Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, June 1987, pages 8-9

Religion and the Middle East

By Rev. L. Humphrey Walz

Middle East Christians

"Who are the Christians of the Middle East?" asked a recent issue of MECC Perspectives, the magazine of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC). The answer is given, one piece at a time, in a rich collection of essays and illustrations covering the history of the world's most ancient churches, their contribution to the Arab renaissance, their place in the present Middle East, and their part in the world ecumenical scene. This October 1986 issue of MECC Perspectives details for Western readers the spiritual heritage of Middle East Christians and their relations with Muslim compatriots and neighbors.

While the 64-page magazine is regularly distributed only to members, I sent a gift check to the MECC and received my requested copies via air mail. If you would like to follow suit, please remember that the magazine has recently had to move from Beirut to Cyprus, and the value of the dollar is down roughly 40 percent. You can send your inquiries to the MECC office at P.O. Box 6239, Limassol, Cyprus.

Israel and the Palestinians

Church and Society devoted its March/April 1987 issue to "Israel and the Palestinians: Policy Perspectives for Americans." The issue contains articles on Palestinian human rights, the peace process, the war on terrorism, and the Middle East arms bazaar. In addition, this issue featured theological and political essays on Jerusalem. For those interested in further reading, a study guide and bibliography as well as the addresses of various involved organizations were also included. Copies of the March/April issue can be obtained from Presbyterian Distribution Service, 935 Interchurch Center, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115.

West Bank Universities Closed by Israeli Authorities

Three of the universities in the Israeli-occupied West Bank are either affiliated with, or were founded by, Christian or Islamic authorities: Bethlehem University was founded by the Vatican; Bir Zeit, though now non-sectarian was founded by Arab Evangelicals (Anglicans); and An-Najah National University in Nablus was established with the support of Islamic organizations. Members of those faiths, therefore, might be especially concerned that Israeli military authorities have closed all three universities for various periods in 1987. Bir Zeit was shut for a month in December 1986, and for four months starting in April of this year. An-Najah was closed for one month last February. Bethlehem University has had similar problems with Israeli authorities.

US Clergy and Middle East Peacemaking

Christian, Muslim, and Jewish clergy met in Chicago on March 10 to discuss "Peace-Making in the Middle East: A Role for US Churches," under the joint sponsorship of the Attiyeh Foundation, a non-profit educational foundation based in Washington, DC, and the Palestine Human Rights Campaign, head-quartered in Chicago.

"It is people of faith who can retain the power to believe in an era of lost innocence," Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) told the group.

Rabbi Elmer Berger contended that Israeli policies have nothing to do with Judaism, and said that a chasm exists between the religious tradition of Judaism and the non-religious, "perhaps even anti-religious position," of Israeli leaders.

The conference also examined the historic context of the region's conflicts, the status of the holy city of Jerusalem, and the official policy statements of American church groups which support human rights, freedom, and justice in the Middle East.

Videocassette: "Middle East Issues"

A 90-minute videocassette produced by the Presbyterians touches on a number of important topics, including American Christian Missions in the Middle East, Arab-Israeli conflict, the Iran-Iraq war, and Arabs in America. Four of the film's five segments consist primarily of on-the-spot interviews with both specialists and non-specialists. Each segment is roughly 20 minutes in length, and each is sub-divided into modules which allow viewers to pause and discuss specific issues. The fifth segment, a 10-minute historical summary, has valuable maps, but needs supplementing so as to humanize its topic.

The videocassette can be ordered from: Communications Department, Synod House, 8012 Cedar Avenue South, Bloomington, Minnesota 55420. Or, call (612) 854-0144. A videocassette with one leader's guide is $35. Extra leader's guides cost $5. Please specify Series 861.

Seminar on Islam and Christianity

The ninth annual Summer School on Islam and Christianity will be held at Westhill College, Birmingham, United Kingdom from July 15 to 24. The program is sponsored in part by London's Islamic Cultural Center. For more information, write: Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, Selly Oaks College, Birmingham B29 6LQ, United Kingdom. A useful book, either as preparation for the summer sessions or for general information, is either as preparation for the summer sessions or for general information, is Yvonne Haddad's A Century of Islam in America, which provides scarce and reliable information on a too-unfamiliar theme and adds a valuable chronological chart, a listing of mosques and Islamic centers, and a pertinent bibliography.

The Rev. L. Humphrey Walz, D.D., a retired Associate Executive of the Presbyterian Synod of the Northeast and a founding editor of The Link, is active in Christian-Jewish and Christian-Muslim dialogues.