The Land Cries Out: Theology of the Land in the Israeli-Palestinian Context

Our theology does not exist in a vacuum but must relate to the world we inhabit and must influence our moral and ethical actions. This is especially true when discussing theology of the land in the context of a violent territorial conflict. The Holy Land has seen so much bloodshed that the earth itself is crying out to God. The chapters presented in this book form a unique collection of voices speaking from different perspectives on the issue of the theology of the land. These voices include Messianic Jewish and Palestinian Christian theologians and scholars who live in the Holy Land as well as others from around the world. The various chapters reflect a wide spectrum of opinion and reveal how much disagreement still exists among followers of Christ. However the dialogue generated by having these opposing voices side by side speaking to each other rather than past each other is encouraging. This book is both challenging and inspirational and contributes in an innovative way to this important discussion. This book plunges the reader into the complexities and intransigencies of this most urgent and most difficult of all of our public problems . . . the Holy Land. The discussion provides a rich representative spectrum of opinion and puts acute hermeneutical differences fully on exhibit. The book inches toward the legitimacy of the other and one author dares to conclude that it is not history or land that finally matters but it is in the face of the other that we find the image of God. This collection adds more voices to the ongoing struggle. Like other voices in the cacophony these voices fall short of the reconciliation that the cry of the land requires. --Walter Brueggemann Columbia Theological Seminary The Land Cries Out is a valuable anthology of theological perspectives of both Palestinian and Israeli followers of Jesus on the issue of the Land. The representative national (and international) voices serve as a helpful resource to acquaint one with the theological complexity of the Body of Christ in Israel/Palestine. The anthology illustrates how both regional politics and theological influences affect each communitys reading of Scripture and offers some constructive attempts to escape the theological impasse between both communities. --Akiva Cohen Haifa Theological Institute Salim J. Munayer is a Palestinian Israeli theologian and lecturer at the Bethlehem Bible College as well as the cofounder and director of Musalaha a ministry that seeks to facilitate reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. Lisa Loden is a leader in the Israeli Messianic Jewish community. She heads up and is a lecturer in the Department of Leadership Development Studies at the Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary.