Prospective on the contribution of the Palestinian Christian community in the educational work.

Preface

The book of the Acts of the Apostles tells us about the life of the CC (Christian community) in Palestine[1]. It has passed through so many events along the centuries but it still exists[2]. In the mean time, other communities locate in other parts of the Middle East, of which the Palestinian community belongs[3]. But for a long time the church of the HL (Holy Land) has lived in shadow, known primarily for its struggle for physical and spiritual survival.

This study gathers and reflects the remarkable importance of the presence and involvements of Christian faith in the land of its birth and at the center of the monotheistic world. I hope that my research will make an important contribution to our knowledge and understanding of the very important role which plays the CC in the HL, and which will break he ground for many other new studies on the topic. The role that has played Palestine in the history is as important as any other country, if it is not little more. The different control throughout the centuries, have left Palestine with mixed people whom the majority were mixed blood, caused by the intermingling between those who live and those who were brought after each change, and settled in the land, both from Christian and Muslims, and Jewish races[4].

For a long time CC has contributed in a continuous and different way to the formation and development of the society in which inserted. The Christians, also in spite being a minority, they are present inside different government organisms, of social structures. Only to reveal a name of one of the members of the Christian communities who has took a very important part in the PNA during the first year of the peace process, Hanna Ashrawi[5] has been Minister of the education in the PNA and with her so many others, Catholics and from other Christian denominations[6].

Today in Palestine, educational problem list again a notable interest both by the PNA and the present Catholic Church there[7]. This last aim to improve the educational level, through the adaptation, even though in critical form, of the traditional forms of education to the actual situation and the so heterogeneous and delicate social, political and cultural context, which is heterogeneous and delicate. I believe that the Christian contribution to the Palestinian society would have notable influences on the realization of every.

The Oriental society is naturally multiethnic and multiconfessional. The awareness that only in the formation is possible to educate to the dialogue and to educate the dialogue, that already exists in the HL because it is matured in a daily cohabitation, it serves as stimulus to the Christian educator as a key of the "Inculturation". Drawn to succeed in transmitting formality and educational formulas that, for a verse, they keep different traditions, and amplify the points that are common.

In the last years the Palestinian society has suffered a radical changes. It has used to face, in every circle, new challenges always required by the historical contingencies, in which a non-indifferent role is taken again by the Israeli occupation. Going in the specific, today the Palestinian Christian, busy in the formation, has the responsibility and the duty to be able to adopt different way of communication to be in listening of the proposals furnished by the other inhabitants the HL: from the Islamic culture and from Jewish side. The role of the educator is manifold, but here synthesized in to educate to the opening and the intercultural dialogue, through a deep mutual knowledge, but I can affirm that it is not an easy role to play.

To this point I think that the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem in his letter "read and live the Bible in the country of the Bible today" gives general forms to the Christians' contribution in the HL, valid for every time:

“Common testimony and dialogue with everybody. Inside the commission of the churches of the Middle East, we are hocked, with all the churches of this region, in a same search of complete unity and common testimony. We dare to hope that these reflections will able you in some measure, to contribute. We also believe that the church of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, through its experience and its reflection, can offer a unique contribution in the context of the churches of the region and in communion with the universal church. The church in Jerusalem will be happy to be listened by the others and to welcome their answers. We hope that our message, over that from the Christian community, can also be welcomed by our Moslem brothers and Jewish as contribution on our behalf to the coexistence and the peace, in the respect of the beliefs of all. We remain open to every dialogue, because the way to be crossed is long and difficult”[8].

With other words the patriarch gives a great appeal to hope in the HL, in which, we have to stay and remain in the heart of this injury that has reached an unbearable level to stay in a conflict that seems without ways of exit. Far from every rhetorical thought, it seems that only through a true social-political commitment is able to help preparing a healthy and ready environment to welcome everyone with his own differences.

