Israeli prime minister Netanyahu keeps claiming that Israel is a safe-haven for Christians. Is that true? Palestinian Christian theologian and pastor Munther Isaac responds to these claims.Rev. Munther Isaac is the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hope in Ramallah, Palestine. He is also the director of the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice. Check out www.new.bipj.org for more.

PCPSR Survey: Migration of Palestinian Christians: Drivers and Means of Combating it, https://pcpsr.org/en/node/806

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Rev. Munther Isaac is joined by Daniel Bannoura and Tony Deik to discuss a problematic recent article published at The Gospel Coalition. The article titled "Beyond Slogans: A Christian Perspective on Gaza" peddles in distortions and harmful rhetoric that obfuscates the situation in Palestine and the experience of Palestinian Christians. To read the article: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/christian-perspective-gazaIf you enjoy Across the Divide, consider supporting our work on PatreonFollow Across the Divide for more on YouTube⁠⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬⁠⁠⁠

Across the Divide partners with Peace Catalyst International to amplify the pursuit of peace and explore the vital intersection of Christian faith and social justice in Palestine-Israel.

In this episode of the Christ at the checkpoint podcast, Pastor Munther Isaac and Palestinian theologian Tony Deik discuss the controversial interview between Tucker Carlson and US senator Ted Cruz where Cruz argued that Christians are commanded, based on Genesis 12:3, to support and “bless” the political state of Israel. Munther and Tony respond to Cruz’s claims and give a proper explanation of Genesis 12:3, the meaning of blessing, and how it applies to us today.

Tony Deik is a Palestinian biblical scholar and theologian from Bethlehem, Palestine. He is a member of the leadership team of the International Fellowship for Mission as Transformation, lecturer in Biblical Studies at Bethlehem Bible College, and research associate at the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence. Tony’s research interest revolves around the biblical text, its ancient meaning, and its modern relevance especially in contexts of oppression and marginalization.

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In this episode of the Christ at the checkpoint podcast, Rev. Dr. Jack Sara gives a Palestinian evangelical leader responds to statements made by prominent American evangelical leaders and gives a strong rebuke to American Christian Zionism.

Rev. Dr. Jack Sara is the President of Bethlehem Bible College. Born and raised in the Old City of Jerusalem, Jack studied at Bethlehem Bible College after committing his life to Christ and his teachings. He soon became a member and leader in the ministry of the Jerusalem Alliance Church who in turn recognized his gifts and calling and encouraged him to go and study further for the work of the Gospel. Acting upon this directive, Jack went to the Philippines to study at the Alliance Biblical Seminary where he earned his M.Div degree.

He then returned to Jerusalem and began ministering in full-time capacity with his church and teaching part-time at BBC. After serving and leading the church for 13 years as a senior pastor, he and other like-minded leaders, saw the Alliance church become a church planting movement and a catalyst church in reaching out to the Palestinian people and Arabs with the love of Christ through a variety of means. Rev. Jack holds a doctorate degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Missions and Cross-Cultural Studies. Rev. Jack travels around the globe, teaching about Missions and Cross-Cultural work in the Middle East. Dr. Jack also is a consultant for the World Evangelical Alliance for the Middle East & North Africa.

Rev. Jack is an ordained minister with Evangelical Alliance Church in the Holy Land where he still maintains an overseeing role with the leadership of the churches. He has also worked extensively in the areas of peace & reconciliation.

Here are the references to the statements quoted in this episode: 

https://m.jpost.com/christianworld/article-845212

https://www.jns.org/us-christians-reaffirm-israels-right-to-biblical-heartland-ahead-of-trumps-decision-on-annexation/

https://www.foxnews.com/world/leading-evangelicals-push-have-president-trump-recognize-israeli-sovereignty-over-biblical-heartland

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/12/politics/mike-huckabee-palestinian-comments-trump-israel-ambassador?cid=ios_app

https://www.jns.org/in-historic-first-huckabee-prays-in-shiloh-as-part-of-official-visit-to-samaria/

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/gop-rep-tim-walberg-suggests-gaza-handled-nagasaki-hiroshima-rcna145752

https://www.newsweek.com/pro-trump-pastor-hopes-israel-war-sparks-jesus-return-1833972

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In this episode of the Christ at the checkpoint podcast, Xavier Abu Eid discuss explains the Nakba, and its impact on Palestinians Christians past and present. Xavier Abu Eid, Palestinian Christian political analyst and historian.  He is the author of Rooted in Palestine. Palestinian Christians and the Struggle for National Liberation 1917 to 2004. Currently writing his PhD thesis on Palestinianization of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem. Xavier is also a former member of the Palestinian negotiation team. He is a regular at Al-Jazeera English.

