Updated Actions being taken by other (USA) churches (2022)
Other churches have been voting to support justice and peace by: recognizing that the Israeli government has established a system of apartheid and by joining the international movement of boycott/divest/sanction to support international law and human rights. See below:
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada
Pointing to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Palestine/Israel, leaders of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada , in full communion with the United Church of Canada, issued a Pastoral Letter February 23, 2022, writing, “Israeli policies and practices that discriminate against Palestinians—Christians and Muslims alike--are consistent with the international definition of the crime of apartheid. … The continuing occupation, denial of rights, and injustice that Palestinians endure is not consistent with our understanding of God’s vision for justice for all people, and therefore is sin.” “As leaders of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), we must not be silent in the face of changes on the ground and further entrenched systemic factors… We are compelled to acknowledge and amplify the voices of our partners—in Israel/Palestine and around the world—and to witness to what we know and see.”
United Church of Christ
The General Synod of the United Church of Christ, in full communion with the United Church of Canada, condemned Israeli apartheid at its virtual meeting in 2021. The Declaration passed at that time https://www.globalministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/General-Synod-2021-Resolution-I-P.pdf responds to the cries of Palestinian Christian partners, acknowledging their voices, even knowing that it may cause tension in some interreligious relationships, especially in the American Jewish community. Among the Declaration’s 6 policy positions are,
Presbyterian Church (USA)
In 2018 the General Assembly of the mainline protestant Presbyterian Church (USA) voted overwhelmingly in support of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign (BDS). Ten resolutions supporting human rights for Palestinians won by a landslide following powerful testimonies from local and visiting Palestinians, Black Lives Matter leaders, Presbyterians, and others. the Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) said, "....as a matter of our faith, we are bound to ensure that the resources we have, including our financial resources, are used in ways that reflect our belief in the biblical mandate to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).” Presbyterian leader, Rev. Jimmie Hawkins said people of faith can be reluctant to speak because criticism of Israel is often met with charges of anti-Semitism. But the criticism is of the Israeli government, not Judaism, and they are two different things. It is important for the church to speak out, because “It is a justice issue, and we have policy on it.”
Hybrid style General Assembly 2022 is on-going now. There are several overtures regarding Israel-Palestine on the agenda for the 2022 PCUSA General Assembly. Each one has over 6 presbyteries that have concurred on them. Two are:
Both were approved; the first unanimously. The second with an amended version of the original overture, which recognizes that the “government of” Israel’s laws, policies, and practices regarding the Palestinian people fulfill the international legal definition of apartheid.
New England Conference of the United Methodist Church (USA)
The New England Conference of the United Methodist Church (USA) passed a resolution entitled, “Identifying and Opposing Apartheid in the Holy Land” June 11, 2022. It states “that the Conference calls on the U.S. government to condition U.S. funding to Israel upon Israel’s willingness to dismantle its apartheid system and implement all the rights due to Palestinians under international law.” The resolution noted that in 1988 “The United Methodist Church has forcefully declared its opposition to the crime of apartheid, calling it a ‘heresy’ and ‘a sin’ that must be condemned unequivocally – within Southern Africa and neighboring countries and throughout the world.’”
Episcopal Church USA General Convention, July 2022
At the shortened, smaller Episcopal Church USA General Convention, July 2022 the bishops and deputies will be asked to: respond to the cry of the Palestinian people and build on the 40 years of prophetic Episcopal Church policy on Palestine-Israel. The Palestine Israel Network declares that Palestinians face a human rights crisis rooted in the racism of a settler-colonial system, similar to that in the United States. Bishops and deputies will be asked to pass four resolutions which: Support BDS, Oppose Israeli apartheid, Affirm our freedom to boycott, and Reject Christian Zionism.
In 2018 the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, voted to divest from companies involved in Israel’s violations of Palestinian human rights! The Episcopal Church was the 10th Christian denomination in the US to take economic action for justice in Palestine. The Quaker Friends Fiduciary Corporation had already divested from Hewlett Packard, Veolia, and Caterpillar – began to screen out all companies contributing to the occupation of Palestine and other occupations around the world. Such actions by churches continue to grow and to be motivated by Israel’s continued violence, oppression, discrimination, and exile of the Palestinian people everywhere.
Earlier this month, the Episcopal Church in the US, passed four resolutions that will empower the church to act on behalf of Palestinians.
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada
Pointing to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Palestine/Israel, leaders of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada , in full communion with the United Church of Canada, issued a Pastoral Letter February 23, 2022, writing, “Israeli policies and practices that discriminate against Palestinians—Christians and Muslims alike--are consistent with the international definition of the crime of apartheid. … The continuing occupation, denial of rights, and injustice that Palestinians endure is not consistent with our understanding of God’s vision for justice for all people, and therefore is sin.” “As leaders of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), we must not be silent in the face of changes on the ground and further entrenched systemic factors… We are compelled to acknowledge and amplify the voices of our partners—in Israel/Palestine and around the world—and to witness to what we know and see.”