It is so important to realize and understand the background of the Palestinian environment as to be able to suggest any kind of hypotheses to become a contribution for the educational sector in the Palestinian territories (PT). I want to be very concrete in my proposal, for I cannot suggest a peace education in the time that people are still suffering from decades of occupations and aggressions. So, it is obvious to suggest such a proposal as a starting point for projecting a new era in the history of education in Palestine.

The first challenge for Christian community (CC) is to base their contribution on the teaching of the church and have certain sensibility and harmony with the messages of the Holy Father who is very much preoccupied about the Christian presence in the HL. In his visit in the jubilee year 2000, the Pope has invited all Christians to discover and to keep their vocation in staying and live the battle to bear the witness in this beloved land. This is a big burden and responsibility but at the same time a great honour for all of the different local churches.

One of the famous writers who is very much interested about the presence of the CC in the Holy Land (HL), Andrea Pacini, writes about this matter in a time that Hamas (the Islamic movement) ask for an Islamic state:

“The Christian churches have also been called on to provide their contribution and make observation on the draft constitution. This attitudes on the part of the bodies in charge of autonomy leads Christians to hope that they will benefit fully from their status of citizens, without being subjected to restrictions by Islamic laws”[9].

The second point actually has to do a lot with the new opportunities which are opening for Christians, I intend from the Muslims brothers who have already shown a big interest and specially in the past years of this presence among them and the importance of the contribution to the Arab world. And so many voices have declared it publicly from a certain social, political, educational levels.

Here I would to like to mention the last letter, which was written by a member of the Royal family in Saudi Arabia, writes about Christians. Arabia-on-line, Wednesday 30, January 2002, and I believe that this is the first time that an Arab leader from a Muslim country writes in this way about the important presence of the Christian community among them:

“The immigration of Arab Christians from the Arab World to the West is a significant setback for the future of Arab society. The Christian presence, as an authentic strength, preserves diversity and helps to maintain a balanced view….…. When we talk about the Christian presence in the Arab World we do so with hopes that they will remain. Arab Christians are among the original structural founders. The continuation of their existence in the Arab world would help to prevent the expansion of racism and extremism, and would thus prevent the kind of violence that leads to historic disasters”[10].

And as we all know that the Saudi Arabia is one of the very important states in the Arab World, so it puts them in a very delicate position of taking the responsibility at the spot. At the same time I am so much wondering about why this kind of declarations from the Muslim didn’t appear just before, at the time when we were yet present strongly in the HL and in the AW. Today we present a very week percentage among Muslims and also referring to the Jewish presence in the ME.

1. Palestine

Palestine is the native land of Christianity. In it, the word of God was incarnated. And in it Jesus Christ was born and lived and preached. In Palestine Jesus has established his first church, which was called mother of all churches[11]. In concrete, in my dissertation, I intend with Palestinian territories the currently territory of the Palestinian National authority[12], and that is the West Bank (territory that belonged formerly to Jordan, on the right shore of the Jordan River) and the GS (Gaza strip)[13]. My study refers to the situation of the Arab Christians present in these territories, and their contribution to the society, especially on the education system.

In the following Chronological paragraphs[14], I am going to highlight the important elements, which I consider important and essential to know, as to be able to realize and being able to see the thread which was present throughout the long history of the HL, which gives the CC the honor of their contribution to the Palestinian society. I want to arrive to the visit of His Holiness John Paul II to the HL. His visit gave to this community a new image of their identity and the importance of their presence. In this century we are in front of a new discovery of this land in a Christian image, not only but a renewal era of the church “going back to origin”[15].

[1] The term Palestine derives from Philistia the name given by the Greek writers to the land of indigenous people who lived since the beginning, this term has been associated by the samaal region that includes the modern Israel and Jordan. This region is also known as the Holy Land for the three monastic religions. During the Ottoman rule this name was adopted for the region mandated to Great Britain, and for long time this term was denoted to a specific region in spite that it does not simply precise boundaries. Generally the word Palestine is been used to define as a region bounded on the east by the Jordan River, on the north by the modern Israel, on the west the Mediterranean (including the coast of Gaza), and on the south the Negev desert (1999-2001 Britannica on line – consulted on Friday 25 May 2001).

