. “Don’t look away.
- "Don't allow hatred to enter into your language when speaking about the conflict."
- "Practice Radical Empathy, particularly with those with whom you struggle in this conflict."
- "Christian hope is founded on God's love and presence with us in the midst of brutal realities with no immediate causes for optimism."
- "There is a buoying power in prayer."
- "The power of the love of fellowship of God's family is so important —We're not going through this alone.”
Dean Richard Sewell of St. George’s College, Jerusalem, with The Rev. Barkley Thompson, President of the North American Committee for St. George’s, recently offered online conversation about the painful war-torn situation—obviously threatening to everyone who lives in Israel, everyone who has ever visited the college, and all of us, near and far who, yes, care deeply.
Whether we call Israel “holy land”, recall singing hymns about Jerusalem in churches, are Jewish, have messianic expectations, follow Jesus of Nazareth, or, prayerfully and powerlessly, desire an end to war-making for the sake of peace-making, we must talk.
Recent conversations at St. George’s were described by leaders as “honest, raw, real, spiritual, moving, humane and hopeful.” There was no evaluative judgment, blame, partisanship, denial of Divinity, or even politics. Now that’s a miracle!
The College provided this rare opportunity for the family of God to gather— authentically in prayer together in the midst of terror.
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Many of us would be quick to deny the existence of God, to wonder why “he” does not intervene to eliminate such chaos and pain and death, especially when it is inflicted on the innocent.
Good god! Do we not know by now that, IF there is a Creator, and IF there is evolution that insures humanity with ongoing conscience and will and heart, and IF our own fear blinds our own kindness and breeds insanity, revenge, and war disguised as peace-making, THEN we will continue powerless, make enemies at will, and blame or shame, whichever comes first. Any parent knows that. I think very little of transcendent anything, and even less of divine will or some idea that we can, by sheer will, eliminate pain and error.
What we can do is get honest, have conversations not harangues, listen, pray simply to let ourselves in on our own truthful thoughts and feelings, grieve together, establish enough kindness to intervene with courage when we can. This is how to take the long hard path toward mutuality—your need is as important as mine, so let’s talk—and listen.
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P.S. When Jesus is remembered in the Bible as having a temper tantrum about the desecration of holy ground in the Jerusalem Temple with merchandise, usurious practices and greed, may we also remember his temper didn’t work to stop greed—but it did leave us a story we never forget. And gave us permission to roar when necessary.
