Peacemakers in the New Year
In many ways, 2023 was a good year for me.
My co-edited book, Christianity in North America with Drs. Todd Johnson and Ken Ross was released in the summer. It is volume 7 in Edinburgh Companions to Global Christianity and each volume covers a different part of the world. It was tremendous joy to work with Todd and Ken on this volume and I hope that you can all order a copy for your libraries.
I was also able to finish off two forthcoming books, Surviving God co-written with Susan Shaw and When God Became White. They will be coming in March and May of 2024 and are both available for pre-order. If you are interested in becoming an ‘influencer’, for one of both of my books, there are a few spots open so please message me.
12 fantastic guests came on Madang Podcast hosted by the Christian Century to share their new books and their important ongoing work. I enjoyed speaking with each wonderful guest and I learned greatly from them all. It is a joy to do this type of work and to engage with different theologians, leaders and activists. I hope you will get a chance to listen to them all on Madang Podcast.
Furthermore, I was honored to be invited to speak at many seminaries, colleges and events all throughout the year. I enjoyed speaking, book signing and meeting wonderful people at all my speaking engagements. It is a privilege to be invited to many wonderful places and events to speak on my books.
I was thrilled to travel to Korea and Palestine with my daughter who graduated from Cornell in May. I am also delighted that my oldest son started Yale School of Medicine in August. Thus, in many ways, it was a good year.
But with the airstrikes continuing in Gaza with no end in sight, my heart is broken and 2023 ended with heartache and grief. My daughter and I were in Bethlehem just days before the airstrikes where we shared bread, laughed, danced, learned, listened and enjoyed spending time with Palestinian students, professors, ministers and friends. They were some of the kindest, loving, generous and welcoming people I have ever met in my lifetime. I have come to appreciate their history, culture, food and gracious hospitality. I broke my knee cap during my trip, and the kindness and support I received from Palestinians was immense and over the top. Dr. Mitri Raheb who organized the conference made sure that all our needs were met, and his concern and warm-heartedness touched us deeply.
Now 85 days into the bombing, with over 21 000 civilians killed including over 8000 children, over 56 000 wounded and thousands missing, my heart is torn and broken. One of the oldest churches in the world is in Gaza and it was bombed. Our Christian brothers and sisters are being murdered and the Christian population in Gaza may soon vanish. We are all children of God. If we can see the face of God in every person in Gaza, how can the killing continue? We must demand a ceasefire immediately.
God of mercy, help us all to be peacemakers in the New Year.
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1.Please sign this Open Letter written by a small group of grad students and clergy, and share it widely.
2.Read Chris Hedge’s article, “Israel’s Genocide Betrays the Holocaust”.
3.Read Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb’s reflection “Christmas: Then and Now”.