‘Decolonizing Palestine’ subject for in-depth discussions
by Scott O’Neill | Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE — The PC(USA)’s Christian Zionism working group, which consists of the Presbyterian World Mission’s Middle East and Europe office, the Office of Public Witness, the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, and members of the Israel Palestine Mission Network (IPMN), is holding an online book study series that begins October 24 at noon Eastern Time and will run on successive Thursdays through November 14. The book to be studied is the Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb’s “Decolonizing Palestine: The Land, the People, the Bible.”
The author will join the first session to provide his personal insight and be available to answer questions from participants. Registration to participate is required. Register here. Raheb discussed aspects of his book in a recent webinar series focusing on Christian Zionism and was a keynote speaker earlier this year at PC(USA)’s Matthew 25 Summit.
The Rev. Marietta Macy
Each week’s session will begin with a brief overview of the chapter, so while it is helpful and encouraged to have read the material before a session begins, it isn’t necessary, according to the Rev. Marietta Macy, who sits on IPMN’s steering committee and who will facilitate the study series.
The discussion breakdown by week is as follows:
Week 1, Oct. 24 — Introduction & Chapter 1, Settler Colonialism, Palestine, and the Bible
Week 2, Oct. 31 — Chapter 2, Christian Zionism
Week 3, Nov. 7 — Chapter 3, The Land, the Bible, and Settler Colonialism.
Week 4, Nov. 14 — Chapter 4, Chosen People? and Epilogue
According to Macy, week one will be slightly different than the others given Raheb’s availability.
“For the first session we will open with a brief interview with Rev. Raheb about writing the book and the material in chapter one. We will then divide into breakout rooms for small group discussion,” said Macy. “The groups will be asked to appoint a spokesperson to share a question for Rev. Raheb when we come back together as a whole group for the remainder of the session. Since we have the gift of Rev. Raheb’s personal insight, questions are invited on any part of the book, knowing that we will have time to discuss all these topics in more depth in later sessions.”
The successive gatherings will tentatively follow this format:
- 5-10 minutes for an overview
- 15-20 minutes for small group discussion
- 15-20 minutes for sharing with the whole group
- 5-10 minutes for closing info and prayer
The book can be purchased via the Orbis Books website’ Amazon offers paperback, digital, and audio versions; Barnes and Noble as well as Target and Walmart.
Register here to participate in this series.
Book overview:
“Decolonizing Palestine” challenges the weaponization of biblical texts to support the current settler-colonial state of Israel.
The Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb (photo by Rich Copley)
The Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb argues that some of the most important theological concepts — Israel, the land, election, and chosen people — must be decolonized in a paradigm shift in Christian theological thinking about Palestine. Decolonizing Palestine is a timely book that builds on the latest research in settler-colonialism and human rights to place traditional theological themes within the wider socio-political context of settler colonialism as it is practiced by the modern nation-state of Israel.
Written by a native Palestinian Christian theologian who continues to live in the region, Decolonizing Palestine provides an insider’s perspective that disrupts hegemonic and imperialist narratives about the region.
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