Justice and Only Justice: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation

by Naim Stifan Ateek, Rosemary Radford Ruether (Introduction)

This captivating bestseller by a clergyman and leader of the Palestine Christian community examines the problems and prospects for Palestinians, Jews, and Christians in the Middle East.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Christianity, Justice, Middle East, Politics, Social Justice

229 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Josh Issa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that the Palestinian crisis is one of the greatest humanitarian issues we face in the modern world. There is no question about the deep and near century-long oppression and genocide that the Palestinian people face in their land. Naim offers a theological and political vision in this book to try to come up with a way for the Church to be the Body of Christ in this conflict. There are two important doctrines that he points out we need to be careful with if we are to properly attain justice:
1. The issue of who's land is it
2. Whether God unequivocally stands with the Jewish people

For the issue of land, Naim points out that the land is not owned by Jewish people - it is owned by God (Lev. 25.23), and for the second he also argues that since God is God of the whole world it also means he cares for the Palestinian people. Honestly, it sounds really simple, but sometimes all you need are a handful of simple statements that completely deflate nationalist claims like those of the Zionists. Pointing to the fact that God is a universal God just eliminates all exclusivist theological claims that these people make to justify the occupation of Palestine.

It is true that the land of Israel-Palestine has been singled out as host to great events in history, but do not believe that it is intrinsically more holy than other lands. If God has done great things here, God has done great things everywhere. If God loves this land and its peoples, that is a sign - a sacrament - that God loves each and every land and its peoples. The whole Earth is the Lord's. This is all God's world. The whole world should be holy. It is all sacramental.

Something that Naim focuses on is how we implement a just solution. Justice is important because "only justice rooted in compassion can save us from repeating the cycle of violence", but notice that our justice should be rooted in compassion. For God, His justice is always tempered by mercy, but for us our justice is always rooted in an exercise of power. So we must always temper how we act according to Christ's revelation that we are to love our neighbours and even our enemies. We need to act in accordance with Micah's prophetic utterance to act justly and merciful.

Power apparently sacrifices justice in order to achieve peace and then destroys it.

There is a natural tendency to link justice and power together. The two are united in God, but not in humans. In God, power and justice are founded in goodness and love; power is always directed to the establishment of justice and peace among people. Power and justice are not grounded in the inherent goodness and justice of humans but in their propensity toward sin and evil. Instead of using power to establish and maintain justice and peace, power is easily transmuted into self-aggrandizement and the oppression of others.

The political solutions he offers to the problem though really fall flat - especially today. He was a proponent of the two state solution and clearly was optimistic about how that would go. His advice to the Church is to get church leaders involved in the dialogues, which yes - but how? I really wished this book could give me more. To be fair, it was written in 1989, so I don't know how much more it could give me. Two state solutions were all the rage back then, and it's much easier with 35 years of hindsight to say that optimism was misplaced. The theology stuff was great though, definitely don't knock that.

[Jackson Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Easter. May the hope of Christ’s resurrection remind us that the death inflicted by empire is not the final say. This book is an excellent introduction to the topic of Israel/Palestine. The Palestinian christian perspective often falls to the wayside in Zionist Evangelical & American Empire spaces, really almost totally ignored.

The chapter that is a historical survey is very basic, but helpful. The reflection on the biblical passages and Ateek’s honesty about the Zionist abuse of scripture is valuable. In my opinion, the chapter on Justice is where this work shines. Ateek helps the audience think about Justice biblically/theologically & philosophically. This book is accessible and has pastoral care with scholarly astuteness. Ateek proposes a religious institution dedicated to peace work among Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities in Israel/Palestine.

This book was written in 1999, so there are now a few organizations trying to do things along this line, but maybe his vision of a more centralized ecclesial community of peacemaking would be more valuable than the fragmented work going on today.

Where I would differ from Ateek is on the clear constructive political value of one-democratic state. I’m not sure that Ateek is opposed to one democratic state today, but in 99’ the two state solution was more accepted by the international left as a viable solution, and today it is not. I think he would be open to revising this today as many other scholars have.

