Across the Divide Across the Divide Podcast
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- Religion & Spirituality
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Across the Divide explores the intersection of the Christian faith and social justice in Palestine-Israel and its relationship to the church in the West. The podcast is hosted and produced by a group of Palestinian and American Christians, and seeks to provide a space for thoughtful and critical conversations that reflect on the situation in Palestine-Israel through the lens of Christian faith, theology, and the Bible.
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16. Disability and the Israeli Occupation: Reflections from an American Christian Living in Palestine
Jen has a conversation with Kevin Vollrath, an American Christian living in Bethlehem. Kevin shares about his experience living in the West Bank for the past three years and how he’s seen violence against Palestinians rise since October 7th, 2023. They also discuss disability in the context of the Israeli occupation, and unpack the acute threats and violence wielded against Palestinians living in refugee camps in the West Bank. Kevin also reflects on how his experiences in Palestine have shaped his faith and the calling he feels to continue living there.
Kevin Vollrath is a PhD Candidate at Princeton Theological Seminary in Religion and Society. His dissertation research focused on experiences of disability under occupation in Bethlehem. Based in Israel/Palestine for the past three years, has also worked in advocacy and education.
Resources
Crowded West Bank refugee camp is the most tear-gassed place in the world, Mondoweiss
The Right to Maim: Debility, Capacity, Disability by Jasbir Puar
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15. Faith and Reconciliation in the Context of Palestine
In this episode, co-host Abeer has a conversation with Courtney Reeve, a Canadian doctoral student at Durham University, UK, currently residing in the Occupied West Bank to conduct her research with Musalaha, a faith-based organization. They explore a range of topics, including Courtney's firsthand experiences during and after October 7th, her deep insights into the trauma faced by Palestinians, and pathways to reconciliation in Palestine rooted in faith and biblical context. They delve into her pivotal research, "Divine Encounters Amidst War and Occupation: An Immersive Theological Ethnography of Reconciliation Practice at Musalaha," and discuss her impactful work with the organization. Additionally, Abeer and Courtney examine the influential role of film and cinema as educational tools about the ongoing situation in Palestine. This episode offers a unique personal perspective that resonates deeply with the challenges and hopes of those on the ground. Don’t miss this compelling and insightful discussion that shines a light on personal stories and professional studies in the quest for understanding and peace.
Courtney Reeve has been living in Bethlehem (Beit Jala and now Beit Sahour) for almost two years. After meeting the founder of faith-based reconciliation organisation, Musalaha, in 2011 and maintaining contact throughout the years, Courtney chose to move to the Occupied West Bank to conduct her doctoral research from Durham University in the United Kingdom. With previous work as an Assistant Pastor at a Toronto-based church, Courtney is interested in the formational of people who choose the work of reconciliation across the fraught context of normalisation and 'over-politicisation.' Courtney is Canadian but has spent many years living abroad including Indonesia, the US, England, and now Palestine. She loves talking theology as much as she loves talking about film and cinema!
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https://musalaha.org/
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14. South African Theology and Palestine
In this episode Daniel has a conversation with Thandi Gamedze, a South African poet and educator. They discuss the Kairos Document, which was released by South African theologians in 1985 in response to the theologies of violence and discrimination by the apartheid state and South African church. They also reflect on the impact of that document and its relationship to the Kairos Palestine document, which was released in 2009. In this episode, Thandi recites some of her beautiful poetry that interweaves biblical language with the demands for justice in South Africa and Palestine. You don’t want to miss this episode!
Thandi Gamedze is a South African educator, a writer, and a poet. She works across churches, universities, and NGOs in South Africa, and is driven by a deep commitment to critique and reimagine a world that is just, nurturing, and kind.
Here are the Kairos document and the Kairos Palestine document. We highly encourage you to read these two important documents.
If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a monthly supporter at: https://ko-fi.com/acrossthedividepodcast
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13. Mennonite Faith and Peace-Making in Palestine: Amy Yoder McGloughlin
In this episode, Daniel has a conversation with Mennonite pastor Amy Yoder McGloughlin. They discuss the history of the Mennonite church, and the role that Mennonite theology plays in shaping her advocacy and peace work in Palestine-Israel.
