Churches call for
Mideast peaceA former isle minister argues
that extreme religious views
only perpetuate the conflict
A former Hawaii clergyman is among denominational diplomats working in the nation's capital with goals similar to the local interfaith group that urged Gov. Linda Lingle to weigh both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"If we really want to defeat al-Qaida and bin Laden as fanatics, the most promising step would be to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, a festering sore in that part of the world," said the Rev. Canon Brian Grieves, who heads the Peace and Justice Ministries for the Episcopal Church in the United States. "It would begin to sideline al-Qaida."
Grieves has been assigned to the denomination's New York headquarters for 16 years. He visited Oahu this week.
"It seems that those on the fringes are driving events, while most of the people want this settled," said Grieves, who visits Israel and Palestinian territories several times a year.
He and other members of Churches for Middle East Peace seek to "influence policy" by giving their vision of peace and justice in week-by-week lobbying of congressional members and administration officials. They urge that the United States conform with U.N. resolutions that call for a sovereign Palestinian state as well as security for Israel.
The group, representing mainline Protestant churches and the Roman Catholic Church, also tries to counter another faith-based view that the Middle East violence is part of God's plan for the end of the world and the second coming of Jesus Christ.
The views of many Americans about the Middle East are colored by the religious interpretations of "literalists," he said. Muslim terrorists quote selected Quranic verses, and fundamentalist Christians see Middle East conflict as fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
"Yes, the Quran says some terrible things," said Grieves. "So does the Bible. So does the Torah.
"Scriptures need to be taken in the context of a loving God who calls us into reconciliation.
"If it doesn't heal, if it doesn't reconcile, it is not the word of God."
Grieves was one of 600 participants from 32 countries at an April conference at the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem, an educational organization founded by Palestinian Anglican priest Naim Ateek.
Among the speakers was President Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority.
The conference voted to "categorically reject Christian Zionist doctrines as a false teaching that undermines the biblical message of love, mercy and justice."
Grieves said: "Conservative Christians support the state of Israel as setting the stage for Armageddon. Some of these people are in the administration."
In April, President Bush endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to withdraw from Gaza territory but hold onto Jewish settlements on the West Bank. His stand was a departure from the official U.S. position of supporting negotiated settlement. Palestinian objection to the settlements has been a barrier to a peace accord.
"To take that stand ... we lose our integrity as a fair broker of peace," said Grieves. "Christians, Muslims and Jews seem to be the source of problems instead of part of the solutions. It is an embarrassment and a failure of the major religions for not putting this right.
"Our common roots in Abraham and all religions' common desire for a just world is skewered by extreme views in all religions that undermine that. The task is for us to come together."
It is important that groups like the Hawaii Coalition for Peace and Justice join the effort to educate the government. The coalition chided Lingle, whose trip to Israel was paid for by the Israeli government, for not considering that government's actions that have cost Palestinians' lives, land and jobs.
"It will take the collective will. Hopefully, it will come from different sources to have enough of a catalyst impact ... to encourage our government to take steps. Our government is going to have to keep at it and have to be fair," Grieves said.
Grieves went to North Korea earlier this year with a National Council of Churches delegation. Besides meeting with "remnant Christians" there, "We met with government officials to say we, as churches, oppose nuclear weapons anywhere in the world. We urged the North Korean government to use its resources to feed people.
"On our return, we met with a U.S. State Department official to convey that we should not link humanitarian support to North Korean to the nuclear issue. The U.S. has reduced humanitarian aid. That is tragic," said the churchman.
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