes more real than even what was already clear when the God of Israel offered new life to Gentile nations through Jesus Christ: this is a gospel that bursts the confines of even the most sacred nationalism…[at the table] Christians learn and re-learn the practice of generosity toward others… [we should find ourselves] quietly disquieted when [we] fail to show others anything less than the generous non-violent love that God as shown [us]. In other words, if tension is evident at the very table that is the pre-eminent sign of human community and ultimate communion with God, the Eucharist is doing its work. Christians who participate regularly, mindfully, and bodily in the Eucharist testify that the ritual is powerful in part because it works on them ay many levels. At each, there is a proper tension. (367-368, Blackwell Companion to Christian Ethics, Hauerwas and Wells).

Alelluia He is Risen!

From the Easter Vigil Liturgy:

O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the golry of the Lord's resurrection: stir up in your Church that Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that wem being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

As Provebs states, when words are many sin is not absent. These words seem to be particularly applicable to bloggers! :) So during the season of lent I largely took a break from writing. Many of the spiritual writers talk about how we can only truly speak God's words after we have entered into silence. It is also true that communing with God in silence is good in and of itself (and often doesn't "birth" any radically new words). So on returning I was hoping to have all these amazing insights to offer, but at the moment that is not the case. :)

Some personal updates:
-God miraculously provided a house for us to move into back in Wheaton (no more commuting!)
-I am still praying and hoping to receive an invitation to this summer's anglican conference in Jordan/Jerusalem (gafcon.org).
-I have been taking a class on recovering monastic wisdom and have been really challenged to think of ways to incorporate these practices and concepts into my future work in the M.E.
-I am in the process of discerning, along with my mentors and those close to me,several large decisions. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

Some Updates on the Middle East:
-In case you haven't noticed, the situation in Gaza has been increasingly deteriorating. As of a couple weeks ago, a totoal of nearly 150 people had died (mostly civilians) as a result of Israeli incursions and attacks. Of course, the continual rocket fire out of Gaza hasn't helped things. There is no way, thjough, that these actions can be placed on the same level. Check out my friends blog (under the link section) for more details.

The shalom/salaam of the Lord be always with you.

Some Poetry to Share

I would like to share some poetry that expresses well many of the complexities and difficulties of life here in the US and in the Middle East. The first is from my friend and professor Dan Haase (check out his blog at www.4loves.com/poetry). The second and third are my own, written in response to my time in the West Bank this last summer. Enjoy!


The Sounds Of A Thousand Summers

The sky is singing cerulean chords
Across the horizon’s score

The cirrus clouds as feathered wings
Invite by flight: explore

As dragonflies wake the eyes
Like lightening coming forth

Trees, as praise, are rooted deep
And lifted leaves adore

A yellow finch and cardinal join
No human could ignore

A refrain is built on locust’s wings
The orchestration soars

When the children upon the scene
Come bounding out-of-doors

Their laughter yet another piece
That blooms within the flowers

The chorus sweetens like a fruit
When light upon it pours

The touch of gladness in the mind
When tasted peace is ours

A thousand summers; a thousand dreams
Upon a thousand shores

And yet today a world away
Play instruments of war



--------

Waiting


Cuando no hay otra manana
Y el hoy de ayer se ha olvidado,
Cuando la esperanza pierde su aliento,
Te espero.

When yesterday’s wars threaten today’s peace
And to crack the very seams of my soul,
When I can’t bear my burdens anymore,
I wait for you.

معنى او سبب يوجد لا عندما (when there isn’t reason or meaning)
مغلق الشمس باب و (and the door of the Sun is closed)
الشئ هذا الى يحتاج ولا الاشياء بعض الى يحتاجقلبي عندما (when my heart wants anything but this)
انتظارك في انا (I wait for you).

Tu, quien tienes hoy, ayer, y manana
Whose peace the world can’t break
Inta, illi ma lazim 3indak ma3na (you who don’t have to have reasons)
Tu, you, Inta…are worth waiting for.

