With battles raging in Syria, the Arab Spring is no longer the popular hopeful movement it was a year ago. Just as the popular protests for human rights were spreading from Tunisia to Egypt and across the Middle East last year, I visited a Christian family in the West Bank. Their work illustrates why the presence of Christians is so needed throughout the Middle East even as political winds add uncertainty to the ability of this minority group to thrive. Christians, with their ancient roots in the region, provide a unique and essential message of peace and freedom.
While in Bethlehem, I visited the ancestral farm of Daoud Nassar. The land was rich with strands of fruit trees: olive, fig, apple. The family cultivated grapes, almonds, and pine trees. "The land is part of our life," says Nassar, "it's in our blood."
Pressure is intense for the Nassar family and other Christian families in Bethlehem to emigrate to the United States. Israeli restrictions on their land prevent the family from improving it, and they have had to fight in court just to maintain ownership.
"We have no water, no electricity, and no licenses to build," Daoud's brother says. Yet they hold on to hope. "My children will help and hopefully will keep working and taking care of the land." One of Daoud's children replies, "If we knew that the world would end tomorrow, we would go and plant trees."
The Nassar family is committed to staying here--even as many Christians flee--because they feel called to a peacemaking mission. The Christian population in the Middle East, which had been as high as a quarter of the population in the early 20th century is now less than five percent. But the Nassars and other families have a mission to stay, and they formed a ministry, Tent of Nations, that reflects what Daoud's father taught the family, "to live a Christian life and to try to build relationships with others through peace and non-violence." While at odds with Israeli rule and a religious minority among their fellow Arabs, Daoud says, "We refuse to be enemies."
Just a year ago, Christians and Muslims in Egypt prayed and protested side by side for the rights of all Egyptians. Paul-Gordon Chandler, rector of St. John's Church in Cairo, told Prism magazine about a Christian service during the Tahrir Square protests. "Even members of the conservative Muslim Brotherhood assisted as they protected the entrances of the square. The Christian leaders conducting the service called on all to pray together and to love each other. These proclamations led the Muslim protestors present to chant Id Wahda, meaning 'One Hand,' which emphasized the unity between Muslims and Christians."
Feelings of unity between Christians and Muslims have a deep if also spotty history throughout the Middle East. Yet, since the heady days in Tahrir Square, attacks on churches and Christians have threatened to undo the unity rediscovered between Christians and Muslims during the protests. In Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya, Islamist parties have gained power and representation, causing uncertainty.
Last year's Arab Spring offered hope that Christians in the Middle East would be able to play a vital role as citizens and to enjoy the full recognition of their rights. The degree to which those demonstrations were a success will be seen in how Christians are treated by the new governments who are now coming into power in Egypt and elsewhere in the region.
But Christians serve as more than a canary in the coal mine. The Christian community plays a small but critical role in the Middle East. Their message of peace and nonviolence, love and not merely tolerance is essential in this volatile region.
The Muslim Palestinian philosopher Sari Nusseibeh, who is president of Al-Quds University in Jerusalem, has said that only Jesus Christ--who Muslims regard as a prophet--offers the message that is most needed here. On the NPR program, On Being, he said, Christ's message is "extremely important, very significant, very important for us as Muslims and Jews in this part of the world ... it's the only pure message of peace that exists for us."
Christians in the United States often see this region through the lens of biblical prophecy or national security interests. We would do well to recognize that it was the baby who was born in this region, heralded with shouts of "Peace on Earth," who offers hope for reconciliation. It is those who follow him, dwindling in number and at risk of being marginalized in the change sweeping the region, who offer the message of reconciliation most needed in this tumultuous moment.
Paul Brandeis Raushenbush: Celebrating Gandhi's Birthday by Imagining Nonviolence in the Middle East
Christianity in the Middle East - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Middle East Christians Keep Wary Eye On Arab Spring
Save the Middle East's Christians - By Alain Juppé | Foreign Policy
Look what happened to all Christians in Iran when the Shah lost power and the Islamic Republic took over. They lost their businesses, land and were forced to flee or convert in many cases. At first everything is great, but then Christians lose out. Look at what is going on in Egypt, Iraq, Iran and what will happen in Syria.
Most all of these Christians in the middle east are Orthodox and Eastern Catholic. Lets hope the US and the rest of the world wakes up and sees that without any support Christians will lose by the sword in the middle east.
hariaum
As long as the people there insist on seeing everything threw their "Jewish perspective" or "Christian perspective" or "Muslim perspective," they've already lost any hope of real unity and cooperation.
I'm sure Mr. Stearns means well, but his approach is the PROBLEM, not the solution.
I'd like to nominate this for the category "Most Prejudiced, Egotistical, and Sanctimonious Quote of 2012".
What exactly is "unique" about Christianity's message of peace and freedom? In what specific way is it superior to the messages of peace and freedom contained within Islam and Judaism?
The last thing the Middle East needs is another voice "calling for peace". There are already so many Jews and Muslims calling for peace every day that you can barely hear the gunfire over their voices.
It would be good to see Christians protected in the region, just as it would be good to see everybody in the region protected. But claims of the indispensibility of Christians to the region are more likely to be inflammatory than helpful. The region does not need more tribalism. And false claims about the uniqueness of Christianity in this regard are ultimately an example of tribalism.