Overall, I’d recommend this book to Christian’s looking to gain an appreciation for the Palestinian plight against the grain of what they have learned under the hegemony of American empire and Evangelical Zionism. Ateek’s commitment to Christian theology and the values of Christ is clear, and his explanation of Palestinian experience and struggle is effective and compelling.

[Alex Strohschein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many Christians around the globe are enamored with the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, with the vast majority of evangelicals firmly siding with Israel due to Yahweh's covenant with them in the Bible and a desire to provide a place for Jews after the horrors of the Holocaust. Naim Stifan Ateek, an Anglican priest who has personally suffered at the hands of modern Israel and who serves as a minister in Jerusalem, writes an impassioned plea for realistic reconciliation between Palestinians and Jews. Although Ateek admits his own bias I find him to nevertheless strive for objectivity (he is most sharply critical against Zionists, not the average Jew). It is interesting reading this book so soon after reading Willie James Jennings' 'The Christian Imagination'; much of Jennings' book rests upon the folly of supersessionism that resulted in European powers arrogate to themselves an identity as God's chosen people as well as on the importance of the land for identity and culture. Yet Ateek points out Old Testament passages where the Promised Land that Yahweh gives to Israel is dependent upon them following Him faithfully and living according to His ways; if they depart from this, God will withdraw the land from them. Ateek asserts that not only has Israel oppressed Palestinians in ways that go against the heart of God's universal love, but that the Palestinians themselves have lived in the land for centuries and are just as entitled to live in it as are Jews. I'd love for Ateek and Jennings to have a conversation on supersessionism and the land of Israel-Palestine.

[Grace Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ateek's examination of power, oppression, justice, and peace within the Israel/Palestinian conflict and critique of the Israeli government was written in the 1980s, but continues to remain relevant today as the situation continues. A great read for all, but especially important for American Christians.

"Instead of using power to establish and maintain justice and peace, power is easily transmuted into self-aggrandizement and the oppression of others. In other words, people who have power and wield it whenever they choose usually confuse themselves with God. Theologically speaking, this becomes the greatest menace in the abuse of power. It is idolatry in its starkest form, and human beings can too easily fall prey to it.... The paradox of power is that it is both an essential component in achieving and sustaining justice and peace and, at the same time, a menace that continually threatens to destroy them."

[Daniel Kleven · Rating 5 out of 5]

A necessary and important book.

I was exposed to "Palestinian Liberation Theology" when a friend recommended a chapter from Brian Stanley's Christianity in the Twentieth Century: A World History, which outlined a recent history of Christianity in Palestine that I was unfamiliar with, and Ateek's book was mentioned as "the first significant book to advocate a Palestinian theology of liberation." I had known for quite some time that in the intense conflict, often framed as between Palestinian Muslims and Israeli Jews, that the voice of Christians were often completely overlooked, but had something important to say.

My, do they ever.

The story of how this book came about is a fascinating tale in its own right. Ateek was born in 1937, and experienced first-hand forceful displacement from his home in 1948. He left for the U.S. in 1959, and eventually earned a doctorate from San Francisco Theological Seminary, "a Presbyterian institution with a very strong tradition of commitment to racial justice and political action." This book is an edited version of his dissertation.

But the only reason it got published (by Orbis) was because a Jewish scholar, Marc H. Ellis, advocated for it to be published. Furthermore, the Foreword to the book was written by Rosemary Radford Ruether, perhaps better known as a "Catholic feminist," but whose work has ranged widely to include books like Faith and Fratricide: The Theological Roots of Anti-Semitism, and engagement with Black liberation theology. In fact, for another fascinating book, the fruit of this cooperation, see Ateek, Ellis, and Ruether, Faith and the Intifada: Palestinian Christian Voices (1992), the published proceedings of an international conference held at the Tartur Ecumenical Institute located between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. These books are literally the fruit of Jewish/Palestinian/Christian dialogue, and they provide a perspective on the ongoing conflicts that is vital to hear, and cuts through to the heart of the situation in Palestine.