---


Bethlehem

Thousands come to see the birthplace of Christ
Never seeing the death surrounding the monument they visit
Never realizing that the ½ hour it took them to come from Jerusalem
Is an eternity for the millions of Palestinians who can’t visit the city they call “the Holy.”

The Manger of Bethlehem is now a tomb, slowly sucking the hope away
It’s a tomb made of concrete walls and metal bars
No wonder hundreds leave each year (and thousands more would if able) and never come back
Ironic that that thousands from America come here, sipping their tourist water bottles and complaining of the heat.

A Personal Update

Well, I have done a lot of "soap-boxing," and so I guess its about time for a more personal update.

Here's some of my latest news:

1) Grad school! I started my first full semester of grad. school classes in Intercultural Studies at Wheaton. In some ways it doesn't feel like a lot has changed, though it is nice to feel a bit older when i say "I'm a graduate student." :)

2) Internship: This semester I am doing an internship at my home church in Wheaton, Church of the Resurrection, an an Anglican Mission in America church. The internship title is "prayer and social justice," but in reality will end up encompassing all sorts of things. Mainly I view this as a time to deepen my roots here, to be discipled, and to further prepare for ordination within this denomination. One of my main goals, though, in this, is to help encourage concern for the poor and for justice ministries at our church. It is a time to practice much of what I would like to do in the ME.

3) This summer: I have applied for a scholarship to study Arabic for two months in Jordan. I wasn't planning on returning this summer, but if accepted this would be an all expenses paid opportunity and would also allow me to do two things: a) attend a controversial Anglican Conference in Jerusalem (GAFCON) b) Meet some Anglican leaders in Jerusalem with whom it is possible I could work with in the future.

I have also been accepted to take two week-long classes in Reconciliation and Social Justice at the Eastern Mennonite University.

4) Arab relationships: I have been blessed with several new Palestinian and Arab friends, including a refugee from Iraq. Many opportunities for ministry with them have opened up!


4) Prayer Requests: Openness to God's leading and changing of my plans, acceptance to this scholarship, humility, funds for the summer classes, for my Arab friends.

As a side note, I hope you have been keeping up with the terrible situation in Gaza. I encourage you to read the last two entries in my friend's blog who is over there: Tabulagaza

Peace of Christ be with your spirits!

Jonathan

Double Vision: Part 2

I have been reminded again and again of the importance of really listening to those we disagree with, of really trying to understand where they are coming from, of, in Volf's worlds, placing ourselves behind their eyes so that we can see the world as they see it (at least to a certain degree). This does not mean agreeing with everything they say, or saying that all positions are of the same validity, but it is granting a common humanity to your "enemy." It is approaching issues of injustice with both boldness and humility. Yes, we take a hard stand on what we consider injustice, but at the same time we realize that what we may consider justice might be flawed. It is in the process of action that we continually step back and say "am I really seeing the situation correctly?" and then guiding one's action accordingly. Humility and activism... a seemingly dissonant pair.

So in continuation of this line of thought begun with my last post, I now want to include another Jewish voice, that of Benjamin Netanyahu. This is from the intro to his "a Durable Peace" and, I think, represents quite well much of the ethos and thinking that lies behind much of the action of the Israeli people and government. Here it is:

" For the Jewish people, therefore, the history of the twentieth century may be summed up as thus: If there had been a Jewish state in the first half of the century, there would have been no holocaust . And if there had not been a Jewish state after the Holocaust there would be no Jewish future. The State of Israel is not only the repository of of the millennial Jewish hopes for redemption; it is also the one practical instrument for assuring Jewish survival."

"Israel at the start of the twenty-first century is undoubtedly one of the greatest success stories of the twentieth century. Communism, fascism, socialism, and so many other "isms" have crumbled into dust. But Zionism, the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, the one true liberation movement amidst so many false ones, has far from crumbled."

"...the last fifty years have shown that the Jewish people will survive, and that against all obstacles the Jewish state will prevail."

I will only briefly note that this notion of "survival," defense, and victimhood play a very strong role in politics today. "Never again" is in the back of many people's consciousness.

