Education

DOCUMENTARIES

Promises (2001) —  follows the journey of one of the filmmakers, Israeli-American B.Z. Goldberg. B.Z. travels to a Palestinian refugee camp and to an Israeli settlement in the West Bank, and to the more familiar neighborhoods of Jerusalem where he meets seven Palestinian and Israeli children. Though the children live only 20 minutes apart, they exist in completely separate worlds; the physical, historical and emotional obstacles between them run deep.

Promises explores the nature of these boundaries and tells the story of a few children who dared to cross the lines to meet their neighbors. Rather than focusing on political events, the seven children featured in Promises offer a refreshing, human and sometimes humorous portrait of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

BOOKS ABOUT THE HOLY LAND AND PILGRIMAGE

Click here to learn more about the Palestine of Jesus course and to see a bibliography for the course.

Walking the Bible: A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses, Bruce Feiler — Feiler is a fifth-generation American Jew from the south who initially felt no connection to the Holy Land. His journey of faith includes spiritual, archeological, Scriptural, and occasionally political reflections.

Where Jesus Walked: A Spiritual Journey Through the Holy Land, R. Wayne Stacey — Each chapter introduces the reader to a prominent place in Jesus’ life– its architecture, geography, history, and archeology. It includes a new translation of a Scriptural passage relevant to the place and a brief meditation. It is a great companion to bring on a pilgrimage.

The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker’s Guide to Making Travel Sacred, Phil Cousineau — Cousineau offers thoughtful and practical suggestions for traveling prayerfully.

A New Testament Guide to the Holy Land, John Kilgallen — For both pilgrims and armchair travelers, this title is a unique introduction to the holy sites of Israel and explains both the physical and spiritual aspects of these areas. Fr. Kilgallen describes each site’s geographical and archaeological importance and then cites Gospel passages that reveal the area’s significance in Jesus’ life. 29 photos & maps.

BOOKS ON RECONCILIATION AND THE CONFLICT

No Future Without Forgiveness, Desmond Tutu– Bishop Tutu presents a spirituality of reconciliation and his reflections on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Justice and Only Justice, Naim Ateek– Ateek is the director of Sabeel, a Christian Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem. Ateek uses Scripture and his family story to articulate a Palestinian liberation theology. It is an incredibly thoughtful reading of the Bible from a Palestinian Christian perspective.

How Long O Lord?: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Voices from the Ground and Visions for the Future, ed. Maurine Tobin– This book contains outstanding essays from a variety of people engaged in peacemaking in Israel/ Palestine. It is published by Cowley, the publishing house formerly run by the Society for St. John the Evangelist (SSJE).

Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land, David Shipler– This is a slightly older book, but it gives a solid account of the cultural differences and racial stereotypes that contribute to the conflict. It won a Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1987.

Understanding the Palestinian/ Israeli Conflict: A Primer, Phyllis Bennis– Exactly what it says: a short, concise primer about the core issues of the conflict– easy-to-read and straightforward.

The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East, Sandy Tolan– Tolan personalizes the conflict by tracing the intersecting narratives of a Palestinian refugee and a Jewish settler who at different times lived in the same house.

LOCAL CONTACTS IN THE DIOCESE

The following people are available to answer any questions about how to get involved with the project:

The Rev. Abbott Bailey, St. Andrew’s, Richmond. 804.648.7980  abailey@standrewsec.org

The Rev. Megan Hollaway, Grace Church, Kilmarnock. 804.435.1285  grace.assist@verizon.net

The Rev. Whitney Zimmerman, St. James’s, Richmond. 804.355.1779  whitneyzimmerman@doers.org

Buck Blanchard, Mayo House. 1.800.DIOCESE  bblanchard@thediocese.net