Amy Yoder McGloughlin is a Mennonite pastor living in Chester County, Pennsylvania, on the traditional lands of the Lenape people. She received her theological training at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, now known as United Lutheran Seminary. Amy has been actively involved in Community Peacemaker Teams in the West Bank since 2013, and with Mennonite Action since it began in November of 2023.
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12. Scripture, the Church, and Palestinian Solidarity: Azmera Hammouri-Davis
In this episode, co-host Jen has a conversation with writer, educator, and activist Azmera Hammouri-Davis. This conversation explores the harms of Christian nationalism and theologies of supremacy, and delves into the scriptures that call us to enact justice and love. Azmera shares about her intersecting identities as a Black Palestinian Christian, poet, and musician, and the ways her faith has shaped her journey of being in solidarity with Palestinians and heeding what Palestinian Christians are calling the Western church to live out.
Azmera Hammouri-Davis, M.T.S is a faith-based writer, poet/MC, educator and independent scholar-practitioner from Kea’au, Hawai’i. She is the proud daughter of a Palestinian-American mother and Black German father and has been teaching and learning the Afro-Brazilian martial art of Capoeira for over fifteen years. She is an organizer with the Black Christians for Palestine Network, is a Samuel Dewitt Proctor Conference MICAH Ministry Fellow, and founder of Transition Turn Up, a coaching & consulting company that helps people expand their capacity to experience love, joy and healing even amidst life's difficult turns. In 2016, she founded Break The Boxes, a popular education organization committed to raising critical consciousness by centering creative expression, and wisdom across faith traditions and generations. She holds a Master of Theological Studies in African/American Religions from Harvard Divinity School and a dual B.A. in Visual & Performing Arts and Social Sciences Psychology from the University of Southern California.
You can learn more about Azmera on her website and follow her on Instagram @azmerarhymes
If you enjoy our podcast, please consider becoming a monthly supporter at: https://ko-fi.com/acrossthedividepodcast
Follow Across the Divide on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acrossthedividepodcast/
Notes
Black Christians for Palestine
Lenten Series with Freedom Church of the Poor
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights
Christianzionism.org
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11. A Jewish Jesuit Priest Reflections on Palestine: Fr. David Neuhaus
In this episode we hear from father David Neuhaus a Jewish-background South African Jesuit priest who is also an Israeli citizen. Fr. Nauhaus shared with us his background of growing up as a Jew in apartheid-era South Africa, and his journey moving to Israel and being transformed by his encounters with both Israelis and Palestinians. This is a very insightful and powerful conversation that you don’t want to miss!
Fr. David Neuhaus, S.J., is a Jesuit priest who teaches Scripture in Israel and Palestine. He has been a long-term member of the Holy Land Catholic Church's Justice and Peace Commission. From 2009 until 2017, he was Patriarchal Vicar for Hebrew-speaking and migrant Catholics in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Born in South Africa of Jewish German parents during the apartheid era, he has lived most of his life in Israel and is an Israeli citizen.
Article:
As war begins again in Holy Land, Jesuit David Neuhaus hopes Christians can be instruments of peace | America Magazine
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Customer Reviews
Incredible knowledge and wisdom!
This is a time that we must be turning to our Palestinian brothers and sisters to lead the way. Even living under occupation they have learned what it means to seek truth and justice the way Jesus did through creative nonviolence. These episodes are full of wisdom and insight: from the truth of the world they live in, to theology, to how we can stand in solidarity today. Listen with open ears.
Brilliant
Unpacking the Palestinian crisis from the perspective of a Christian (Gazan) Palestinian. Yousef AlKhoury is excellent at explaining the context, as well as exposing the pervasive Christian Western theology of Zionism and colonialism that needs to be transformed to reflect the Kingdom values that Jesus taught. His proposal for nonviolent resistance that is not passively silent is something Christians need to embrace and teach. The interviewers are equally brilliant.
Thank you!
What a beautiful, humanizing resource. I can’t wait for more