United Church of Christ
The General Synod of the United Church of Christ, in full communion with the United Church of Canada, condemned Israeli apartheid at its virtual meeting in 2021. The Declaration passed at that time https://www.globalministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/General-Synod-2021-Resolution-I-P.pdf responds to the cries of Palestinian Christian partners, acknowledging their voices, even knowing that it may cause tension in some interreligious relationships, especially in the American Jewish community. Among the Declaration’s 6 policy positions are,
- “We affirm that all people living in Palestine and Israel are created in the image of God and that this bestows ultimate dignity and sacredness to all; Therefore, we reject any laws and legal procedures which are used by one race or religion or political entity to enshrine one people in a privileged legal position at the expense of another, including Israel’s apartheid system of laws and legal procedures.” And,
- “We affirm the First Amendment constitutional right to freedom of speech and assembly to protest the actions of the State of Israel and to uphold the rights of Palestinians, including the use of economic measures to support justice as a First Amendment right and joining the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement by individuals, institutions, corporations, and religious bodies that advocate peace with justice or participate in any aspect of the use of economic measures to support justice. Therefore, we reject the idea that any criticism of policies of the State of Israel is inherently antisemitic, in confession that some criticism is antisemitic in intent or impact, and we oppose the efforts of U.S. federal and state governments to limit free speech on university campuses and to restrict or ban support of the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.”
Presbyterian Church (USA)
In 2018 the General Assembly of the mainline protestant Presbyterian Church (USA) voted overwhelmingly in support of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign (BDS). Ten resolutions supporting human rights for Palestinians won by a landslide following powerful testimonies from local and visiting Palestinians, Black Lives Matter leaders, Presbyterians, and others. the Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) said, "....as a matter of our faith, we are bound to ensure that the resources we have, including our financial resources, are used in ways that reflect our belief in the biblical mandate to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).” Presbyterian leader, Rev. Jimmie Hawkins said people of faith can be reluctant to speak because criticism of Israel is often met with charges of anti-Semitism. But the criticism is of the Israeli government, not Judaism, and they are two different things. It is important for the church to speak out, because “It is a justice issue, and we have policy on it.”
Hybrid style General Assembly 2022 is on-going now. There are several overtures regarding Israel-Palestine on the agenda for the 2022 PCUSA General Assembly. Each one has over 6 presbyteries that have concurred on them. Two are:
- A Call for Ending the Siege of Gaza and Collective Punishment and
- Recognition that Israel’s Practices Constitute Apartheid Against the Palestinian People.
Both were approved; the first unanimously. The second with an amended version of the original overture, which recognizes that the “government of” Israel’s laws, policies, and practices regarding the Palestinian people fulfill the international legal definition of apartheid.
New England Conference of the United Methodist Church (USA)
The New England Conference of the United Methodist Church (USA) passed a resolution entitled, “Identifying and Opposing Apartheid in the Holy Land” June 11, 2022. It states “that the Conference calls on the U.S. government to condition U.S. funding to Israel upon Israel’s willingness to dismantle its apartheid system and implement all the rights due to Palestinians under international law.” The resolution noted that in 1988 “The United Methodist Church has forcefully declared its opposition to the crime of apartheid, calling it a ‘heresy’ and ‘a sin’ that must be condemned unequivocally – within Southern Africa and neighboring countries and throughout the world.’”
Episcopal Church USA General Convention, July 2022
At the shortened, smaller Episcopal Church USA General Convention, July 2022 the bishops and deputies will be asked to: respond to the cry of the Palestinian people and build on the 40 years of prophetic Episcopal Church policy on Palestine-Israel. The Palestine Israel Network declares that Palestinians face a human rights crisis rooted in the racism of a settler-colonial system, similar to that in the United States. Bishops and deputies will be asked to pass four resolutions which: Support BDS, Oppose Israeli apartheid, Affirm our freedom to boycott, and Reject Christian Zionism.
In 2018 the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, voted to divest from companies involved in Israel’s violations of Palestinian human rights! The Episcopal Church was the 10th Christian denomination in the US to take economic action for justice in Palestine. The Quaker Friends Fiduciary Corporation had already divested from Hewlett Packard, Veolia, and Caterpillar – began to screen out all companies contributing to the occupation of Palestine and other occupations around the world. Such actions by churches continue to grow and to be motivated by Israel’s continued violence, oppression, discrimination, and exile of the Palestinian people everywhere.
Earlier this month, the Episcopal Church in the US, passed four resolutions that will empower the church to act on behalf of Palestinians.
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