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The Other Side of the Wall: A Palestinian Christian Narrative of Lament and Hope
Christians have lived in Palestine since the earliest days of the Jesus movement. The Palestinian church predates Islam. Yet Palestinian Christians find themselves marginalized and ostracized. In the heated tensions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the voices of Palestinian Christians are often unheard and ignored. This book provides an opportunity to hear the realities of life on the ground from a leading Palestinian pastor and theologian. Munther Isaac gives the perspective of Palestinian Christians on the other side of the separation wall surrounding most Palestinian West Bank cities today. Isaac laments the injustices suffered by the Palestinian people but holds out hope for a just peace and ways to befriend and love his Jewish and Muslim neighbors. In contrast to the dominant religious and nationalistic ideologies and agendas for the region, he offers a theology of the land and a vision for a shared land that belongs to God, where there are no second-class citizens of any kind. "This book is my invitation to you," Isaac writes, "to step into the other side of the wall and listen to our stories and perspective. It is my humble request to you to allow me to share how Palestinians experience God, read the Bible, and have been touched and liberated by Jesus―a fellow Bethlehemite who has challenged us to see others as neighbors and love them as ourselves. . . . This book paints a picture of our story of faith, lament, and hope. And I invite you to join and listen, on our side of the wall."
256 pages, Paperback
Published June 16, 2020
91 people are currently reading
801 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
May 17, 2024
Having worked alongside my Palestinian brothers and sisters for several years and witnessed firsthand the routine humiliation and injustice of life under occupation, I resonate deeply with the message of this book. Palestinian Christians know more about enemy love and following Jesus than we inheritors of the radical Reformation ever will.
A few highlights:
• Isaac offers a concise and compelling theological rebuke of Christian Zionism. I continue to be astounded at the number of Western Christians, even Anabaptists, who embrace a cartoonishly simple notion of the modern state of Israel as the manifestation of God's promises to biblical Israel. Even if this were the case, being chosen by God always raised the bar for justice; it never gave Israel moral carte blanche to do as they pleased. You don't have to spend more than a few days in Israel-Palestine today to see that it isn't exactly a hotbed of justice and righteousness.
• Chapter 8: "Blessed Are the Peacemakers" is especially powerful in its full-throated endorsement of following Christ by practicing what he taught in his Sermon on the Mount. Again, Western Anabaptists don't have a corner on the Sermon—far from it, in fact.
And a few disappointments:
• As much as I resonated with the critique of Christian Zionism, I wish Isaac would have addressed Zionism as such and made more of an effort to understand the felt Jewish connection to land. At times he gets close to delegitimizing the historical Jewish connection as simply a Western colonialist enterprise to atone for the guilt of anti-Semitism. I have a hard time seeing the current state as simply an exercise in colonialism.
• I could have wished for a clearer definition of justice. At times his "prophetic imagination" seems constrained by secular conceptions of justice. (This is one of my deepest dissatisfactions with liberation theology in general.)
• Although he frequently and forcefully renounces anti-Semitism, his call to love all people (instead of attempting to atone for anti-Semitism with "philo-Semitism"), feels a bit tone deaf considering the specificity of anti-Semitic violence. It's a bit like responding to "Black lives matter" with "All lives matter." Of course they do, but all lives are not being violated in the same way as black ones are.
• The book needs a better editor. There are a number of typos—and altogether too many exclamation marks. Do better, InterVarsity Press.
Disappointments notwithstanding, it is a good and necessary book—raw, real, angry, and hopeful. Isaac's frustration with the Western church is palpable and discomfiting. We need to hear what he and our Palestinian brothers have to say. We need their perspective on what it means to follow Jesus in the context of real enemies and real oppression.
A few highlights:
• Isaac offers a concise and compelling theological rebuke of Christian Zionism. I continue to be astounded at the number of Western Christians, even Anabaptists, who embrace a cartoonishly simple notion of the modern state of Israel as the manifestation of God's promises to biblical Israel. Even if this were the case, being chosen by God always raised the bar for justice; it never gave Israel moral carte blanche to do as they pleased. You don't have to spend more than a few days in Israel-Palestine today to see that it isn't exactly a hotbed of justice and righteousness.
• Chapter 8: "Blessed Are the Peacemakers" is especially powerful in its full-throated endorsement of following Christ by practicing what he taught in his Sermon on the Mount. Again, Western Anabaptists don't have a corner on the Sermon—far from it, in fact.
And a few disappointments:
• As much as I resonated with the critique of Christian Zionism, I wish Isaac would have addressed Zionism as such and made more of an effort to understand the felt Jewish connection to land. At times he gets close to delegitimizing the historical Jewish connection as simply a Western colonialist enterprise to atone for the guilt of anti-Semitism. I have a hard time seeing the current state as simply an exercise in colonialism.
• I could have wished for a clearer definition of justice. At times his "prophetic imagination" seems constrained by secular conceptions of justice. (This is one of my deepest dissatisfactions with liberation theology in general.)
• Although he frequently and forcefully renounces anti-Semitism, his call to love all people (instead of attempting to atone for anti-Semitism with "philo-Semitism"), feels a bit tone deaf considering the specificity of anti-Semitic violence. It's a bit like responding to "Black lives matter" with "All lives matter." Of course they do, but all lives are not being violated in the same way as black ones are.
• The book needs a better editor. There are a number of typos—and altogether too many exclamation marks. Do better, InterVarsity Press.
Disappointments notwithstanding, it is a good and necessary book—raw, real, angry, and hopeful. Isaac's frustration with the Western church is palpable and discomfiting. We need to hear what he and our Palestinian brothers have to say. We need their perspective on what it means to follow Jesus in the context of real enemies and real oppression.
January 23, 2023
Christians in the West absolutely need to read this.
In the process of my deconstruction and reconstruction, I came to terms that so much of what I was taught growing up in my little old Brazilian church was the very things I was uncomfortable and had qualms with. One of which being the topic of Israel and Palestine.
