The Old City of Jerusalem, seen through razor wire, illustrating the Holy Land's history of division and conflict. Photo: Ryan Rodrick Beiler
A document to help Anglicans around the world to engage more deeply with and become more informed about the issues surrounding the situation in the Holy Land, is online and will soon be available to buy as a book.
Land of Promise? An Anglican exploration of Christian attitudes to the Holy Land was officially launched by the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, the Archbishop of Dublin and chairperson of the Anglican Communion’s Network for Interfaith Concerns (NIFCON) in the Church of Ireland College of Education in Rathmines in November, 2012.
Speaking at the launch, Archbishop Jackson said: “The Holy Land remains both a geographical space and a way of life which matters fervently to millions of people worldwide. Passions run high – and understandably. The Holy Land features large in three World Religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – and is a pivotal point of international interest. The land itself is an inescapable component. The Christian communities of the Holy Land continue unashamedly to be the Body of Christ in their place. They are not curators but show the living reality of the universal church in this unique locality.”
While Christian Zionism remains a focal point of reference, the document explores Zionisms, both Jewish and Christian. It provides definitions of Jewish and Christian Zionism and presents some stories of the impact upon, and dilemmas faced, by some Anglicans that stem from Christian attitudes to the Holy Land. It also explores how relationships in Israel/Palestine have had an effect on parts of the Anglican Communion.
The document provides a range of theological resources for Anglicans as well as an exploration of key theological issues such as the Gift of the Land, Exile and Return, and Holy City and Temple to enable the reader to get a sense of the Holy Land and Zion and how both relate to one another.
At its 2012 meeting in November, the Anglican Consultative Council requested that Land of Promise? be made available as a resource for the Provinces to study.
A pdf version of the report is available from the Anglican Communion website and is expected to be available to buy from the online shop by the end of March 2013.