A Report from the 2024 Alliance of Baptists Gathering
This year’s Annual Gathering with the theme of Decolonizing the Great Commission: Reimagining Partnership in Ministry was a wonderful and powerful opportunity to hear from partners around the world. As noted in our program, the Alliance of Baptists has been decolonizing how we bring about God’s justice in the world since our founding. Over time, that has developed into a partnership model built upon Respect, Partner Expertise, Mutuality, Accompaniment, and Solidarity.
Speaker after speaker talked about how the Great Commission for over 522 years has been a violent experience for indigenous people – how the Bible arrived along with the sword. Rev. Dr. Elijah Zehyoue gave an informative historical presentation on how the Great Commission was used by European empires and later the US empire as part of colonization projects around the world.
Speakers talked about how the Great Commission presentation of the gospel denigrated local cultures. That raises a question: How to present a gospel of peace, truth and liberty which is not something oppressive? Speakers encouraged us to talk about justice, respect, and solidarity. Mtra. Rev. Dalia Eunice Juárez Fernández challenged us not to talk about “Latin America” which connects to the colonizers, but to talk about “abya ala,” which in her indigenous culture means “the place where people lived and moved.” Our various partners talked about how they are Christians within the culture and context of their own space.
Our keynote speaker, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, noted that Arab Christians are older than Islam – and not a product of US-Midwest missionaries! Churches of the Middle East are organic and have always adopted the local culture, in contrast to the European church which required creeds and conformity. He pointed out that the words “Great Commission” are not in the Bible, but instead, the great commandment to love was colonized into culturicide, exploitation and death.
Dr. Raheb then explained that Zionism is a hybrid of colonialism and nationalism –the most recent version of Euro-centric colonialism. This settler colonial project has the ultimate aim of replacing the native people. the settler colonial project is supported by hardware, such as US military aid. But it is also supported by software, such as Christian seminaries and churches conflating the current state of Israel with the history of Israel in the Bible. Christian Zionism is the foreign policy of Christian Nationalism. However, it is ironic for Israelis to welcome the support of Christian Zionism, since its ultimate goal is for all Jewish people to come to Israel, for 1/3 to be converted to Christianity and the other 2/3 to die!
In talking about the current state of Palestine he noted that 86% of the land in the West Bank has been taken by Israel – 50% by the Israeli military. In Gaza, 33,000 people have been murdered, 75,000 people injured and 13,000 are still missing – and 70% of those killed and injured are women and children. Dr. Raheb reported the campus of Dar Al-Kalima University in Gaza had been bombed and totally destroyed during Holy Week. The war against the people has destroyed 65% of the homes, 80% of the schools and 90% of the hospitals. People cannot live in such a wasteland, but if they leave, Israel can take over. Thus, he said this current war in Gaza is acting as a magnifying glass on the settler colonial project ongoing over the last 100 years.
Dr. Raheb reminded us that of this settler colonial project has been going on for 100 years, with settlers brought in and local residents forced out Dr. Raheb pointed out that the book of Joshua is a blue print for this project – the empire is happy with the book of Joshua and does not listen to the prophets.
As a modern-day prophet, Dr. Raheb challenged us: How can we be witnesses to the genocide and settler colonialism that is happening today? How can we preach about a crucified Lord but be silent about people dying? The empire doesn’t want us to be a witness – he noted the many ways witnesses have been silenced. Yet he encouraged us to be witnesses, to work against the image of a warrior God.
At our closing worship, Rev. Racquel C.N. Gill spoke to us about the disciples on Easter Evening meeting behind locked doors for fear of the authorities. Speaking to those of us from the US, she noted those people behind the doors were afraid of us – we are the empire. She talked about how Jesus is that door that protects them from predators and is present with them behind locked doors. Jesus was transformed after the crucifixion, and the disciples rejoiced when they recognized him. She challenged us to always be ready to receive transformation with joy! Dr. Gill said God can break chains of conquest and control – but we must be the ones to remove those broken chains. And then she talked at length about how important it is to breathe in the breath of God. It is always present – but we must be attentive to that breath in our work for justice, in our work removing chains and in our joy at transformation.
For our Community for Justice in Palestine & Israel, the workshops we led were very encouraging. Many people came with good questions about how to lead a discernment process for their congregations to adopt the Apartheid Free Faith Community Pledge. We are encouraged to have Alliance members joining in this effort for justice and peace in Palestine. In the midst of the horrible news from Gaza as well as grim news from Palestinian communities in the West Bank, it is good to see Alliance of Baptists joining together to lift our voices against injustice, death, and destruction.
It was a full and enriching weekend – I feel so convicted to continue to work inside this empire in partnership, accompaniment, and solidarity with dear friends from around the world for justice, peace and to bring about the kin-dom of God!
- Carol Blythe