Munther raises so many good questions and statements that sometimes I felt like I was yelling out EXACTLY but also was learning. I felt crazy for not agreeing with the Zionist movement in the church in America and in general. However, I wanted to understand. And Munther did exactly that- helped me understand, through history and more- and as well showed the heart of Palestinians, both Christian and non because well- the fact that western Christians won’t care unless it’s another Christian is well…deserving to be slapped upside the head (in my opinion lol). The call to love your neighbor and so much more had been repeated in this book because it is a Christian call. So, my heart tore when he wrote the memories of being disinvited to conferences because he was a PALESTINIAN Christian and so much more. The wall. The hate. The rejection of these people and the erasure. The desire for peace.
I want to dive further into this review.. but I feel like my words aren’t enough to do it justice. I have been recommending this book to many friends. If you’re reading my review, please pick this book up.
Thank you Munther.
In the process of my deconstruction and reconstruction, I came to terms that so much of what I was taught growing up in my little old Brazilian church was the very things I was uncomfortable and had qualms with. One of which being the topic of Israel and Palestine.
Munther raises so many good questions and statements that sometimes I felt like I was yelling out EXACTLY but also was learning. I felt crazy for not agreeing with the Zionist movement in the church in America and in general. However, I wanted to understand. And Munther did exactly that- helped me understand, through history and more- and as well showed the heart of Palestinians, both Christian and non because well- the fact that western Christians won’t care unless it’s another Christian is well…deserving to be slapped upside the head (in my opinion lol). The call to love your neighbor and so much more had been repeated in this book because it is a Christian call. So, my heart tore when he wrote the memories of being disinvited to conferences because he was a PALESTINIAN Christian and so much more. The wall. The hate. The rejection of these people and the erasure. The desire for peace.
I want to dive further into this review.. but I feel like my words aren’t enough to do it justice. I have been recommending this book to many friends. If you’re reading my review, please pick this book up.
Thank you Munther.
June 22, 2020
A pained appeal from a Palestinian Christian to the global Christian community to care about the injustice of the current state of affairs in Palestine and a call to leave behind Zionist theology for a biblical theology of the land, of neighbor-love, and of justice that can shape a new imagination for a common sharing of the land in just peace. I would love to meet Munther Isaac.
A helpful contribution for my own learning about the complexities of the conflict in Palestine.
A helpful contribution for my own learning about the complexities of the conflict in Palestine.
December 3, 2023
Without a doubt, Munther Isaac is a leading Palestinian Christian voice. This prophetic theological work contextualizes the Christian message of justice and hope to the Palestinian reality of oppression and occupation. Munther firmly holds the belief that God is found with and favors those who are suffering; God is on the other side of the wall.
Munther’s reflections on lament as the first step towards justice were particularly powerful. “If there are no tears, then we have accepted our reality. We are fine with the idea that death, injustice, and pain are the norms of our world… only when we embrace the reality of pain, and reject it, can we move towards life.” Lament is our commitment to justice, proclaiming that we cannot be satisfied with the realities suffering and injustice, we become agents of change in the world. Lament is our means for hope.
This work also prophesies against the flawed and dangerous theology of Christian Zionism, and criticizes the silence of the Western Church towards Palestine. Dr. Isaac writes that Christian Zionism is a faith with the state of Israel at its center, rather than Christ. This can hardly be called Christianity.
This is memoir as much as it is theology. Munther tells countless stories where he faced discrimination in Christian, mainly evangelical, spaces because he is Palestinian. He describes the frustration of being uninvited to conferences, or being silenced by Western Christian pastors and theologians who visit the Holy Land and completely ignore the unjust realities Palestinian Christians face, visiting only tourist sites.
This work would be an excellent place to start for anyone seeking to delve deeper into Palestine and Israel, and to consider the perspective of Palestinian Christians. I wish I could require every Christian who embarks on a “Holy Land” pilgrimage to first read this book, and then go to visit the land AND it’s people.
Munther’s reflections on lament as the first step towards justice were particularly powerful. “If there are no tears, then we have accepted our reality. We are fine with the idea that death, injustice, and pain are the norms of our world… only when we embrace the reality of pain, and reject it, can we move towards life.” Lament is our commitment to justice, proclaiming that we cannot be satisfied with the realities suffering and injustice, we become agents of change in the world. Lament is our means for hope.
This work also prophesies against the flawed and dangerous theology of Christian Zionism, and criticizes the silence of the Western Church towards Palestine. Dr. Isaac writes that Christian Zionism is a faith with the state of Israel at its center, rather than Christ. This can hardly be called Christianity.
This is memoir as much as it is theology. Munther tells countless stories where he faced discrimination in Christian, mainly evangelical, spaces because he is Palestinian. He describes the frustration of being uninvited to conferences, or being silenced by Western Christian pastors and theologians who visit the Holy Land and completely ignore the unjust realities Palestinian Christians face, visiting only tourist sites.
This work would be an excellent place to start for anyone seeking to delve deeper into Palestine and Israel, and to consider the perspective of Palestinian Christians. I wish I could require every Christian who embarks on a “Holy Land” pilgrimage to first read this book, and then go to visit the land AND it’s people.
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December 28, 2025Ik wilde The Other Side of the Wall van Munther Isaac (theoloog en predikant in Bethlehem) al langere tijd lezen. Ik vermoed dat het nog een tijdje zal resoneren. Dat zegt natuurlijk veel over mijn eigen achtergrond en perspectief. Ik lees het boek vooral als een indringende aanklacht tegen de kerk van het Westen. Beschamend dat Palestijnse christenen (en natuurlijk niet alleen zij) zo veel last hebben van medechristenen. Dit boek verscheen in 2020, in 2025 verscheen Christ in the Rubble – daar ga ik meteen in verder, want in die paar jaar is natuurlijk heel veel gebeurd. Hieronder neem ik een aantal citaten over (het hadden ook andere kunnen zijn), met de kanttekening dat Isaac deze in zijn boek uiteraard verder onderbouwt.
Naar aanleiding van een artikel met als titel ‘Do Jews Have a Divine Right to Israel’s Land?’: ‘What if the answer to that question is yes? What if Jews do indeed have a “divine right”? Where does that leave us Palestinians? What are our options? Wouldn’t that imply that opposing Israel is, by implication, opposing God?’
