Rethinking Israel, Palestine, and the Faith That Formed Us

Erna Kim Hackett
  • 5.0 (8)
  • CHRISTIANITY

Rethinking Israel, Palestine, and the Faith That Formed Us invites evangelicals and those shaped by evangelicalism to wrestle honestly with Scripture, history, and justice. Through story, friendship, and witness, we explore how our faith traditions have shaped us—and how reimagining them can move us toward peace and dignity. 

Episodes

  1. 11/24/2025

    Episode 8- Lessons Learned, Implications, and Next Steps

    In this final episode of our Rethinking Israel, Palestine, and the Faith that Formed Us Erna Kim Hackett and Barnabas Lin reflect on what they’ve learned and what comes next. They trace how unexamined evangelical theology shaped their early views of Israel, and how new frameworks of history, faith, and justice helped them see Palestine more clearly. Together they explore Palestinian Liberation Theology and the conviction that no one’s liberation can depend on another’s oppression. Erna shares her growing sense of responsibility to speak back to the evangelical world that formed her, challenging deconstructing Christians to move from critique to accountability.  Barnabas offers reflections on repentance, prayer, and formation — and both describe how meeting Palestinians who refuse to be enemies or victims reshaped their understanding of peacemaking.  📚 Mentioned resources: They Called Me a Lioness, Where Olive Trees Weep, A Wiser World, and the Ezra Klein Show with Ta-Nehisi Coates.

    41 min

  2. 11/17/2025

    Episode 7- Learning History, Undoing Myths

    In this episode, Erna shares how digging into history after Oct 7 reshaped her evangelical frameworks—and made Palestinian lives, losses, and resistance visible. From the Nakba to the Oslo Accords to the separation wall, we trace the events and ideas that formed today’s reality and ask what faithful ethics require now. Story snapshots Iqrit (Iqrīt): A Christian Palestinian village ordered to evacuate; residents won a court ruling to return—then the army demolished the village on Christmas Eve, 1951. Families still hold weddings and Christmas Mass among the ruins, waiting for a right of return.Key terms Nakba: “Catastrophe”; Palestinian dispossession in 1948.Intifada: “Shaking off” oppression; popular uprisings (late 1980s; early 2000s).Settlements: Israeli civilian communities built in occupied territory.Areas A/B/C: Oslo-era administrative divisions of the West Bank (A = PA civil/security; B = PA civil/Israeli security; C = full Israeli control).Resources mentioned Conquer & Divide (interactive history since 1967) — https://www.btselem.org/mapsUN data on fatalities/injuries (2008–2020) for context on asymmetry Great March of Return (2018) — Learn more about the March of Return ✉️ Questions for our upcoming Ask Us Anything: rethinkingpalestine@gmail.com 📸 DM us on Instagram: @RethinkingPalestine

    1h 7m

  3. 11/10/2025

    Episode 6- Didn't God Give the Land to the Jews?

    Episode 6 · “Didn’t God Give the Land to the Jews?” For many Christians shaped by American evangelicalism, the phrase “God gave the land to the Jews” feels like a complete thought. In this episode, Barnabas Lin helps us expand how we think about that statement by asking: Why did God give the land to the Jewish people? From Genesis through the prophets, Barnabas traces how the Old Testament tells a much fuller story—one where the gift of land comes with a vocation: to live justly, care for neighbors, rest the earth, and resist empire. Together with Erna Kim Hackett, he unpacks how partial readings of Scripture, shaped by colonialism, have hidden that bigger picture. Barnabas invites us to see the entire witness of the Old Testament and the lessons it is trying to teach us and the invitation to live in right relationship—with God, one another, and the land itself. 📖 Key texts: Genesis 12 & 15 · Deuteronomy 26 & 28 · Leviticus 25 · Isaiah 2 & 11 · Luke 24  💌 Send questions for our upcoming Ask Us Anything episode: rethinkingpalestine@gmail.com 📱 Follow us on Instagram: @rethinkingpalestine

    1h 3m

  4. 11/03/2025

    Episode 5- Why Is It So Hard to Learn About What is Happening?

