Loading ...Naim Ateek's moral arc of the universe
This is part of Marc H. Ellis’s “Exile and the Prophetic” feature for Mondoweiss. To read the entire series visit the archive page.
When we think of protest letters, Martin Luther King’s letter from a Birmingham jail comes to mind. But there’s a tradition of protest letters to the unjust powers-that-be. Written for immediate effect, they are preserved in history and studied. These letters change the way we view the world. They call us to act for justice in our time.
Add another protest letter, from a Palestinian cleric, Reverend Naim Ateek. This one’s personal.
I first met Naim in Jerusalem in 1987 when I presented my Jewish theology of liberation. He asked me to read his manuscript on a Palestinian theology of liberation. After reading the first pages, I knew a new theological day was dawning. A Jewish and a Palestinian theology of liberation could make an impact for justice.
Naim’s book was published as the first Palestinian Uprising was in full swing. Soon after he founded Sabeel, a Christian liberation theology center, in Jerusalem. During the intifada years, Naim and I traveled the world speaking against Israeli militarism and justice for Palestinians.
Naim and I broke an important barrier. A Jewish and Palestinian theologian could work across faith and political boundaries. Jews and Palestinians could learn from one another and develop mutual respect. Together we nurture hope that one day Jews and Palestinians will be equal in the land.
Source: mondoweiss.net