‘I, too, have a dream, that one day Western Christians would stop looking at us Palestinians and Jews based on our perceived ancestors and what they believe the Bible said about our ancestors; that they would judge us based on the content of our character.’
N.a.v. een bespreking van Amos 5: ‘When I see human cruelty and war, the silence of God does not trouble me; it is the silence of the curch that troubles me. We are too busy with ourselves, occupied with our “festivals,” “assemblies,” “songs,” and “melodies of harps.” And God says, “I hate all of this!” the church is too noisy. When will it quiet down enough to hear the cries of those experience injustice in our world?’
‘So far in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, it pains me to say that the Western curch, and to a lesser degree the global church, has been part of the problem more than it has been part of the solution. And the church’s theology is a big part of the problem. Theology matters. And if any theology trumps the ethical-biblical teachings of Jesus on love, equality, and justice, then we must rethink our theology. It does not matter wat type of theology it is; if that theology produces privilige and superiority, then there is a problem!’
Naar aanleiding van een artikel met als titel ‘Do Jews Have a Divine Right to Israel’s Land?’: ‘What if the answer to that question is yes? What if Jews do indeed have a “divine right”? Where does that leave us Palestinians? What are our options? Wouldn’t that imply that opposing Israel is, by implication, opposing God?’
‘I, too, have a dream, that one day Western Christians would stop looking at us Palestinians and Jews based on our perceived ancestors and what they believe the Bible said about our ancestors; that they would judge us based on the content of our character.’
N.a.v. een bespreking van Amos 5: ‘When I see human cruelty and war, the silence of God does not trouble me; it is the silence of the curch that troubles me. We are too busy with ourselves, occupied with our “festivals,” “assemblies,” “songs,” and “melodies of harps.” And God says, “I hate all of this!” the church is too noisy. When will it quiet down enough to hear the cries of those experience injustice in our world?’
‘So far in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, it pains me to say that the Western curch, and to a lesser degree the global church, has been part of the problem more than it has been part of the solution. And the church’s theology is a big part of the problem. Theology matters. And if any theology trumps the ethical-biblical teachings of Jesus on love, equality, and justice, then we must rethink our theology. It does not matter wat type of theology it is; if that theology produces privilige and superiority, then there is a problem!’
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May 10, 2024This was a hard book to sit with a lot of times. Growing up in Western culture, I have only ever been told the Israeli perspective. The idea of justice has been on my heart a lot recently, and this book opened my eyes to a lot of new things, and i'm thankful for that.
"If your end-times theology trumps the clear commands in scripture to love your neighbors and enemies, then its time to rethink your theology."
"When I see human cruelty in war, the silence of God doesn't trouble me, it's the silence of the Church that troubles me. We are too busy with ourselves, occupied with our festivals, assemblies, offerings, and songs. God says I hate all of this (Amos 5:21-25). The Church is too noisy, when will it quiet down long enough to hear the cries of injustices in our world"
"If your end-times theology trumps the clear commands in scripture to love your neighbors and enemies, then its time to rethink your theology."
"When I see human cruelty in war, the silence of God doesn't trouble me, it's the silence of the Church that troubles me. We are too busy with ourselves, occupied with our festivals, assemblies, offerings, and songs. God says I hate all of this (Amos 5:21-25). The Church is too noisy, when will it quiet down long enough to hear the cries of injustices in our world"
January 6, 2024
This book was thought provoking, informative, and heart wrenching. It was written years ago, but felt especially pertinent for this current moment in time as war continues to transpire in Palestine. The author speaks for a truly compelling and powerful Christian perspective and gives voice to his own experience as well as other experiences of Christians in Palestine. I highly recommend!
November 2, 2023
This is an important read for all Justice oriented Christians. The Palestinian perspective has always been important, but is especially crucial in light of the current events the false theology circulating in mainstream Christianity.
Isaiah 57:15
Isaiah 57:15
Want to read
August 15, 2022I FINALLY GOT THE EBOOK YAY!!! Which means I'll be reading it soon, I'm really looking forward to it.
February 1, 2023
Incredibly written and very challenging. The first half of the book in particular did an incredible job describing the Palestinian conflict and really showed the other side of the story so many Westerners don’t here. I didn’t agree with every single thing in the book but overall it was an excellent read and very informative.
August 23, 2024
A brave and informative book. While I would definitely recommend this book and I am glad I read it (I'm trying to draw a deeper understanding of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict), it is not what I expected. I was anticipating a memoir and this was very much a long sermon/lecture. That being said, it is a sermon I likely needed to hear. :)
January 9, 2024
This needs to be on your reading list for this year.
December 3, 2023
A very convicting and necessary read for Christ followers all over the world, especially western Christians. This book will challenge your apathy, ignorance and maybe even your theology.
“If your end-times theology trumps the clear commands in scripture to love your neighbors and enemies, then it’s time to rethink your theology.”
“If your end-times theology trumps the clear commands in scripture to love your neighbors and enemies, then it’s time to rethink your theology.”
April 15, 2023
Excellent presentation of the plight of all Palestinians but in particular the plight of Palestinian Christians. Isaac uses multiple references from the Old Testament to counter the present dogma that the one and only claim to the land of Palestine in the Bible is that it is the homeland God promised to “God’s people”. He also clearly points out the theme of Justice in both the Old and the New Testament and how important Justice was in the teachings of Jesus and yet how unjust the success of the Zionist movement has been to the Palestinian people, now 5 million of them refugees, and many who have been killed over the last 70+ years. US policy has enabled all of this to happen, a Palestinian tragedy.
January 25, 2023
A must read for Christians!
Jesus came into this world to a homeless family with little political power. Muncher Isaac tells the story of a people with land taken away, atrocities committed against them, and yet a people of hope. We must pray for Palestinians and stand beside them as the global church.
Jesus came into this world to a homeless family with little political power. Muncher Isaac tells the story of a people with land taken away, atrocities committed against them, and yet a people of hope. We must pray for Palestinians and stand beside them as the global church.