Though written nearly 40 years ago, really not much has changed since then, and the book is as relevant now as it was then (as it was in 1967, as it was in 1948, as it was in the 1920s, ...) Ateek's opening chapter briefly explores his overlapping identities: a Christian; a Palestinian; an Arab; and an Israeli [citizen]. Chapter 2 gives a historical overview of "how we got here," and as one pretty unfamiliar with the details of this story, this was eye-opening. I was unfamiliar with the specific details of colonialism in the land before the 20th century; of how Zionism began in the 19th century, and that tensions had been mounting decades before WWII and the Holocaust. I had never heard of Deir Yasin (look it up, please!) nor of the countless instances of unjustified displacement of Palestinians, nor of the unjust treatment they have experienced from the very beginning. I did not consider myself a Zionist before reading this book, so I didn't need my mind "changed" per se, but nevertheless, some of these details were stunning, and serve to totally reframe the situation there. At the same time I've been dipping into the Pulitzer Prize winning Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land, which corroborates in broad strokes and in many details the account given by Ateek.

Ateek then moves into explorations of the Bible and then of theology. He has to face the Old Testament and answer the question "doesn't it promise this land to the Israelites?" Anyone with a covenantal or progressive-covenantal framework for interpreting the whole Bible has an answer to this question, but Ateek's is a little different, a more "progressive" view of an evolving conception of God. We get the same place, just by different paths. But when Ateek dives deep into the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings and pulls out both what he calls the "universalist" strain in these scriptures, alongside their deep cries for justice, man, that is powerful stuff!

Another reviewer has noted a tension between Ateek and Willie James Jennings on the question of Israel and "supercessionism." I too noted this tension, and I'm currently reading J. Kameron Carter, Race: A Theological Account, and as Jennings and Carter were (literally) of the same "school," I feel the tension with Carter here as well. I would love to see these two groups (the "Duke school" and Palestinian Christians) in dialogue, I wonder what would come out of that.

The final chapter gives Ateek's practical recommendation, a two-state solution, and the way he reasons his way there from Christian principles is compelling.

I highly recommend this book!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely necessary work; one of a kind in that it presents traditional Christian theology as a liberating, anti (or post) colonial response to the oppression of Palestinian peoples. Copes with the problem of the biblical Israel through an appeal to return to traditional Christianiy's Christocentric (typological) interpretation. It does NOT conflate Zionism with Judaism, but gives space to Jewish voices advocating for a more compassionate treatment of Palestinians and recognizes, at the same time, that Zionism exists just as dangerously within branches of Christianity (esp. American Fundamentalism).

In his hermeneutic for the Old Testament, he makes heavy use of the "canon within the canon" -- a concept that some passages are more binding or inspired than others. While this is acceptable within the confines of post-modern biblical theology and liberal protestantism, it is the one place where he begins to turn away from the traditionalism that provides so much of the strength of his work. He is absolutely right that traditional Christianity did not take as literal many of the statements of the Hebrew Bible / LXX, but the exegetical challenge (at least as understood by figures like Origen and Irenaeus) was to see the entire Old Testament as inspired precisely because it harmonizes around the figure of Christ. By rejecting portions of the Old Testament, Ateek reveals that he is still indebted (heavily) to the supersessionist elements of his Christianity, and this reinscription of supersessionism lends a potentially anti-Judaic character to his deeper thought, even while his book on the surface is not at all anti-Jewish. This is not to say that the Christ-centered typology of Irenaeus or Origen is NOT supersessionist (it is), but it is a supersessionism of a different texture or character than the more Marcionite sense that Christ's work literally invalidates portions of the Hebrew Bible / LXX. Irenaeus and Origen engage in, more or less, a Hellenized version of midrash, situating the Christ narrative as they understand it as the focal point for their interpretation -- but for them, the entirety of the scriptures remain valid and simultaneously true; that truth may exist in different levels or only when interpreted against other passages of scripture, but this is precisely how midrash works.

