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Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Sabeel’s Naim Ateek receives peace award from Episcopal Peace Fellowship
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 20, 2006
Contacts: The Rev. Canon Richard K. Toll, D.Min.
Chair, Friends of Sabeel—North America
(503) 653-6625 friends@fosna.org
The Rev. Canon Naim Ateek, a Palestinian Anglican priest and the founder and director of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem, was presented with the Episcopal Peace Fellowship’s 2006 John Nevin Sayre Award June 17 at Trinity Church in Columbus, Ohio. The award was in recognition of Ateek’s work among Palestinian Christians, his efforts to engage western churches in the work for justice and peace between Palestinian and Israelis, and most notably his message of nonviolence and reconciliation. Sabeel is a movement of Palestinian Christians working with mainstream churches in North America and Europe to host regional and international conferences, witness trips to the Holy Land, and theological education.
The event was held during the 10-day 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church U.S.A. in Columbus. Ateek’s opening remarks included his thank to The Rt. Rev. Edmond Browning, former presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church U.S.A. and founder of Friends of Sabeel—North America. Ateek said that Browning “saw the injustice and translated it into leadership through Sabeel.”
The Rev. Canon Brian Grieves, director of the Episcopal Church’s Office of Peace and Justice Ministries, introduced Naim Ateek and his “non-violence ministry in the pursuit of peace and justice.” Grieves, commenting on “slander and demonizing” tactics against Ateek by pro-Israeli occupation groups, said that EPF’s award serves as “a rebuke to those voices who would silence Naim’s own strong voice as a Palestinian and a Christian living under occupation.”
In his keynote address Ateek reflected on the Sermon on the Mount and the special blessing given to Christian peacemakers. He noted the award as a “wonderful burden” which “helps you to keep going” while also asking more of you. “It means “more accountability before God for the purposes of peacemaking,” he said.
In a reference to media attacks against him personally and the Episcopal Peace Fellowship by groups participating in the Episcopal Convention who support Israel’s military occupation, Ateek thanked those “who have the courage to speak the truth” and offered his four essential commitments necessary for performing the ministry of peacemaking. He noted “nonviolence as the first and only option, the strategy, and the key to resisting evil.” The second essential he said is “a commitment to truth, because of the power of truth and love; the third essential, said Ateek, is a commitment to international law, noting the failure of Israel and the U.S. to hold up existing resolutions of the international community which condemn Israeli military occupation and the ruling of the International Court of Justice condemning Israel’s separation barrier inside Palestinian territory. And the final essential commitment, he said, is an “inclusive theology” which includes “the love of enemies.”
The EPF statement of award noted, “Canon Naim Ateek’s voice is heard around the world as a strong voice of faith and nonviolence. His message of nonviolence states, ‘as a Christian, I know that the way of Christ is the way of nonviolence and, therefore, I condemn all forms of violence and terrorism whether coming from the government (of Israel) or from militant (Palestinian) groups.’”
Ateek is the author of Justice and Only Justice: a Palestinian Theology of Liberation and editor and contributor of Challenging Christian Zionism: Theology, Politics, and the Israel-Palestine Conflict, a compilation of papers from Sabeel’s international conference in Jerusalem in April 2004. Ateek also publishes a quarterly theological journal, Cornerstone, circulated in many countries.
Sabeel’s 6th international conference will be held in Jerusalem November 2-9 and will focus on the life and witness of Palestinian Christians.
*****
About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.
The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.
Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.
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June 20, 2006
Contacts: The Rev. Canon Richard K. Toll, D.Min.
Chair, Friends of Sabeel—North America
(503) 653-6625 friends@fosna.org
The Rev. Canon Naim Ateek, a Palestinian Anglican priest and the founder and director of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem, was presented with the Episcopal Peace Fellowship’s 2006 John Nevin Sayre Award June 17 at Trinity Church in Columbus, Ohio. The award was in recognition of Ateek’s work among Palestinian Christians, his efforts to engage western churches in the work for justice and peace between Palestinian and Israelis, and most notably his message of nonviolence and reconciliation. Sabeel is a movement of Palestinian Christians working with mainstream churches in North America and Europe to host regional and international conferences, witness trips to the Holy Land, and theological education.
The event was held during the 10-day 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church U.S.A. in Columbus. Ateek’s opening remarks included his thank to The Rt. Rev. Edmond Browning, former presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church U.S.A. and founder of Friends of Sabeel—North America. Ateek said that Browning “saw the injustice and translated it into leadership through Sabeel.”
The Rev. Canon Brian Grieves, director of the Episcopal Church’s Office of Peace and Justice Ministries, introduced Naim Ateek and his “non-violence ministry in the pursuit of peace and justice.” Grieves, commenting on “slander and demonizing” tactics against Ateek by pro-Israeli occupation groups, said that EPF’s award serves as “a rebuke to those voices who would silence Naim’s own strong voice as a Palestinian and a Christian living under occupation.”
In his keynote address Ateek reflected on the Sermon on the Mount and the special blessing given to Christian peacemakers. He noted the award as a “wonderful burden” which “helps you to keep going” while also asking more of you. “It means “more accountability before God for the purposes of peacemaking,” he said.
In a reference to media attacks against him personally and the Episcopal Peace Fellowship by groups participating in the Episcopal Convention who support Israel’s military occupation, Ateek thanked those “who have the courage to speak the truth” and offered his four essential commitments necessary for performing the ministry of peacemaking. He noted “nonviolence as the first and only option, the strategy, and the key to resisting evil.” The second essential he said is “a commitment to truth, because of the power of truth and love; the third essential, said Ateek, is a commitment to international law, noting the failure of Israel and the U.S. to hold up existing resolutions of the international community which condemn Israeli military occupation and the ruling of the International Court of Justice condemning Israel’s separation barrier inside Palestinian territory. And the final essential commitment, he said, is an “inclusive theology” which includes “the love of enemies.”
The EPF statement of award noted, “Canon Naim Ateek’s voice is heard around the world as a strong voice of faith and nonviolence. His message of nonviolence states, ‘as a Christian, I know that the way of Christ is the way of nonviolence and, therefore, I condemn all forms of violence and terrorism whether coming from the government (of Israel) or from militant (Palestinian) groups.’”
Ateek is the author of Justice and Only Justice: a Palestinian Theology of Liberation and editor and contributor of Challenging Christian Zionism: Theology, Politics, and the Israel-Palestine Conflict, a compilation of papers from Sabeel’s international conference in Jerusalem in April 2004. Ateek also publishes a quarterly theological journal, Cornerstone, circulated in many countries.
Sabeel’s 6th international conference will be held in Jerusalem November 2-9 and will focus on the life and witness of Palestinian Christians.
*****
About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.
The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.
Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.
Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777
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About Religion Press Release ServicesReligion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others. The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.
Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.
Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777