March 7, 2024
This book reads like the apostles’ prophetic letters to the Church or like Jesus’s indictments of and exhortations to the Church in Revelation. As an English prof, I do wish the editor had removed what was, to me, a distracting number of exclamation points, but who in the world am I to be yet another American Christian telling this man how to tell his experience—one that we desperately need to hear.
“In the face of the tragedies our world faces today, many wonder, Where is God? But I believe the question that needs to be asked in many places around the world is not ‘Where was God?’ but ‘Where was the church?’…When I see human cruelty and war, the silence of God does not trouble me; it is the silence of the church that troubles me.”
“If you want to find God in the midst of our troubled and messy world, look for God in a cave with a homeless family. Look for God in the midst of refugees. Look for God in places where there is suffering, terror, and death. Look for God in warzones. Look for God behind the wall.”
“In the face of the tragedies our world faces today, many wonder, Where is God? But I believe the question that needs to be asked in many places around the world is not ‘Where was God?’ but ‘Where was the church?’…When I see human cruelty and war, the silence of God does not trouble me; it is the silence of the church that troubles me.”
“If you want to find God in the midst of our troubled and messy world, look for God in a cave with a homeless family. Look for God in the midst of refugees. Look for God in places where there is suffering, terror, and death. Look for God in warzones. Look for God behind the wall.”
May 9, 2024
As a Palestinian/Lebanese/Egyptian with an evangelical background who hungers for justice and peace, this book had me sobbing at every point, but specifically chapters 8-10. Munther is a blessing. His insight is a blessing. This book is exactly what everyone needs to read in order to understand and humanize us Palestinians. It illuminates a forgotten population- Christian Palestinians.
I am planning to lead a book study on this so that my spiritual community can engage in the justice described and craved by Munther.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for writing this book. I have never felt more seen
I am planning to lead a book study on this so that my spiritual community can engage in the justice described and craved by Munther.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for writing this book. I have never felt more seen
December 22, 2023
I really thought this book was insightful in helping me understand the perspective of Palestinian Arab Christians and understand the current occupation they live under. The author also shed light on how American Christianity, either indirectly or directly, supports the occupation of Palestine. The author uses biblical verses to point to how Zionism and the quest of power is unbiblical and should not be supported. Overall, very informative read!
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April 4, 2024Munther Isaac uses liberation theology, his views on the bibles may be colored because of his background, he has a standpoint that he wants to proof and uses therefore the bible. This may not be the best way to find correct biblical interpretations.
(Read the book in Dutch)
(Read the book in Dutch)
May 29, 2024
Almost every Christian is guided by the Bible & a sense of shared brotherhood. The Bible is their moral campus, often circumscribed by the familial Christian bond. On Palestine, this gets somewhat complicated. News of disproportionate military action, disruption of aid, death of children etc, have to be balanced by the bible’s portrayal of Israel as God’s chosen people, with divine right to the contested land.
This is where Munther Isaac comes in. TOSOW questions the theological basis of Israel’s divine supremacy & offers a fiery illustration of the often neglected Palestinian Christian identity. Taken together, complemented by Isaac’s cleaver use of analogies, he doesn’t only give a much needed theological & political basis of the conflict but also deconstructs this in such a way that can be used as a framework to understand other groups erased from mainstream Christian discourse.
My favourite part of this is where he uses biblical scripture to show how the claim of the promised land is not as neat as purported. There are questions of shifting descriptions of it, fluctuating boundaries, broken covenants & importantly the New Testament’s universalised notion of who an Israelite, a member of God’s kingdom, is.
However, most of the discussion is centred on the ‘western church’, which was not defined. Is this a geographical? Political? Or even theological? Additionally, I would have loved a discussion of the literature around the inevitability of resistance in the face of historic oppression.
Despite this, the book offers an eye opening account as to how christianity is inherently political. It is a retort to the understanding of religion as an opium for the masses given Isaac’s interpretation of the divine requirement for Christians to be peacemakers & defenders of justice. I would recommend this book even for those that are not Christians as, at the very least, it gives you an insight & platform to engage with the often sacrosanct divine basis of the conflict.
More Reviews: https://open.substack.com/pub/mquzama...
This is where Munther Isaac comes in. TOSOW questions the theological basis of Israel’s divine supremacy & offers a fiery illustration of the often neglected Palestinian Christian identity. Taken together, complemented by Isaac’s cleaver use of analogies, he doesn’t only give a much needed theological & political basis of the conflict but also deconstructs this in such a way that can be used as a framework to understand other groups erased from mainstream Christian discourse.
My favourite part of this is where he uses biblical scripture to show how the claim of the promised land is not as neat as purported. There are questions of shifting descriptions of it, fluctuating boundaries, broken covenants & importantly the New Testament’s universalised notion of who an Israelite, a member of God’s kingdom, is.
However, most of the discussion is centred on the ‘western church’, which was not defined. Is this a geographical? Political? Or even theological? Additionally, I would have loved a discussion of the literature around the inevitability of resistance in the face of historic oppression.
Despite this, the book offers an eye opening account as to how christianity is inherently political. It is a retort to the understanding of religion as an opium for the masses given Isaac’s interpretation of the divine requirement for Christians to be peacemakers & defenders of justice. I would recommend this book even for those that are not Christians as, at the very least, it gives you an insight & platform to engage with the often sacrosanct divine basis of the conflict.
More Reviews: https://open.substack.com/pub/mquzama...
August 19, 2024
Summary: A Palestinian Christian narrative of lament and hope, describing the situation from his perspective and offering hope for a shared land.
The Hamas attack upon Israel in October 7 and the subsequent invasion of Israeli forces in Gaza has occupied our national discourse in the United States since that time. It has torn apart college campuses as support for Palestinians competes for support of Israel and charges of Palestinian genocide and anti-Semitism rival each other.
