I've had a couple of excellent questions from the Israel posts, the first of which being:
"How can Christians genuinely exercise a "ministry of reconciliation" in these (and similar) circumstances? How do we work to bridge the gap, rather than simply declaring ourselves to be for one side or the other?"
Reconciliation is an interesting issue in that so many people speak so easily of it yet rarely, if ever, engage in it. At its most popular level I find that reconciliation means you agreeing I am right and by having done so I allow you into a relationship that I control. Cynical? You betchya, it's what experience does to you!!
Reconciliation is costly for in reconciling us to God Christ laid down His life - this is the price of reconciliation. 2 Cor 5:18-19 tells us that, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation."
This act of 'making friendly again' (re - conciliare) means that both sides need to give ground and put aside those things that separate. In the situation surrounding Israel (as an example) there have to be some immutable (i.e. fixed) 'givens' as a basis for dialogue. In my thinking these would be along the lines of human rights and regard for the dignity of all people, including the right to practice a faith and exist as a clearly defined people group.
Israel exists and this needs to be recognised by Hamas and all others. By the same token, so to does Palestine and this needs to be recognised in return by israel (and others). It should be agreed that both nations should act to set the condition for peace and take steps within their nations to maintain that peace. This would mean a cessation from rocket attacks on one side and a cessation of turning off power, restricting aid and settlements in areas, and by means, which are provocative (and intended to be exactly that). this would be a start.
As I have said (many, many, many times) making a reality of Micah 6: 6-8 in that humility, justice and mercy are present and real would go a long way to bringing reconciliation to the fore - the rest is merely dialogue and sacrifice. Of course there are many Jews and Arabs (worldwide) who would baulk against this course of action. Quite a few Christian too I'll wager!!
Hope this is helpful - just a bit of the thinking that's going on - long way to go, but I'm off the blocks.
4 comments:
Vic,
I have just read on the news that Abbas has recognised Israel's right to exist.
One step?
Hope?
I hope so.
“Reconciliation” is good – not only the word, but the actions commensurate with it. By Jesus’ death and resurrection, He modelled the perfection of a “reconciliatory” nature, breaking down the middle wall of partition between us and God, becoming the “shalom/peace/salaam” that God desires.
But just as “the fall” left no human being “righteous” in their own right, reconciliation among human beings only unites on a human level of agreement. It is hard to imagine true reconciliation happening without the recognition of the One who was and is the perfect example of reconciliation. Orthodox Jews are still waiting for His first coming: orthodox Muslims don’t accept His divinity: Christians are lulled into a false sense of security by the fact that that there is no global war between the descendants of the two sons of Abraham.
Reconciliation dies a natural death when the city of Jerusalem and the “Dome of the Rock” come into the picture. According to Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Mount
The Al Aqsa Mosque rests on the far southern side of the Mount, facing Mecca. The Dome of the Rock currently sits in the middle, occupying the area where the Torah mandates the Holy Temple be rebuilt.[2]
In light of the dual claims of both Judaism and Islam, it is one of the most contested religious sites in the world. Controlled by Israel since 1967, both Israel and the Palestinian Authority claim sovereignty over the site, which remains a major focal point of the Arab-Israeli conflict.[3] Israel has given management of the site over at the present to an Islamic council, known as the Muslim Waqf. In an attempt to keep the status quo, the Israeli government enforces a controversial ban on prayer by non-Muslim visitors.”
This area is known to the Jews as Mount Moriah and believed to be the mountain where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice Isaac – another reason for a specific piece of land becoming a “conflict zone” between Jews and Muslims because both claim Abraham as their “patron”.
For my part, I believe the city of Jerusalem should be held in “global” trust by the United Nations but allowing “visitation rights” by all. I’m not sure whether Israelis have visitation rights at present – the last time I was there (1989), Jews were not allowed on the Dome of the Rock and I was shooed away at gunpoint for treading on an apparently insignificant part of it. This (I think) would be the way most “common sense” parents would deal with the issue, removing it from possession by Jews, Christians or Muslims, all of whom claim good reason for possession.
And, of course, both orthodox Jews and Christians are awaiting fulfilment of Zechariah 14:4 where Zechariah wrote of "the day of the Lord", when He will come in power and majesty, "And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives ... and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof ... and there shall be a very great valley", presently known as the Great Rift Valley where orthodox Jews await the Messiah’s first coming and Christians await His second coming.
I would say – as a student of prophecy – that Zechariah prefigures a form of nuclear war (what other form of conflict leaves a “warrior” with rotting flesh while they stand on their feet, or “corroded eyes” within their sockets, or “decayed tongues” within their mouths) which, to my mind, has not yet occurred – and is yet to occur!
Should worldwide human attempts at reconciliation thwart the conflict that scripture declares will happen? It is my conviction that only recognition of – and trust in - Jesus as the Son of God on behalf of the warring parties that enables resolution of the conflict – and true reconciliation!
Would God countermand His word?
Beryl Polden.
Wirral
and yet Beryl we should always work towards reconciliation.
Excellent post Vic!
Rconciliation will only at best resolve the worlds issues in part and in the time in which we find ourselves. There's a day coming when peace will come to the earth eternally but until then we need to seek reconciliation and work as peace-makers.
Israel is merely a distraction from some of the other issues in the world and needs to be sorted so the more importaqnt stuff can be vlearly seen.
Thanks for comments guys,
V
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