Ateek's work, then, would be strengthened by a more thorough return to the normative texts of his tradition, especially if he were to read them alongside the Rabbinic writings that operate with a similar (though obviously distinct, in that they have a different set of harmonizing narratives / principles) hermeneutic. In this, he could potentially point forward towards a united, or at least respectfully disagreeing, hermeneutic that would retain the importance of scripture for both Judaism and Christianity while simultaneously invalidating Zionism (or at least better clarifying how it sits in conflict with other legitimate and traditional strands of Judaism).

For a different approach to these same questions, but from a Jewish perspective, I'd recommend Jack Shechter's book "The Land of Israel: Its Theological Dimensions."

[Lily Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:

With this work, Ateek pioneered the field of “Palestinian Liberation Theology.” Moving from his personal experience of being evicted from his home during the Nakba of 1948, he develops PLT out of the stages following the Nakba: shock, resignation, and awakening. PLT arose out of the need for a theology of God’s solidarity with the suffering Palestinian Christians, but also as a counter to Christian Zionist ideologies in the West.

His hermeneutic for all of scripture is Christ, which solves for problematic pro-Israel passages in the Christian Old Testament, although this move has been controversial. The second major element of his argument is the Palestinian cry for justice which he develops through the OT prophets, parables, and modern sources of theology.

Ateek then concludes, as a pastor rather than a scholar, by presenting his hope for peace. The major premise is that the land must be shared between Palestinians and Jews, and the minor premise that there must be a separate Palestinian state, so that Jews and Palestinians can meet each other as equals and begin to work towards true reconciliation.

[Josiah Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is less a theology of liberation than a Niebuhrian, Christian realist theology of reconciliation. In that, I found it pretty disappointing. Admittedly, this book is about thirty years outdated, but it certainly felt divorced from the broader tradition of liberation theology. Perhaps I’m more cynical than he is, but I find his treatment of violence lacking and his solution troublesome. I can imagine James Cone laughing when Ateek quotes Booker T. Washington near the end. I also understand that I am not Palestinian and so I don’t know whether nonviolence is the best path or not. What I can say is I came for Gutierrez and Cone, but got Niebuhr and MLK’s early years. Nevertheless, there are some gems in here that I think make it worthwhile despite the seemingly milquetoast and liberal conclusions he comes to.

[Denise Kettering · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book outlines the situation in Israel-Palestine, possible theological approaches to the problem and some possible solutions. The strength of the book is definitely the novel theological approacch to liberation theology from this specific context. Ateek admits his own bias as a Palestinian, but holds both Jews and Palestinians responsible for the current situation and has proposals for both parties. Some of the material has become dated, but the way that he performs the theological reflection is still pertinent. The book begins with Ateek outlining his own biases as a Christian, a Palestiniant, an Arab, and an Israeli. Then he discusses the history of the region and the development of Christianity in the area and how the church has responded to various problems. The most substantial part of the text outlines his liberationist approach. He is particularly interested in the story of Naboth's vineyard, as the Exodus story, often used by Zionists to justify Israel's possession of the land is not the best for Palestinians. He finally discusses the possibilities for change. First, he proposes the two-state solution which is most touted by many Palestinians, but he also suggests that to accompany that there needs to be non-violent resistance. Ateek provides an interesting adaptation of constructive liberation theology that is helpful and interesting.

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Palestinians talk about injustice, they are talking about the tragedy of Palestine. When they tell their own story, it is told in order to illustrate vividly and to substantiate the extent of the injustice and the dehumanization to which the people of Palestine have been subjected; when Jews do not tell personal stories of how they lost their homes or villages in Palestine, it is because they did not have them.


It is a tragic commentary on our broken world that many people do not listen as carefully to the quiet voice of truth as they do to the loud noise of bombs.

[Jonathan Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book applying Liberation Theology to create a contextual theology that takes seriously the experiences of Palestinian Christians. Naim Ateek theology is one that is worth taking the time to chew over and understand deeply. The refutation of Christian Zionism in this book is one that must be listened to by the global church.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good intro to liberation theology, and the conflict. It’s a bit outdated but I’d love to force evangelicals to read it.