Reverend Doctor Munther Isaac is a unique voice within the clamor. He is a teacher at Bethlehem Bible College and pastor of Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church. In Bethlehem, part of the West Bank Palestinian Territories. Isaac wrote this book prior to the current conflict. It is “a Palestinian Christian narrative of lament and hope.” He writes as one whose daily reality is defined by the twenty-five foot high wall around his city. To enter Israeli territories, permits and long waits at checkpoints are required. These are the same checkpoints through which Christian visitors to Bethlehem must pass. He writes:
“This book is my invitation to you to step into the other side of the wall and listen to our stories and perspective. It is my humble request to you to allow me to share how Palestinians experience God, read the Bible, and have been touched and liberated by Jesus—a fellow Bethlehemite who has challenged us to see others as neighbors and love them as ourselves. . . . This book paints a picture of our story of faith, lament, and hope. And I invite you to join and listen, on our side of the wall.”
The book is first of all a lament. He begins by describing what the 1948 creation of Israel meant to Palestinians living in this land. It was the Nakba or “catastrophe,” the seizure of 530 villages in which 750,000 Palestinians became refugees. He laments the dehumanizing of Palestinians while American Christians celebrated the Jewish occupation of the land as a supposed fulfillment of a promise of God. And he laments the continued silence as Israel continues to move boundaries and build settlements. This includes taking away the home and lands of Palestinians. Finally, he laments the marginalizing of Palestinian Christian voices by American faith leaders, not including them in deliberations. Sometimes this includes disinviting them (including the author) from Christian conferences.
Isaac characterizes Christian Zionism, which has supported Israel’s injustices and legitimized its use of power, as “imperial theology.” He addresses the “land theology” Christian Zionists use to justify unqualified support of Israel. He argues, not that Israel was “replaced” by the church but that Gentiles and Jews were incorporated into a new, transnational people in which the promise to Israel is expanded to blessing to the nations and extended to the whole earth.
At the same time, Isaac denounces antisemitism (including the antisemitism latent in Christian Zionism!). Instead, he wants Jews to be safe everywhere, not just in a homeland. Rather than eliminating one group or another, he advocates a solution of Jews and Palestinians sharing the land. He also speaks of love for the Muslim neighbor and the call of Christians to be peacemakers, which includes seeking justice. While deeply grieved by the evangelical support of Zionism, he laments in hope rooted in the reality that the Savior of the world was born in Bethlehem and also subject to terror and flight. He comes to those who face similar realities.
Munther Isaac represents voices many of us in the United States have not heard because they are on “the other side of the wall.” He challenges the complicity of American support of Zionism and the complicity of silence of the rest of the church. As a result, this is a challenging book. But will we listen to this fellow believer?
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.
The Hamas attack upon Israel in October 7 and the subsequent invasion of Israeli forces in Gaza has occupied our national discourse in the United States since that time. It has torn apart college campuses as support for Palestinians competes for support of Israel and charges of Palestinian genocide and anti-Semitism rival each other.
Reverend Doctor Munther Isaac is a unique voice within the clamor. He is a teacher at Bethlehem Bible College and pastor of Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church. In Bethlehem, part of the West Bank Palestinian Territories. Isaac wrote this book prior to the current conflict. It is “a Palestinian Christian narrative of lament and hope.” He writes as one whose daily reality is defined by the twenty-five foot high wall around his city. To enter Israeli territories, permits and long waits at checkpoints are required. These are the same checkpoints through which Christian visitors to Bethlehem must pass. He writes:
“This book is my invitation to you to step into the other side of the wall and listen to our stories and perspective. It is my humble request to you to allow me to share how Palestinians experience God, read the Bible, and have been touched and liberated by Jesus—a fellow Bethlehemite who has challenged us to see others as neighbors and love them as ourselves. . . . This book paints a picture of our story of faith, lament, and hope. And I invite you to join and listen, on our side of the wall.”
The book is first of all a lament. He begins by describing what the 1948 creation of Israel meant to Palestinians living in this land. It was the Nakba or “catastrophe,” the seizure of 530 villages in which 750,000 Palestinians became refugees. He laments the dehumanizing of Palestinians while American Christians celebrated the Jewish occupation of the land as a supposed fulfillment of a promise of God. And he laments the continued silence as Israel continues to move boundaries and build settlements. This includes taking away the home and lands of Palestinians. Finally, he laments the marginalizing of Palestinian Christian voices by American faith leaders, not including them in deliberations. Sometimes this includes disinviting them (including the author) from Christian conferences.
Isaac characterizes Christian Zionism, which has supported Israel’s injustices and legitimized its use of power, as “imperial theology.” He addresses the “land theology” Christian Zionists use to justify unqualified support of Israel. He argues, not that Israel was “replaced” by the church but that Gentiles and Jews were incorporated into a new, transnational people in which the promise to Israel is expanded to blessing to the nations and extended to the whole earth.
At the same time, Isaac denounces antisemitism (including the antisemitism latent in Christian Zionism!). Instead, he wants Jews to be safe everywhere, not just in a homeland. Rather than eliminating one group or another, he advocates a solution of Jews and Palestinians sharing the land. He also speaks of love for the Muslim neighbor and the call of Christians to be peacemakers, which includes seeking justice. While deeply grieved by the evangelical support of Zionism, he laments in hope rooted in the reality that the Savior of the world was born in Bethlehem and also subject to terror and flight. He comes to those who face similar realities.
Munther Isaac represents voices many of us in the United States have not heard because they are on “the other side of the wall.” He challenges the complicity of American support of Zionism and the complicity of silence of the rest of the church. As a result, this is a challenging book. But will we listen to this fellow believer?
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.
October 7, 2024
A Review of the Audiobook
Published in 2020 by ChristianAudio.
Read by Neil Shah.
Duration: 8 hours, 5 minutes.
Unabridged.
I heard about The Other Side of the Wall on The Holy Post podcast. I knew that there were Palestinian Christians in Gaza, but I hadn't given it much thought. Generally, I find the Palestinian/Israeli conflict too intractable to think about. It's not that I don't care, it's that simple solutions (or even insanely complicated solutions) don't even seem to be on the horizon at all and in a world with so many problems close at hand, it's easy not to think about problems half a world away. My bandwidth is just not that big.