    In this candid conversation, hosts Erna Kim Hackett and Barnabas Lin unpack the blocks that Erna encountered while trying to understand Gaza and the broader Israel/Palestine context after October 7. Together they trace how biases, limited U.S. frameworks, and deeply embedded evangelical formation can hinder our learning. Erna names the specific narratives she had to push through—about the Middle East being too complex, about who is marginalized, and about biblical claims to land—while Barnabas offers tools for lowering “learning anxiety,” holding grief without dehumanizing anyone, and moving toward peacemaking. This is the first of three “pick-your-own-adventure” episodes: today’s on blocks, next on biblical frameworks, and then on history. What We CoverWhy learning stalls: “It’s too complicated,” Islamophobia, and fatalism about the Middle EastWhen U.S. frameworks don’t fit: Power analysis, marginalization, and why Gaza didn’t match Erna’s default lensesReframing the players: Distinguishing Jewish identity, Israeli state policy, and Palestinian experienceHistory that shifted things: Nakba (1948), Right of Return, and Israel’s Law of Return (1950)Indigeneity & settler-colonial language: What fits, what doesn’t, and why weaponizing indigeneity isn’t IndigenousChristian formation blocks: “God gave the land,” how Joshua is used, and evangelical tolerance for violenceLearning vs. survival anxiety: Creating space to learn without abandoning urgency or people’s safetyGlobal church perspective: Meeting historic Christian traditions in Jerusalem and decentering a “cowboy” evangelical lensOwning responsibility: How evangelicals can steward their influence toward justice for Palestinians and IsraelisKey Terms & Ideas Nakba (The Catastrophe) — 1948 displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.Right of Return — The international-law principle that displaced people can return to their homes.Law of Return (Israel, 1950) — Grants Jewish people (and certain family members) the right to immigrate and obtain citizenship in Israel.Christian Zionism — A theological/political movement that ties biblical promises to modern state policy; often shapes U.S. evangelical views.Learning Anxiety vs. Survival Anxiety — Change theory lenses: we change when survival pressure outweighs the fear/vulnerability of learning.Stay ConnectedAsk Us Anything: Send questions for our upcoming AMA: rethinkingpalestine@gmail.comInstagram: @RethinkingPalestineInterest List for Future Witnessing Trips: rethinkingpalestine.comShare the Episode: If you have a friend who’s new to conversations about the West Bank and Gaza, pass this along.

    1h 20m

  5. 10/27/2025

    Episode 4- Witnessing Trip to the West Bank Part 2

    Erna Kim Hackett and Barnabas Lin continue sharing what they witnessed in the West Bank (March 2025) with the Palestinian-led organization Sabeel. In Ramallah, they meet a multi-generational family of resisters—including Ahed—whose accounts of imprisonment, administrative detention, and psychological warfare confront the hosts with challenging moral clarity about colonialism, complicity, and courage. They also experience spaces of life and joy: a youth circus school, a park full of picnicking families, and a dance studio where Dabke becomes cultural memory and resistance. The episode contrasts West Jerusalem’s ease with the walled-in reality of Bethlehem—checkpoints, permits, separate roads—and reflects on a faith that refuses dehumanization while insisting on truth, perseverance, and the everyday work of building beauty. Send questions for our upcoming Ask Us Anything episode to: rethinkingpalestine@gmail.com Organizations that were mentioned Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center — Hosted the witnessing trip; FOSNA (Friends of Sabeel North America) helps connect and coordinate groups from North America.Palestinian Circus School — Trauma-informed arts and play for youth; cultivating confidence, community, and healing.Dar al-Kalima University (Bethlehem) — Led by Rev. Mitri Raheb; arts/formation programs that teach building beauty amid rubble.Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church, Bethlehem / Rev. Munther Isaac — Pastoral witness and public theology (“Christ in the Rubble”).Resources mentioned They Called Me a Lioness: A Palestinian Girl’s Fight for Freedom — Memoir connected to Ahed’s story.Where Olive Trees Weep — Documentary offering first-person stories that mirror much of what the hosts witnessed.Join the list for potential future witnessing trips: rethinkingpalestine.com Share this episode with a friend who’s new to the West Bank conversation.

