THIS book is an anthology of edited articles of Palestinian theology reflecting on the past and present suffering of Palestinians and seeking to make a distinctive contribution to a theology of liberation. It is an articulate anthology of anger, frustration, and determination in the light of the actions of Israel and its allies, since 1948, but especially in the context of the horrors in Gaza since October 2023, which in this volume are unfailingly termed a genocide.
The authors of the seven chapters are the upcoming generation of Palestinian theologians, based both in the land of Palestine/Israel and in the diaspora. These women and men each draw on their geographical contextual realities to explore aspects of land, culture, and faith. Their ideas build on earlier generations of Palestinian liberation theologians, but they are also looking to bring new thinking, based in a stoutly decolonising approach.
The essays are diverse, but are held together in style and content by the co-editors, John and Sam Munayer. That their brother, Daniel, also writes a chapter tells the reader that this is a Palestinian Christian family with much to say in the present context. In a fairly short book, these authors, in addition to five others, cover a great deal of ground, as each one uses a particular geographical focus to connect with other liberation struggles, such as those of the indigenous people of North America and also of Guatemala. These are always related back to the Palestinian context and the history of oppression accentuated by the continuing trauma of Gaza.
There is also a political analysis that unifies the diverse chapters, each one explicitly or implicitly supporting the idea that the creation and maintenance of Israel as a political entity is a settler-colonial enterprise. This may come as a new and challenging idea to some readers. It is not explored in detail, as that is not the purpose of the book; therefore, to understand more and to assess its validity, further reading would be required. It should be understood, however, that this is increasingly the hermeneutic key that Palestinian theologians and activists favour.
The book brings energy and freshness to the vital topic of how to do theology in the light of the unremitting suffering of Palestinians for generations, but especially for the present one. The introduction uses the olive tree, so significant in the life of Palestinians as a striking metaphor for their history. Other authors use the part played by grandmothers, and spices, and the desert to bring a distinctive and creative focus. One writer seems to speak for all when she asserts, “this is a form of theological resistance: affirming the promise of the kingdom of God that stands in opposition to systems of apartheid and dominance.”
The book is essential reading for those who want to get beyond news headlines to understand how Palestinian Christians are seeking new and deeper interpretative tools to empower them towards liberation of mind, life, and faith in the midst of appalling and intolerable suffering.
The Very Revd Canon Richard Sewell is the Dean of St George’s College, Jerusalem.
The Cross and the Olive Tree: Cultivating Palestinian theology amid Gaza
John S. Munayer and Samuel S. Munayer, editors
Orbis £19.99
(978-1-62698-634-3)
Church Times Bookshop £17.99