But, the interview was good because it came from an unexpected source in this conflict. The podcast host interviewed Munther Isaac, a Lutheran pastor and teacher. He is also a Palestinian from Gaza. There has been a continual Christian presence in Gaza as long as anyone can tell, although it is dwindling as Palestinian Christians opt out of the conflict zone by moving away.
Isaac brings a long list of observations and complaints. He has reasonable complaints, like his family's farm and home being grabbed by the Israeli government to make space for Israeli settlements. But, he is also bothered by fellow Christians who refuse to let him speak at conferences because he offers a different point of view than the standard American Christian (pro-Israeli government) point of view.
The author is not anti-Jewish, but he is against so much that the conservative Netanyahu government has done over his long time as Prime Minister.
The book was obviously written before the brutal Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Many of the places he mentions in his book were headlines in the Hamas-Israel War as I was listening to the audiobook. Some might say that the book is outdated since those terrorist attacks were a profound pivot point, but I think the book still has tremendous value, especially with his discussions about the applications of Jesus' teachings in a world in a continuing cycle of violence and retribution.
A tough listen, but a very good one.
I rate this audiobook 5 stars out of 5.
Original review posted here: https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2024...
The original review includes a link to the podcast mentioned in the review.
Published in 2020 by ChristianAudio.
Read by Neil Shah.
Duration: 8 hours, 5 minutes.
Unabridged.
I heard about The Other Side of the Wall on The Holy Post podcast. I knew that there were Palestinian Christians in Gaza, but I hadn't given it much thought. Generally, I find the Palestinian/Israeli conflict too intractable to think about. It's not that I don't care, it's that simple solutions (or even insanely complicated solutions) don't even seem to be on the horizon at all and in a world with so many problems close at hand, it's easy not to think about problems half a world away. My bandwidth is just not that big.
But, the interview was good because it came from an unexpected source in this conflict. The podcast host interviewed Munther Isaac, a Lutheran pastor and teacher. He is also a Palestinian from Gaza. There has been a continual Christian presence in Gaza as long as anyone can tell, although it is dwindling as Palestinian Christians opt out of the conflict zone by moving away.
Isaac brings a long list of observations and complaints. He has reasonable complaints, like his family's farm and home being grabbed by the Israeli government to make space for Israeli settlements. But, he is also bothered by fellow Christians who refuse to let him speak at conferences because he offers a different point of view than the standard American Christian (pro-Israeli government) point of view.
The author is not anti-Jewish, but he is against so much that the conservative Netanyahu government has done over his long time as Prime Minister.
The book was obviously written before the brutal Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Many of the places he mentions in his book were headlines in the Hamas-Israel War as I was listening to the audiobook. Some might say that the book is outdated since those terrorist attacks were a profound pivot point, but I think the book still has tremendous value, especially with his discussions about the applications of Jesus' teachings in a world in a continuing cycle of violence and retribution.
A tough listen, but a very good one.
I rate this audiobook 5 stars out of 5.
Original review posted here: https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2024...
The original review includes a link to the podcast mentioned in the review.
July 14, 2025
Munther Isaac, a Christian minister in Bethlehem, ends his book with the quotation with which I’ll start this review:
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
Perplexed, but not driven to despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken;
Struck down, but not destroyed;
Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies....
Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.
(2 Cor 4:8-10, 16)
After reading both The Other Side of the Wall as well as many histories of post-1948 Palestine, I ask how and why hopeful? Since the founding of Israel, the taking of land has continually happened. I am old enough to remember when that was blamed on the fact that the other regional countries – including the Palestinians – would not cooperate. Now I realize that just means: would not give up land, would not stop asking for it back, would not be cooperate with the Israeli land expropriation. None of this is anti-Semitic, as one is now accused of if looking at Israeli policies with a gimlet eye.
The reduction of the Christian population in Palestine and Israel is consistent with the history of the last 75+ years. Particularly if one is a Palestinian Christian. While the western denominations – particularly those in the United States – look to end-time scenarios that applaud the control of the land, the actual Christians on the ground are reduced further. This ironic cruelty is constant and accelerating.
I can not decide whether to be encouraged or further depressed by Isaac’s book. Perhaps hope is an important factor in anyone’s life, but so is reality. Since he wrote this book, things have gotten worse. Perhaps people without hope react by killing their neighbors.
It’s an important book in the list of books that document the reality of Israel and its neighbors.
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
Perplexed, but not driven to despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken;
Struck down, but not destroyed;
Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies....
Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.
(2 Cor 4:8-10, 16)
After reading both The Other Side of the Wall as well as many histories of post-1948 Palestine, I ask how and why hopeful? Since the founding of Israel, the taking of land has continually happened. I am old enough to remember when that was blamed on the fact that the other regional countries – including the Palestinians – would not cooperate. Now I realize that just means: would not give up land, would not stop asking for it back, would not be cooperate with the Israeli land expropriation. None of this is anti-Semitic, as one is now accused of if looking at Israeli policies with a gimlet eye.
The reduction of the Christian population in Palestine and Israel is consistent with the history of the last 75+ years. Particularly if one is a Palestinian Christian. While the western denominations – particularly those in the United States – look to end-time scenarios that applaud the control of the land, the actual Christians on the ground are reduced further. This ironic cruelty is constant and accelerating.
I can not decide whether to be encouraged or further depressed by Isaac’s book. Perhaps hope is an important factor in anyone’s life, but so is reality. Since he wrote this book, things have gotten worse. Perhaps people without hope react by killing their neighbors.
It’s an important book in the list of books that document the reality of Israel and its neighbors.
September 9, 2024
"The Other Side of the Wall" is a profound and enlightening read that I believe every Christian, especially Zionists, should experience. This book serves as a bridge, connecting us to the lives and experiences of Palestinian Christians, a group often overlooked in Western discourse.
Palestinian Christians, like us, are followers of Christ, but the Middle East's unique political, social, and cultural context shapes their experiences. They live at the intersection of faith and conflict, their lives a testament to the enduring power of hope and love amidst adversity. Beautifully captured in this book, their stories offer a fresh perspective on faith, resilience, and the human spirit.
