Abstract
This paper explores the identity and likely destiny of the Christians of the Holy Land, showing something of the religious and political turmoil through which they have lived from the beginning to the present time. The first part outlines the geographical and political context in which these Christians now live. Portraying the Christian community as a “minority within a minority” (among Jews and Arabs), it gives a simple overview of their current context in the state of Israel and the Palestinian territories. It covers significant statistics showing their number to be about one per cent of the present population. The central section looks at the thirteen historic Churches in the Holy Land, drawing attention to divisions that occurred in the fifth, eleventh, and sixteenth centuries, as well as to family likenesses. The following three groups emerge from this analysis: the Oriental Orthodox Churches; the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches; and the Protestant and Reformed Churches. The background, characteristics, spirituality, and identity of each of the groups is briefly outlined. The final section examines why Christians are leaving the land where the Christian faith was born, concluding that religious, political, and socio-economic factors all play a part in the “tapestry of turmoil” that has been the Christian experience in the Holy Land over the centuries.
Presenters
Stephen W. NeedAssociate Professor, Theology, University of Notre Dame, London, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Religious Commonalities and Differences
KEYWORDS
CATHOLIC, CHURCHES, DOCTRINE, ISRAEL, LITURGY, ORTHODIOX, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, POLITICS, PROTESTANT
