Shalom/Salaam/Peace: A Liberation Theology of Hope

233 Pages·2008·1.883 MB·English

by  Constance A. Hammond

Acknowledgement i
Shalom/Salaam/Peace
ii Shalom/Salaam/Peace
Religion and Violence
Series Editors
Lisa Isherwood, University of Winchester, and Rosemary
Radford Ruether, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley,
California
This interdisciplinary and multicultural series brings to light the
ever increasing problem of religion and violence. The series will
highlight how religions have a significant part to play in the
creationof cultures that allow and even encourage the creation of
violent conflict, domestic abuse and policies and state control that
perpetuate violence to citizens.
The series will highlight the problems that are experienced by
women during violent conflict and under restrictive civil policies.
But not wishing to simply dwell on the problems the authors in this
series will also re-examine the traditions and look for alternativeand
more empowering readings of doctrine and tradition. One aim of
the series is to be a powerful voice against creeping fundamentalisms
and their corrosive influence on the lives of women and children.
Published:
Reweaving the Relational Mat
A Christian Response to Violence against Women from Oceania
Joan Alleluia Filemoni-Tofaeono and Lydia Johnson
Weep Not for Your Children: Essays on Religion and Violence
Lisa Isherwood and Rosemary Radford Ruether
America, Amerikkka: Elect Nation and Imperial Violence
Rosemary Radford Ruether
Forthcoming:
In Search of Solutions: The Problem of Religion and Conflict
Clinton Bennett
Meditations on Religion and Violence in the United States
T. Walter Herbert
Acknowledgement iii
Shalom/Salaam/Peace
A Liberation Theology of Hope
Constance A. Hammond
iv Shalom/Salaam/Peace
Published by Equinox Publishing Ltd.
UK: Unit 6, The Village, 101 Amies St., London SW11 2JW
USA: DBBC, 28 Main Street, Oakville, CT 06779
www.equinoxpub.com
First published 2008
© Constance A. Hammond 2008
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording
or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing
from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN-13 978 184553 379 3 (hardback)
978 184553 380 9 (paperback)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hammond, Constance A.
Shalom/salaam/peace: a liberation theology of hope/Constance A. Hammond.
p. cm. — (Religion and violence)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-84553-379-3 (hb) — ISBN 978-1-84553-380-9 (pbk.)
1. Arab-Israeli conflict—Religious aspects—Judaism. 2. Arab-Israeli
conflict—Religious aspects—Christianity. 3. Arab-Israeli
conflict—Religious aspects—Islam. 4. Religion and social
problems—Israel. 5. Liberation theology—Israel. I. Title.
DS119.7.H3528 2009
201'.7273—dc22
2008017426
Typeset by S.J.I. Services, New Delhi
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Lightning Source UK Ltd, Milton Keynes
Acknowledgement v
CONTENTS
List of Maps and Photographs vii
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction: From the Particular to the Global and
Back to the Project 1
Part 1
THE LAND AS PLACE
The Land of Israel/Palestine 13
Jerusalem 17
The Ownership of Land 25
The Theology of the Land 30
Generations of God Gifting the Land 31
Conquering in the Name of God 41
One God: Three Faiths 44
The Word of God 48
Scripture from a Palestinian Christian Perspective 52
Scripture from a Muslim Perspective 54
Scripture from a Jewish Perspective 54
A Timeline from 1840–1967 57
The Land and Population in Modern Day Israel/Palestine 65
Settlers and Settlements 67
Zionism: Secular and Religious 74
Politics, Wars and New Beginnings 81
Peacemakers: Jewish, Christian and Muslim 85
The Wall, the Fence, the Barrier 98
The Law Ancient, the Reality Today 103
vi Shalom/Salaam/Peace
Part 2
LIBERATION THEOLOGY
Exodus 107
Peacemakers Versus Disturbers of the Peace 110
Liberation Theology and Vatican II 113
Economic Development and Developing Revolutions 119
Founders of Liberation Theology 125
Leaders and Martyrs of the Revolution 129
Martyrs of Liberation Theology 135