    1h 2m

  6. 10/20/2025

    Episode 3- Witnessing Trip to the West Bank- Part 1

    Erna Kim Hackett and Barnabas Lin share what they saw and learned on a March 2025 witnessing trip to the West Bank with  Palestinian-led organization Sabeel. They trace how personal encounters—an educator who helped end child marriage in her village, a  family farm near Bethlehem, international accompanier teams, and advocates for children—reshaped their assumptions about safety, “holy land” tourism. The hosts share their experience of learning about how everyday systems—water, roads, permits, and IDs—shape life for Palestinians in the West Bank. A faith-rooted conversation about grief, perseverance, and telling the truth without dehumanizing anyone. Send questions for our upcoming Ask Us Anything Episode to: rethinkingpalestine@gmail.com Organizations that were mentioned An article that interviews Nawal ( Noel) and her husband Eid and give more history about Nabi Samuel. Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center- The organization that hosted our witnessing Trip. And FOSNA, which stands for Friends of Sabeel North America, which does work to amplify and bridge North Americans to Sabeel's work. They help coordinate trips from the North America side to lessen the load on Palestinian folks. Tent of Nations where we met with Daud ( David)World Council of Churches / EAPPI - they facilitate the international accompaniersWar Child - impact of conflict on children Join the list for potential future witnessing trips: rethinkingpalestine.com Share this episode with a friend who’s new to the West Bank conversation

    56 min

  7. 10/14/2025

    Episode 2- Barnabas's Story

    In this episode, Barnabas shares his story of encounter, unlearning, and renewal—how friendship with Jewish and Palestinian folks, led to a fellowship at Auschwitz the summer of 2024, and a witnessing trip to the West Bank in the Spring of 2025.  His honesty gives us permission to take responsibility for the ways Christians have caused both Jewish and Palestinian suffering. Rather than offering answers, this conversation invites us into patience and repair—sitting with hard history, unlearning anti-Jewish readings, and recovering a faith concerned with land, justice, and right relationship. It’s an invitation to let Scripture expand our moral imagination, not shrink it. Episode reflection guide coming soon.  We will have an Ask Us Anything episode—send your questions to rethinkingpalestine@gmail.com 🔗 Connect Learn more at www.rethinkingpalestine.com Follow on Instagram: @rethinking_palestine Meet Your Hosts Erna Kim Hackett is a preacher, leader, and founder of Liberated Together, with over 20 years of ministry experience helping Christians pursue spiritual depth and justice. Barnabas Lin is a minister and theologian completing his PhD in Theological Ethics, passionate about helping Christians reimagine faith as a force for healing and peace.

    1h 2m

  8. 10/06/2025

    Episode 1- Erna's Story

    In this first episode, Erna shares her story of confusion, defensiveness, and awakening—how she came to see that her beliefs about Israel and Palestine were shaped by assumptions she had never thought to question. Her honesty opens space for all of us to name our own uncertainty and begin untangling what we’ve been taught from what is true. Rather than offering answers, this episode invites listeners into learning, tension, and humility—exploring what happens when our theology collides with our sense of justice, and how that collision can be a catalyst for growth. You can find a reflection guide for this episode on the website HERE. Resources:  - Learn about the Nakba through this article from Jewish Voices for Peace -Get the reflection and discussion guide for this episode HERE.  🔗 Connect Learn more at www.rethinkingpalestine.com Follow on Instagram: @rethinking_palestine We will have an Ask Us Anything Episode- you can email your questions to rethinkingpalestine@gmail.com Meet Your Hosts Erna Kim Hackett is a preacher, leader, and founder of Liberated Together, with over 20 years of ministry experience helping Christians pursue spiritual depth and justice.  Barnabas Lin is a minister and theologian completing his PhD in Theological Ethics, passionate about helping Christians reimagine faith as a force for healing and peace.

    48 min

  9. 09/25/2025

    Introducing- Rethinking Israel, Palestine, and the Faith That Formed Us

    In this episode you will meet cohosts Erna Kim Hackett and Barnabas Lin.  In this episode, you’ll meet co-hosts Erna Kim Hackett and Barnabas Lin as they introduce themselves, explain who this series is for, and preview the topics covered in future episodes. From personal stories to theology, history, and on-the-ground experiences, this episode sets the stage for rethinking Israel, Palestine, and the faith that shaped us. Follow us on Instagram @rethinking_palestine Visit www.rethinkingpalestine.com Email us at RethinkingPalestine@gmail.com

    9 min
  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Rethinking Israel, Palestine, and the Faith That Formed Us invites evangelicals and those shaped by evangelicalism to wrestle honestly with Scripture, history, and justice. Through story, friendship, and witness, we explore how our faith traditions have shaped us—and how reimagining them can move us toward peace and dignity. 

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