|
Home ->about |
|
|
          |
|
Home ->about |
|
|
|
|
About Sabeel Purpose Statement
|
Sabeel, Arabic for 'the way' and also 'a channel' or 'spring' of life-giving water, is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians which encourages women, men, and youth to discern what God is saying to them as their faith connects with the hard realities of their daily life: occupation, violence, discrimination and human rights violations. Inspired by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, Sabeel'
s liberation theology seeks to deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians,
to lead them to act for justice and love, to work for the unity
and renewal of the church, and to transform society. Sabeel is
committed to a prophetic ministry in solidarity with the oppressed
and to the holistic liberation of all people. Sabeel strives to
develop a spirituality based on justice, peace, non-violence, liberation,
and reconciliation for the different national and faith communities. Sabeel strives to promote a more accurate international awareness regarding the identity, presence, and witness of Palestinian Christians as well as their contemporary concerns. It encourages individuals and groups from around the world to work for a just, comprehensive, and enduring peace informed by truth and empowered by prayer and action. An ecumenical ad hoc committee of ten clergy and lay theologians gathered in 1989 to explore ways in which to foster liberating interpretations of the Bible among Palestinian Christians. Out of this group arose a spirited effort to articulate a dynamic theology, constantly reshaped by needs of the local context. In March 1990, an international conference was held which placed Palestinian Liberation Theology in relationship to other Liberation Theologies from around the world. This conference led to the founding of Sabeel, Liberation Theology Center, the formation of the steering committee, and the organization of a Jerusalem based office with a Nazareth branch. The two main aims of Sabeel are to search for ways to strengthen the faith of Palestinian Christians in Palestine and Israel and to share the life and witness of the Christian community with visitors from abroad. (See Faith & the Intifada, edited by N. Ateek, M. Ellis, and R. Ruether, 1992. Also Jerusalem: What Makes for Peace! edited by N. Ateek, C. Duaybis, and M. Schrader, 1997.) The program at Sabeel encourage adults and youth to 'do' theology in their daily lives as they search for what God is saying to them. Without a theology that is biblically based and relevant to people's daily realities, it is difficult to maintain faith and hope under oppressive circumstances. Indeed, Palestinian Christians have plenty of political analysis but a shortage of theological anchoring. Yet, with organized opportunities for and training in theological reflection, they become empowered by the spirit of God and are filled with new vision. Agonizing over issues of justice and peace has become a theological necessity, not only a political one. Yet, with organized opportunties for and training in theological reflection, they become empowered by the Spirit of God and are filled with a new vision. Sabeel's programs derive additional strength from the fact that their growth has been nurtured in ecumenical soil. (from Newsletter No. 1) An ad hoc committee for Palestinian Liberation Theology was formed
in 1989 to implement, on a practical level, the theology outlined above
(see What is Palestinian Liberation Theology?). On a pastoral level, some
of the Palestinian clergy were working with the people at the grassroots
and listening to their cries. They found themselves needing to give them
help and respond, not only to their physical sufferings, but also to the
way these sufferings were being aggravated by the religious argument in
the political conflict. People where asking "Where is God in all
of this? Why does God allow the confiscation of our land? Why does God
allow the occupation and oppression of our people?" We needed to
work out a Palestinian theology of liberation as a pastoral response to
many such questions. In addition, many of the Palestinian Christians wanted
to abandon the Bible, particularly the Old Testament which was being used
to justify their suffering. However, as Christians the Bible is essential
to our faith, so it was necessary to find in the Bible the God of justice,
the God who is concerned with the oppressed, who is concerned with the
Palestinians as the oppressed of this land. In March 1990 the conference took place at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute located between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The themes of the conference were the Palestinian Reality; Palestinian Christian Identity; Power, Justice, and the Bible; Women, Faith, and the Intifada; and International Responses to the Quest for Palestinian Theology. Topics for workshops included Holy Land Christians and Survival; Reclaiming Our Identity and Redefining Ourselves; Biblical Justice, Law and the Occupation; The Intifada, Nonviolence, and the Bible; Women in the Intifada and in the Churches; and several presentations by Liberation Theologians from the U.S., Ireland and the Philippines. An editorial team consisting of Palestinian Liberation Theologian Naim Stifan Ateek, Jewish American Theologian Marc Ellis and American Theologian Rosemary Radford Ruether compiled a book from the proceedings entitled Faith and the Intifada published in 1992 by Orbis Books. The conference led to a more permanent center and the founding of Sabeel. The Center is located in Jerusalem where the majority of programs take place with participants from Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah and surrounding areas. In the future we hope to reach Palestinian Christians in a broader geographical area. This work has already begun in the Galilee where a sub-committee meets and holds programs in Nazareth. Source: (from Newsletter No. 1) New Facility - Expanding Ministry
Palestinian Liberation TheologyOriginating in the land where Christ lived, this theology seeks to provide a holistic vision of God's redeeming activity in the midst of the current reality faced by the Christian community of Palestine and Israel. In a situation where justice has been long neglected, Palestinian Liberation Theology opens new horizons of understanding for the pursuit of a just peace and for the reconciliation proclaimed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By learning from Jesus - his life under occupation and his response to injustice - this theology hopes to connect the true meaning of Christian faith with the daily lives of all those who suffer under occupation, violence, discrimination, and human rights violations. Additionally, this blossoming theological effort promotes a more accurate international awareness of the current political situation and encourages Christians from around the world to work for justice and to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Please note our new departmental e-mail addresses
|
Address