Base Christian Communities (Communidades de Base) 140
Liberation Theology in North America 144
Liberation Theology: Jewish and Islamic 148
Liberation Theology: Palestinian Christian 150
Palestinian Resistance Groups 156
The Peacemakers in Israel/Palestine 158
Israeli Jewish Peace Groups 171
Palestinian Christian and Muslim Peace Groups 174
International Peace Groups 177
Tragedy Behind the Theology 181
Conclusion 192
Bibliography 200
General Index 205
Scripture Index 222
Acknowledgement vii
LIST OF MAPS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
The Middle East, adapted from Central Intelligence
Agency Map 8022983A (R02107) 603 by Miriam Dousse,
permission kindly granted by Anna Baltzer 9
Palestinian/Jewish Owned Land 1946,
original version by NAD-PLO. Adapted from Oren
Medicks 1999, permission kindly granted by Anna Baltzer
Land Designated for Palestinian/Jewish States,
UN Plan 1947, original version by NAD-PLO. Adapted
from Oren Medicks 1999, permission kindly granted by
Anna Baltzer 10
Palestinian/Jewish Land 1949-1967 and 2007, original
version by NAD-PLO. Adapted from Oren Medicks 1999,
as published in Occupation Magazine, modified by Engin
Coban, permission kindly granted by Anna Baltzer 11
Israel/Palestine, © 1999, Boston Committee for Palestinian
Rights. Modified by Myriam Dousse, permission kindly
granted by Anna Baltzer 12
Israel’s Wall in the Palestinian West Bank, © NAD-NSU
2007, modified by Myriam Dousse for clarity, permission
kindly granted by Anna Baltzer 99
Wall Long Shot, Peter J. Nagle CFP, M.A.R. 100
Desmond Tutu, Naim Ateek, Constance Hammond,
reproduced by kind permission of Sabeel 149
viii Shalom/Salaam/Peace
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED
To my parents William H. Hammond and C. Maxine Glover
Hammond who believed in me even when they did not understand
what I was doing.
To the people of Central and South America who professed the
cause of Liberation Theology, lived out their faith no matter the
consequences and in the process gifted the world with a new
possibility for justice and peace.
To all the Christian, Jewish and Muslim people who are working
to bring about peace in the suffering Holy Land, and to those who
have given their lives that shalom, salaam, peace might be a reality.
Acknowledgement ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A multitude of people—named and unnamed—have inspired or
given life to this book.
From the 1960s: Sami and Badhia Burhan; Peggy and Harry Craig;
Mooky Dagan; and the faculty and students at the Overseas School
of Rome, Italy.
The Rev. Dr Carney Gavin, formerly Curator of the Harvard
Semitic Museum, and now Curator of the Archives for Historical
Documentation in Boston, Massachusetts, my gratitude for bringing
me into a new understanding of the Middle East and the Holy
Land in particular, as well as encouraging me through my Master
of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees as well as ordination as
an Episcopal priest.
The Rev. Dr Canon Edmund Rodman, a fellow priest who has
understood my vision and supported it, finding ways to sustain
the Refugee Immigration Ministry’s (RIM) early days—a person
who has remained a champion of justice and equality in this country
and elsewhere. My profound thanks.
The Right Rev. Thomas Shaw, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of
Massachusetts, and former Superior of the brothers of the Society
of Saint John the Evangelist, for his and for the other brothers’
support of my ministry—by offering retreats and by their early
volunteer work with RIM. My admiration, as well, for the work
that they are presently doing leading groups to Israel/Palestine
through Saint George’s College, Jerusalem, and their dedication to
bringing peace to the region.
Harvard Divinity School, which afforded me an opportunity to
learn about and with people of different cultures and religions and
to the political asylum seekers with whom I worked—many of whom
were from the Middle East or of the Muslim faith. Saint George’s
College in Jerusalem and Sabeel, both of whom have given me new