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Moderator Abu-Akel and peacemaking
in Middle East |
Our new Moderator, Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel, has been
involved in many ways in seeking reconciliation in Israel/Palestine.
Darrell Yeaney, a retired Presbyterian campus minister who has long
been involved in Middle East visits, exchanges, and mission projects,
has shared this added information about our Moderator's engagement in
seeking peace in his homeland.
Friends,
If you haven't seen it, the report below will tell you
all I know about the new Presbyterian moderator's views on the
Palestinian/Israeli conflict and his ideas for resolution. What I
can add follows:
The Rev. Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel was born and grew up in the village of
Kuffer-Yassif, Galilee, Israel, the son of Christian Palestinian Arab
parents. He holds a D. Min. degree from McCormick theological Seminary
in Chicago and a masters from Columbia Seminary in Georgia and has been
the Mission Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Atlanta for 20 years.
In 1986, as a commissioner to the Presbyterian General Assembly, he
helped found the PC (USA)s Middle Eastern Caucus. He served on the
church's Initiative Team on Racism and Racial Violence that produced the
denomination's seminal document on "Facing Racism, a Vision of
the Beloved Community."
While at First Church Atlanta, he began and became executive director of
the Atlanta Ministry with International Students, an ecumenical
organization that provides hospitality to more than 5,000 students from
140 countries.
In regard to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, he established "Mushalaha"
(the Arabic word for reconciliation) . This is an organization focused
on bringing together Palestinian Christians, Moslems and Jews "in
order to help them share hopes, solve common problems and seek mutual
understanding." "Musalaha" is an excellent model for the
resolution of the conflicts in the church as well.
Prior to his election and in response to a question about religious
extremism and America's increasing reliance on military measures to
"solve" large and very complex problems, Dr Abu-akel said,
" In the context of Roman military occupation over Palestine and
the call by religious extremists for violent response, Jesus gave his
own life as a sacrifice to save the world. After his resurrection Jesus
commanded his disciples to "Go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit. What better response could there be from the Church to the
hatreds rooted in religious extremism. "
Regards,
Darrell |
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Visit
our lively
new website! |
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
growing!
Please consider making a special
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Click here to send a
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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