[2] S. EID, Cristiani e Musulmani verso il 2000, Paoline, Milano 1995, p. 59.

[3] This CC is part of the Arab culture and language, they are equal in their participation on this heritage. J.P. VALOGNES, Vie et mort des chrétiens d’orient. Des origines à nos jours, Fayard 1994, p.45.

[4] SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES, Report of the commission on the Palestine disturbances of August 1929, London 1930, p.8.

[5] Dr. Hanan Ashrawi was the official Palestinian spokeswomen in the group for the negotiation for many years since the time they began in the fall of 1991, she has grow in a Christian family. Her father who was a successful physician has inspired her. She has started her studies in the American University of Beirut (Lebanon) then got here master degree and a PhD in English literature from Virginia, USA. And for three years she was elected as a minister of the higher education in the national Palestinian Authority (Britannica Book of the year, Chicago 1993. p. 34). And there are still today some Palestinian Christians who are ministers in the national authority or having a very important position. For more information see also. D. TSIMHONI, Christian communities in Jerusalem and the West Bank since 1948. A historical, social and political study, Westport, Connecticut, London 1998, p168.

[6] A. PACINI, Christian communities in the Arab Middle East, the challenge of the future, Clarendon Press, Oxford 1998, p. 279.

[7] THE ASSEMBLEY OF CHRISTIAN LEADERS IN THE HOLY CITY, In the occasion of the great Jubilee 2000, Latin Patriarcate of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 1999, pp.8-9.

[8] M. SABBAH, Leggere e vivere la Bibbia oggi, Paoline, Milano 1994, pp. 28-29.

[9] Cf. A. PACINI, Comunità cristiane nell’islam arabo, La sfida del futuro, Fondazione Giovanni Agnelli, Torino 1996, p.303.

[10] Cf., Prince Talal Ibnu-Abdel-Aziz Al Sa'ud, (member of the Royal family in Saudi Arabia), Arab Christians in the Arab World. Arabia-on-line, (30, January 2002), p.2.

[11] K. FLECKENSTEIN –W. MULLER, Gerusalemme città santa di Ebrei, Cristiani e Musulmani, Città Nuova, Roma 1989, p.89.

[12] The Palestinian National Authority (Al-Solta al-Wataniya Al-Filastiniya) is a political entity, constituted in January 1996 in the occupied territories by Israel (West Bank and Gaza strip), following the accords of peace between Israel and the Palestine liberation organization (PLO). the supreme organism of the Palestinian authority is the commission of Autonomy, composed by 88 chosen members to universal suffrage. Nuova Enciclopedia Universale Rizzoli Larousse, Aggiornamento A-z, Federico Motta Editore, Milano 1999, p.325.

[13] Palestine is a very important key as to understand the Middle East situation for its strategic position and especially for its importance from the religious point of view, it is the Holy Land for the Chrsitians, Jewish and Islamic religions. But its worthy to nominate that the middle east as a cultural and geographical region is situated in southwestern Asia and northeastern Africa. The term refers collectively to the Asian countries of Bahrain, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Israel (and the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, and the African country of Egypt. A broader, more cultural definition might include the Muslim countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Alphabets, law codes, and cities all began in the Middle East, as did the world's three great monotheistic religions, Judaism (13th century BC), Christianity (1st century to 4th century AD) and Islam (7th century AD). Of the three, Islam continues to mark the region most profoundly. More than 90 percent of the people of the Middle East are Muslims. The Middle East is an area of frequent conflict, largely for reasons embedded in its recent past. For example, the conflict between Arabs and Israelis over the land in Palestine (present-day Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories) is more a product of the Jewish Zionist movement and other developments in the 20th century rather than any age-old hostility between Muslims and Jews.

[14] C. BARATTO., Guida di Terra Santa, Marketpress, Milano 1999, pp. 26-29.

[15] A. RICCARDI, Essere cristiani in Medio Oriente, in “LIMES” Israele/Palestina la terra stretta, L’Espresso spa, Vol I, Roma 2001, p.197.