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In this episode of the Christ at the checkpoint podcast, Rev. Munther Isaac and Rifat Kassis discuss the story of the Kairos Palestine document, the kairos movement, and theology of Kairos Palestine, and its relevance And importance today after the Gaza genocide.

Rifat Kassis is the General Coordinator of Kairos Palestine and Global Kairos for Justice, being one of its founding members. 

In 1991, he founded the first child rights organisation in Palestine and was the elected President of the International Executive Council of Defence for Children International in Geneva for seven years. For eight years he ran the Palestinian section of DCI and during this period he founded the DCI movement in the Arab World. 

Rifat Kassis has over 35 years of experience working in different countries and different fields. He was Director of YMCA Rehabilitation Program and later Programs director of YMCA. He worked in Kyrgyzstan representing 3 European donor agencies. He initiated YMCA/YWCA Joint Advocacy Initiative. He worked in Geneva at WCC as manager of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel EAPPI. He co-founded international consulting agency “Alternatives” to support global civil society. He was Lutheran World Federation Representative in Jordan, running their program dedicated to Syrian refugees. 

In 1995, he co-founded Alternative Tourism Group (ATG), on justice tourism. Same year, he helped establish ARD/Denal in Chechnya provides rehabilitation services to children. He served as member of Advisory Group to ICCO, Dutch and from 2001 to 2008, he was member of Advisory Group for DanChurch Aid. He was member of World Economic Forum Global Agenda on child welfare from 2008 to 2010.kairospalestine.ps

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In this episode of the Christ at the checkpoint podcast, Rev. Munther Isaac and Dalia Qumsieh discuss the ongoing violations of Palestinian human rights, the current situation in the West Bank, and the impact of the military occupation on Palestinian Christians. They tackle the pressing issue: why are Palestinian Christians leaving the West Bank?

Dalia Qumsieh is a human rights lawyer, specializing in legal human rights advocacy (Palestinian bar, 2013), and the Founder and Director of the Balasan Initiative for Human Rights - Palestine. She is a graduate of Birzeit University School of Law (LL.B), Ramallah- Palestine (2009). She obtained her graduate degree in International Law (2009), and International Administration (2010), from the Law School of the University of Paris 1- Pantheon – Sorbonne, Paris, France. Prior to establishing BIHR, she worked in various Palestinian human rights organizations as senior legal advocacy consultant.

https://balasan.org/

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In this episode of the Christ at the checkpoint podcast, Rev. Munther and Salim Munayer discuss Salim’s latest book Reconciling Justice: Concepts of Justice in the Multi-religious contexts of Palestine/Israel, and the notion of justice and reconciliation in the midst of genocide and ethnic cleansing from a biblical perspective.

Salim Munayer is the founder and president emeritus of Musalaha, a faith-based ministry of Reconciliation. He has spent more than 30 years in active ministry of reconciliation. He is now the Regional Hub Coordinator of the Middle East and North Africa region for the Peace and Reconciliation Network (PRN) of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA).

He is the author of many books and articles on issues related to reconciliation and peacemaking in the Palestinian context. He taught and served for many years as academic dean of Bethlehem Bible College. His latest book is Reconciling Justice: Concepts of Justice in the Multi-religious contexts of Palestine/Israel.

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In the inaugural episode of the "Christ the Checkpoint Podcast", Rev. Munther Isaac sits down with Palestinian theologian Yohanna Katanacho to discuss the biblical Christ-centered understanding of the land. Katanacho emphatically argues that Christ is the center of God's work with humanity, including the land.

Rev. Yohanna Katanacho is a Palestinian Israeli evangelical professor of Biblical Studies and academic dean at Nazareth Evangelical College. He received his Theology M.A. degree at Wheaton College and both M.Div. and Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of, or contributor to, dozens of books in English and Arabic including "The Land of Christ: A Palestinian Cry" and "Praying through the Psalms", and also one of the authors of the Palestinian Kairos Document.

"The Land of Christ" by Yohanna Katanacho: https://www.amazon.com/Land-Christ-Palestinian-Cry/dp/1620326647

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