“ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord “ Philippians 2:11
I work for Mennonite Central Committee in Kitchener. This past week we hosted Dr. Naim Ateek on his cross-Canada book tour . He is a Palestinian Christian minister from Jerusalem who has written books on the Palestinian theology of Liberation. His family’s house and land were taken by the Israeli government early after Israel’s independence was declared in 1948.
There were groups who did not want MCC and Conrad Grebel to hold this lecture. The lecture became political. Dr. Ateek said his life is religious, political , about land and about his people. We were worried that their would be protests by groups that did not want Dr. Ateek to present his side of the Holy Land discussion.
We had been aware that his presence might bring about some debate. THe government of Israel is powerful and in charge of Israel/Palestine . They have the tanks, the guns, the bulldozers , the locks and keys of all the checkpoints , and they have built the “Wall”. They determine what comes and goes into the Gaza Strip and the Territories along the west Bank of the Jordan. They are the Empire, in charge of everything. The United Nations have said the land that they have taken from the Palestinians is illegal, They build settlements this land, and this is also illegal. What do you think about this ?
I believe in the separation of church and state. I do not want the Canadian flag in the worship space of the church. I do not want the church to be a supporter of the NDP, the Conservatives nor the Liberals ( or the Green party). But, sometimes, what we believe in will bring us into the political conversation.
Jesus was executed by the political powers of his day. He threatened their power. He was interrogated by both Pilate and Herod during his overnight trial. Jesus had had a following of people, who came with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. After he arrived he overturned the tables of some economic sellers in the market. He threatened the tax system as well. Jesus of Nazareth disrupted the powers of his day, and he was killed for it.
Paul, the early church leader, was also a political guy. His name was on 12 letters to the early church community. He wrote them over the course of 10-20 years ( this is disputed ) . Every time he wrote in one of those letters, he mentioned that Jesus was Lord and Saviour, he was making a statement to the Emperor . Emperor believed himself to be God. He was Lord and Saviour of the world, but Paul had a different story.
Paul met with the Felix , Festus and King Agrippa ( all politicians ) of ancient Rome and proclaimed Jesus as Lord. Paul was a Roman citizen, and knew what he was saying and doing. It came out of his deep faith in Christ, put the political powers saw it as a political act.
MCC often responds to disaster in the world , and we try to identify the people most at risk. Sometime the political leaders in some countries think we are taking sides. Sometimes the work of church comes into conflict in doing our work to the “least of these “ . What do you think the church should be in this world ? What does Jesus is Lord mean for you ?
Fred Redekop
Ponder Anew 