Double Vision: Seeing Through the Eyes of the Enemy

Over Christmas break I read Exclusion and Embrace (see book list on right of blog), a book that significantly challenged and shaped my views of how we are to pursue justice, reconciliation and peace between those we consider our enemies. Over the next several posts I will be commenting and developing some of the ideas presented in this book and applying them to the situation in Israel/Palestine.

A major premise in Volff's work is the following. In situations of injustice and oppression, whether as a victim or as one fighting on behalf of victims, the tendency is to become enslaved to an exclusive commitment to one's own cause: "we are pursuing justice, they are perpetuating injustice." We are completely right, they are completely wrong; we are the victims they are the oppressors. Volff argues that this is problematic on many levels and encourages the pursuit of "double vision," the ability to step into the shoes of the other and to try to see things from their perspective:

"Our understanding of God's justice is imperfect and we often pervert justice even as we seek to do it...[we must] enlarge our thinking by letting the voices and perspectives of the other, especially with those with whom we may be in conflict, resonate within ourselves, by allowing them to help us see them, as well as ourselves, from their perspective, and if needed, readjust our perspectives as we take into account their perspectives."

To begin some of this work of double vision I would like to present a diverse set of voices that haven't been heard much in this blog. Voices, though with whom I may often disagree, can still learn from.

Voices from Sderot:

Many of you may be aware of the situation in Sderot, southern Israel. Let me summarize briefly:

Residents of Gaza have been firing rockets at this city, nearly daily, for over a year, causing much fear and distress among the residents of this city. Meanwhile within Gaza, the Palestinian residents find themselves walled in and largely shut out from the rest of the world. They are unable to leave, short on fuel and fresh water and largely jobless. Hopelessness prevails. (see the links on the right to Haaretz and Palestine News for more news on Gaza).


Israeli Woman in Sderot (http://coalitionofwomen.org/home/english/articles/namika_zion_021206/)

I have been living in Sderot for almost twenty years. For five and a half years I have been ‘breathing’ Qassams. Some of them fell a few meters from my home, and for the first time in my life I comprehended the emotional meaning of the expression ‘victims of shock and anxiety.’ All the daily worries that were generously exported to the public are familiar to me too. All the rituals that emerged around the anxieties: To jump in response to any unusual noise, to watch the sky while walking in the city, to bolt out of bed like an automaton at three in the morning and run to the security room, to tensely wait for the boom, to verify that everybody is okay, and so on again.

Nevertheless, I want to sound a slightly different voice. Or at least, different than the stereotyped voices that are recycled endlessly in the media. I will not say anything new or original here that has not already been said before me. The only validity to my words is the fact that I am a resident of Sderot.
Let me start by saying that the repeated calls ‘to destroy Beit Hannon’, ‘to raze Gaza’, ‘to black out cities’ and to ‘turn off the water’ horrify me when they are uttered by a frustrated public. They are even more horrifying when they are stated by public figures, ministers and journalists who are expressing empathy with the people of Sderot. These are calls for which there cannot be empathy! When one repeats the same call so many times, it inadvertently becomes legitimate, part of the daily agenda. What singed the ear five years ago is suddenly transformed into acceptable music and then to sweet music. One gets habituated. This process of habituation scares me even more than the Qassams.

Solidarity With Sderot (http://www.ujc.org/blog.html?id=95)

Shalom,
The past 48 hours have been some of the most turbulent we have seen on the southern front in recent months. It reflects the slow but sure deterioration of the security situation, building up to an inevitable and major confrontation. No matter how this cycle of hatred began or where it will lead, the consequences are undoubtedly a cause for concern and fear.

The Israel Defense Forces entered the Gaza strip on Tuesday at dawn, in order to intercept brigades firing rockets toward Israel. As a result, 20 armed Palestinian terrorists have been killed. At the same time, a Palestinian sniper killed a South American volunteer working in one of the Kibbutzim.

