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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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An index of
our reports
from
BECOMING NEIGHBORS:
An Invitation
to Global Discipleship
A Witherspoon conference
on global mission and justice
September 16 - 19, 2007
Louisville, Kentucky |
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Check out our report from the
Conference
on
Terror, Torture,
and Security |
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