As Western Christians, it's easy to become insulated within our own cultural and religious contexts. However, our faith calls us to love and understand all our brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of where they live or their challenges. This book provides a window into Palestinian Christians' lives, helping us understand their struggles and steadfast faith.
This is more than just a book; it's a journey that challenges us to broaden our understanding and deepen our faith. It encourages us to reflect on our own beliefs and actions, urging us to be more empathetic, compassionate, and loving. It's a call to action - to tear down the walls of misunderstanding and indifference and to build bridges of love and solidarity with our
In reading this book, I not only gained a deeper understanding of Palestinian Christians but also strengthened my own faith. I am reminded of the universal power of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation - values at the heart of Christianity. "The Other Side of the Wall" is a transformative journey, a must-read for all Christians seeking to live their faith more fully and to understand the diverse experiences of Christians around the world.
Palestinian Christians, like us, are followers of Christ, but the Middle East's unique political, social, and cultural context shapes their experiences. They live at the intersection of faith and conflict, their lives a testament to the enduring power of hope and love amidst adversity. Beautifully captured in this book, their stories offer a fresh perspective on faith, resilience, and the human spirit.
As Western Christians, it's easy to become insulated within our own cultural and religious contexts. However, our faith calls us to love and understand all our brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of where they live or their challenges. This book provides a window into Palestinian Christians' lives, helping us understand their struggles and steadfast faith.
This is more than just a book; it's a journey that challenges us to broaden our understanding and deepen our faith. It encourages us to reflect on our own beliefs and actions, urging us to be more empathetic, compassionate, and loving. It's a call to action - to tear down the walls of misunderstanding and indifference and to build bridges of love and solidarity with our
In reading this book, I not only gained a deeper understanding of Palestinian Christians but also strengthened my own faith. I am reminded of the universal power of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation - values at the heart of Christianity. "The Other Side of the Wall" is a transformative journey, a must-read for all Christians seeking to live their faith more fully and to understand the diverse experiences of Christians around the world.
January 10, 2024
This piece of non-fiction was written by Rev Munther Isaac a few years ago but is no less worthy of attention now. It turns the story of Palestinian Christianity in Gaza and it's shaky ground from all sides. They are often, as they are right now, in danger of being bombed and destroyed by Israel's bombs (often provided by the United States), distrust on the part of their Islamic neighbors, and the disdain often extended to them simply because they have the "misfortune" of living in the Gazan strip.
He expresses anger over the many Christian tourists that consider a walk though Jersalem to be a religious duty, and yet fail to appreciate that many of those Christian relics are in Gaza (for example, the Church of the Nativity) where the population is kept in what has been called the "largest out door prison on the planet".
Just this year, he conducted a Christmas service at the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church where the title of the sermon was "Jesus is beneath the rubble". He speaks in the book about the many checkpoints, often delaying travel for 4-5 hours and events that speak of Christ at the Checkpoint. Like many Christians who, though out history, have found themselves being ostracized and even demonized because of the color of their skin or where they happened to have been born. He uses the Bible and its messages about oppression and living though it to give hope to his people including his Islamic and Jewish neighbor who he has built relationships with.
I found it a very powerful book and would love to be able to actually study the theology included in a group. And I strongly recommend it to anybody who is willing to hear more about what might be "beyond the wall".
He expresses anger over the many Christian tourists that consider a walk though Jersalem to be a religious duty, and yet fail to appreciate that many of those Christian relics are in Gaza (for example, the Church of the Nativity) where the population is kept in what has been called the "largest out door prison on the planet".
Just this year, he conducted a Christmas service at the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church where the title of the sermon was "Jesus is beneath the rubble". He speaks in the book about the many checkpoints, often delaying travel for 4-5 hours and events that speak of Christ at the Checkpoint. Like many Christians who, though out history, have found themselves being ostracized and even demonized because of the color of their skin or where they happened to have been born. He uses the Bible and its messages about oppression and living though it to give hope to his people including his Islamic and Jewish neighbor who he has built relationships with.
I found it a very powerful book and would love to be able to actually study the theology included in a group. And I strongly recommend it to anybody who is willing to hear more about what might be "beyond the wall".
November 4, 2025
The Other Side of the Wall by Munther Isaac
I'll admit: I paid no attention to the news on Gaza, or the protests against the Australian government's support of Israel. I drove past protests every morning on my way to work for about 3 months, and not once did I question my own knowledge or indifference. But after hearing about Munther on social media, I realised I needed to do some reading.
Munther's book has been a really helpful resource, and one that I'd certainly recommend to anyone who has not heard a Palestinian perspective on Palestine and Israel. He is right in saying Western Christians have tended to ignore Palestinian voices, to accuse them of dishonesty or to assume that every Palestinian is a terrorist; that is certainly what we see in the media. Many Christians will also assume that any persecution of Christians is coming from Muslims, but these assumptions are not true!
I enjoy Munther's writing: he is kind, but doesn't shy away from speaking hard truths. He provides a hopeful message and a way forward in striving for peace. Two of the chapters are dedicated to practical ways we can love both our Muslim and Jewish neighbours in the west. He also asks us to consider what it would look like if the many billions of dollars Western nations have spent in support of arming Israel were to be used instead to support bringing peace between the nations. After reading this book, I think we have a lot of work to do in Christian churches to change our attitudes and learn how to actively work towards peace in the world.
I'll admit: I paid no attention to the news on Gaza, or the protests against the Australian government's support of Israel. I drove past protests every morning on my way to work for about 3 months, and not once did I question my own knowledge or indifference. But after hearing about Munther on social media, I realised I needed to do some reading.
Munther's book has been a really helpful resource, and one that I'd certainly recommend to anyone who has not heard a Palestinian perspective on Palestine and Israel. He is right in saying Western Christians have tended to ignore Palestinian voices, to accuse them of dishonesty or to assume that every Palestinian is a terrorist; that is certainly what we see in the media. Many Christians will also assume that any persecution of Christians is coming from Muslims, but these assumptions are not true!
