Romans 8:12-17
In preparing for a study tour to the Holy
Land with Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, I read Witnessing for Peace, by Munib Younan, Lutheran Bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). The book
centres on the need for martyrdom, not solely as bodily sacrifice, but as a
conscientious act of witness, a testimony of justice and peace in a war-torn
land.
Analyzing my experiences from my time in
the Holy Land is challenging. The longer I consider the situation the more
complex it seems to become. You can get easily bogged down in the history and
politics of the situation, and risk losing a way forward. But always there is a
voice that rings out, that cuts through the opaqueness: the Spirit of God alive
in the land, reminding us that we are a part of the struggle.
While in Jerusalem, we had the honour of
meeting Bishop Younan. He called for us to be both prophetic and pastoral in
our approach to conflict, to be critical of all injustices while also offering
a way forward. It is not enough to simply cry out. There is a responsibility
that is given to us; we become co-heirs to the land.
It is a great challenge, and one that does
not have simple solutions. But this is part of the arresting nature of the Holy
Land. It calls – demands – you to be more than only a visitor. You are forever
a part of the world’s narrative, and so are forever challenged to testify on
behalf of those who suffer.
- Joshua Zentner-Barrett
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