[Liann Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunningly beautiful. Prophetic insight that rings ever true, though written over 30 years ago.

[Esther Ymkje · Rating 4 out of 5]

heel mooi, kleine lezing hieruit zondag in de dominicuskerk!

[Bayu Probo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doktor Naim Stifan Ateek adalah pendiri dan ketua Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, sebuah pusat teologi ekumenis di Yerusalem yang didirikan untuk berjuang demi kemerdekaan Palestina.
Ia dilahirkan di Beisan (Beth Shean) dan baru berusia 11 tahun ketika kaum Zionis menduduki kotanya pada tanggal 12 Mei 1948. Dua hari kemudian Negara Israel diproklamasikan dan empat belas hari setelah peristiwa itu, Beisan harus dikosongkan. Ia dan keluarganya dipindahkan secara paksa ke Nazaret, yang kemudian juga dikuasai tentara Yahudi pada tanggal 19 Juli 1948.
Pada tahun 1959, ia meninggalkan Nazaret menuju Amerika Serikat untuk mengambil gelar sarjana dan menjadi seorang pendeta. Enam tahun kemudian ia diwisuda, lalu kembali ke Nazaret untuk ditahbiskan dan memulai pelayanan di tengah bangsanya. Ia mengajar di Nazareth Baptist dan banyak memberi kuliah baik di dalam maupun di luar negeri.
Ia menyadari diri sebagai seorang Arab, seorang Palestina, seorang Kristen, rohaniwan Anglikan, dan seorang warga dari Negara Israel. Ia merupakan orang pertama yang menyampaikan ide tentang teologi pembebasan Palestina dalam bukunya, Semata-mata Keadilan. Buku ini meletakkan dasar bagi suatu teologi yang ditujukan bagi konflik Palestina serta mengungkap berbagai dimensi secara politis, biblis, dan teologis. Buku lain tentang konflik Palestina yang ditulisnya adalah A Palestinian Christian Cry for Reconciliation.

[ben adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by a person who has truly experienced institutionalized and personal violence, this book may be the best iteration of liberation the*logy that I have read, to this point. Incredible passion and faith populate every page. His biographical stories are heart-rending. The navigation of Exodus story, Jesus, and Palestinian people is thought-provoking. I found this book to be difficult to put down. This is mandatory reading for any person who calls themselves Christian but maintains an interest in the Israeli occupation of Palestine. His proposed solution for that occupation is incredible and beautiful. Furthermore, Ateek's commitment to reconciliation rather than revenge derives from the experience of the oppressed and not the liberal-progressive dogma of "non-violence" that thrusts more blame onto those who lash out against institutional violence than it does on the powers that repress the people. Ateek went through the hell of Israeli occupation and came out with a faith deeper than I could ever imagine. Unlike first world the*logies that cannot accept genocide and G*D as concurrent realities, "Justice and Only Justice" mandates we stop our flight from the divine call to justice and peace lest further genocides occur. This book was awesome.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book written by my current "boss," so I have to include it, right? Not necessarily the most incredible writing ever, but definitely a unique voice and an important theological perspective to understand. The difficulties with reading the Bible as a Palestinian Christian are important to understand in order to get a grasp of the ministry of the church in this contested land.

[Travis Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. It gave me a much more rounded understanding of the current Palestinian and Jew issue going on in Israel over the past many years. I enjoyed the read, it was simple and could be understood by someone like myself who may not have a great foundation of Middle Eastern knowledge of history and the like.

I would recommend anyone interested in Israel to read this book.

[Yohanes BB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book opened my horizons and made ​​me see the problem in Palestine is more balanced. I pray that one day Israel and Palestine can live side by side in peace

[Beth Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book about the complex issue of Israli/Palestinian relations. Be prepared to think and be educated, as it is the author's doctoral thesis.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the theological perspective on these issues and the personal stories.

[Hans Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karya dan pandangan seorang Pendeta Kristen berwarga negara Palestina tentang zionisme.