I enjoy Munther's writing: he is kind, but doesn't shy away from speaking hard truths. He provides a hopeful message and a way forward in striving for peace. Two of the chapters are dedicated to practical ways we can love both our Muslim and Jewish neighbours in the west. He also asks us to consider what it would look like if the many billions of dollars Western nations have spent in support of arming Israel were to be used instead to support bringing peace between the nations. After reading this book, I think we have a lot of work to do in Christian churches to change our attitudes and learn how to actively work towards peace in the world.
June 29, 2024
After hearing Reverend Isaac's name much discussed here, it was lovely to actually read some of his work. His discussion of the major issues regarding the current political & social reality of life as a Palestinian Christian was compelling in a number of ways. His honesty and fervor were aptly portrayed, and his drawing from some major themes from the Bible were appreciated. Directing his remarks generally at Christian Zionism, and the broader movements that participate with and support it, his polemics certainly have the character of the prophetic, and the various stories of suffering and rejection that he tells throughout the chapters, both his and others, are painful and enlightening. In many ways, I felt that I was already familiar with much of what he had to say here -- I'm grateful that we've had the chance to engage with the Christian community in this land -- but, I'm glad to have a book that I would recommend to anyone who is really interested in hearing about what life is like here. Rev. Isaac's emphasis on hope, and his decision remain in Bethlehem and raise his children here despite the relative safety and security that could be had by leaving (as many do who have the means), is immensely brave and inspiring. He is certainly endeavoring to live out what he preaches.
High recommendation for anyone interested in what life is like "beyond the wall" in the West Bank, and particularly the role that the church plays in it.
High recommendation for anyone interested in what life is like "beyond the wall" in the West Bank, and particularly the role that the church plays in it.
February 3, 2024
My latest read and boy was it powerful. I have held my tongue on the issue with Israel, Gaza, Palestine etc. one because i was ignorant of the issues and did not want to misspeak and also i wanted to listen that’s why i got this book:
1. “The land belongs to God, not any nation, ethnicity, or religion. We all belong to the land—God’s land.”
2 . “Theology matters. And if any theology trumps the ethical biblical teachings of Jesus on love, equality, and justice, then we must rethink our theology.” It does not matter what type of theology it is; if that theology produces privilege and superiority, there is a problem! (AMEN)
3. “God weeps over Gaza. God mourns the continuation of the plaestinian Nakba.”
4. Orthodoxy should always lead to orthopraxy.”
5. “My challenge to you, my readers today, and to the entire church of Christ, is to begin listening to the Christian’s of the Middle East and Palestine.”
This book was heavy. It was insightful. It breaks my heart to know of the mistreatment of Palestine. To know the blind ignorance of favoritism of Israel that American white evangelicals show. God is not pleased. EVERY Christian who claims Christ as Lord needs to read this book. Educate yourself and practice what you preach! 10/10.
1. “The land belongs to God, not any nation, ethnicity, or religion. We all belong to the land—God’s land.”
2 . “Theology matters. And if any theology trumps the ethical biblical teachings of Jesus on love, equality, and justice, then we must rethink our theology.” It does not matter what type of theology it is; if that theology produces privilege and superiority, there is a problem! (AMEN)
3. “God weeps over Gaza. God mourns the continuation of the plaestinian Nakba.”
4. Orthodoxy should always lead to orthopraxy.”
5. “My challenge to you, my readers today, and to the entire church of Christ, is to begin listening to the Christian’s of the Middle East and Palestine.”
This book was heavy. It was insightful. It breaks my heart to know of the mistreatment of Palestine. To know the blind ignorance of favoritism of Israel that American white evangelicals show. God is not pleased. EVERY Christian who claims Christ as Lord needs to read this book. Educate yourself and practice what you preach! 10/10.
July 14, 2024
This is a perspective American evangelicals need to hear. This is a brother in Christ, one who is often shunted aside due to his heritage (he details a couple such instances where being Palestinian alone was enough to stir controversy). Should he be dismissed so easily when he lives what is only a theoretical theopolitical issue here in the West?
While I detected that we are not in full agreement one certain points of doctrine, this man is my brother. I found especially helpful his discussion on the land promises and the perspective that is proper to take: the land does not belong to a specific people, but it belongs to God.
His story is similar to those of other Palestinians that I have heard, but this one is different as it is coming from a Christian. I would hope that some of the walls of suspicion that might be up for a Muslim would come down for a fellow Christian. His story should give pause for reflection concerning how uncritical support of Israel contributes to human suffering.
While I detected that we are not in full agreement one certain points of doctrine, this man is my brother. I found especially helpful his discussion on the land promises and the perspective that is proper to take: the land does not belong to a specific people, but it belongs to God.
His story is similar to those of other Palestinians that I have heard, but this one is different as it is coming from a Christian. I would hope that some of the walls of suspicion that might be up for a Muslim would come down for a fellow Christian. His story should give pause for reflection concerning how uncritical support of Israel contributes to human suffering.
January 12, 2024
Absolutely loved this book. If you want to hear another perspective from the middle east, this is it. Munther tells many personal stories from a Palestinian point of view, of which is not told at all in news reporting today.
I heard many Palestinian stories during my visit to the Holy Land last year & wanted to learn more, since life in the middle east is nothing like anything we are familiar with in the US. We visited the Bethlehem college where I purchased this book.
Everyone should read this book to know the many perspectives, religions, belief’s and historical accounts that make this area of the world so volatile!
I hadn’t heard the word “Zionist” until now in this book & will research that point of view as well.
Reading this book pushes me to pray for peace daily.
I will recommend it to everyone in my church & family.
Thanks Munther for the courage to write this book.
I heard many Palestinian stories during my visit to the Holy Land last year & wanted to learn more, since life in the middle east is nothing like anything we are familiar with in the US. We visited the Bethlehem college where I purchased this book.
Everyone should read this book to know the many perspectives, religions, belief’s and historical accounts that make this area of the world so volatile!
I hadn’t heard the word “Zionist” until now in this book & will research that point of view as well.
Reading this book pushes me to pray for peace daily.
I will recommend it to everyone in my church & family.
Thanks Munther for the courage to write this book.
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