Since this morning, some 40 Kassam rockets have been fired at Israel and more than 100 have been launched in the past three days, injuring five residents. One missile managed to reach Ashkelon. The firing continued yesterday and today, while the Israel Air Force carried out air strikes which caused the accidental deaths of three uninvolved Palestinians, one of the unfortunate, yet inevitable outcomes of military activity in densely populated areas.

Yesterday, the IDF sent reinforcements to the people of Sderot. Children were accompanied to and from school by soldiers; IDF vehicles patrolled the city and soldiers have been positioned at bus stations and on school buses. The Urban Assistance Center in Sderot has also been reinforced and the IDF will continue to assist residents of Sderot and the neighboring communities.

To be continued...

Traveling to Israel?

(In this post I will begin with some general thoughts and then some more personal news at the end)

Do you know someone traveling to Israel? Pass the following along to them:

As the Christmas holiday’s end, so begin, often, plans for the summer. As Evangelicals, the Holy Land, has a magnetic attraction for people who want to “walk where Jesus walked.” In the last couple weeks I have talked with or overheard of several friends who were traveling to Israel this summer.

There has been much talk in recent years about the concept of ethical tourism. It is nowhere more relevant than in Israel/Palestine where thousands of Christian tourists flock each year and where simultaneously a conflict rages between Israelis and Palestinians. The question for them should be: How can every part of my life, including my travels, be done in a Christ-like manner?

As one who has done the “touristy” thing in Israel I can speak from first-hand experience. Generally, tourism in Israel, especially when done for Christian pilgrims, focuses on historical monuments (such as, say, the Mount of Beattitudes), but largely does its best to steer free from the harsh realities facing both Israelis and Palestinians today. Tours are generally led by Israelis who do their best to present the best possible picture of their land. Rarely are tourists taken into the West Bank or given an opportunity to meet Palestinians. In short, tourism often in Israel becomes the equivalent of tourists in Mexico who stay at beautiful beach resorts, completely ignorant of that fact that two miles down the road are thousands of people living in a slum without running water or electricity. Furthermore, for Christian tourists who have visited Israel, it comes as a shock that there is actually such a thing as a Palestinian Christian. They might have visited all the Christian archaeological sites, but have never encountered the “living stones” of the land, the present day Palestinians who share their faith and worship regularly in a similar manner.

One’s trip to Israel can do one of two things: it can either make worse the existing conflict or it can play a part in encouraging peace. A one sided trip only serves to worsen the conflict by furthering ignorance and by allocating resources lopsidedly. A carefully thought through trip can serve to open one’s eyes to both sides of the story.

SO, several quick tips toward an ethical trip:
1) Read up on the political situation before you go!
2) Make an effort to spend time on both sides of the divide. Make an effort to meet both Jews and Palestinians. Listen to their stories. Travel within both Israel and the West Bank (Gaza is hard to get into presently).
3) Make an effort to attend a Palestinian church service on a Sunday.
4) Be aware of where you spend your money. Try to be evenhanded in your distribution of resources.
5) By all means, leave your tour group every once and a while and meet real people! Be adventurous.

Here are some links to some information about ethical tourism in Israel/Palestine as well as resources on tours while you are there:

1) The Alternative Tourism Group is a Palestinian NGO specializing in tours and pilgrimages that include critical examinations of the history, culture, and politics of the Holy Land
2) The Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions is an Israeli group which among other things offers political tours of East Jerusalem:
3)The Holy Land Trust Travel and Encounter is an organization based out of Bethlehem which focuses on arranging trips within the West Bank and Israel
4) Sabeel is an ecumenical Christian organization which seeks reconciliation and justice between Israelis and Palestinians. They also offer tours.
5) Discussion of alternative tourism: http://www.ethicaltraveler.org/guidelines.php
6) The Ethical Challenges of Managing Pilgrimages to the Holy Land (paper) http://www.cc-vw.org/articles/cre2000.htm

Personal Note:

Praise God! I found out today that one of my friends who had been arrested this last month was released and is now back with his family. Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for my three other friends who are still in jail.