(RNS) — Lent is a time of reflection for a lot of Christians, and every year a number of devotionals are printed to convey perception and inspiration to the 40 days of contemplation resulting in Easter.
For the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a liberal denomination of shut to three million members, the Lenten choices this yr embrace one specializing in the plight of Palestinians. The devotional, known as “Sumud,” an Arabic phrase which means “steadfastness,” presents church buildings and people a six-week examine with movies and reflections to boost consciousness of and advocacy in opposition to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands and its army rule over Palestinians.
Greater than many different U.S. denominations, the ELCA has spoken boldly on the difficulty of Palestinian inequality and dispossession within the occupied West Financial institution and the Gaza Strip. That’s partially as a result of the denomination companions with six Palestinian Lutheran church buildings that comprise the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. The two,000 members of these church buildings and their leaders have been particularly vocal in opposing Israel’s warfare in Gaza — none extra so than the Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor of Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, who has emerged as one of many main champions for the Palestinian combat for justice and liberation in Gaza and for the three million Palestinians dwelling within the West Financial institution.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas, is one U.S. congregation heeding the decision.
“It simply appeared like if we have been gonna give attention to one thing that was faith-based, that was actually listening to grassroots voices with intentionality throughout this penitential season, we might simply sit with this,” mentioned the Rev. Clint Schnekloth, the pastor.
Over the course of Lent, members of Good Shepherd Lutheran will collect for a parish assembly earlier than providers every Sunday to observe a video and browse a mirrored image about searching for justice for Palestinians.
Schnekloth defined that ELCA Lutherans are in a singular place in relation to Israel and Palestine. “We see the affect on our brothers and sisters who’re Lutheran there, and that may generally persuade individuals who may in any other case be pro-Israel that there’s one other mind-set about this based mostly out of that have.”
The Palestinian combat for freedom is starting to resonate extra broadly. On Sunday (March 2), “No Different Land” gained the Oscar for finest documentary characteristic. The documentary, collectively produced by Israelis and Palestinians, focuses on the Israeli army’s compelled displacement of Palestinians in Masafer Yatta, a gaggle of hamlets within the occupied West Financial institution.
Residents of the West Financial institution refugee camp of Nur Shams, close to Tulkarem, evacuate their houses forward of a bulldozer because the Israeli army continues an operation within the space on Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Picture/Majdi Mohammed, File)
The Palestinian plight has grow to be entrance and heart due to Israel’s 16-month warfare in Gaza following Hamas’ 2023 assault on Israel. The assault has killed greater than 48,000 Palestinians and leveled the oceanfront strip. However Israel has additionally been waging quite a few raids throughout the occupied West Financial institution, accompanied by home demolitions, detentions with out cost and near-daily assaults on Palestinians which have killed almost 900 folks for the reason that begin of the warfare on Gaza in October 2023.
A Gallup ballot performed Feb. 3-16 discovered that lower than half of Individuals specific help for Israel, the bottom proportion in 25 years of Gallup’s annual monitoring of this measure. In accordance with the ballot, 46% of Individuals expressed help for Israel and 33% of U.S. adults now mentioned they sympathize with the Palestinians, up 6 proportion factors from final yr.
The ELCA has lengthy advocated for its sister church buildings within the Center East by way of a program additionally known as Sumud.
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Maddi Froiland, Sumud’s program director, mentioned the ELCA initiative is meant to assist U.S. Lutherans higher perceive what their religion counterparts are experiencing, not the least of which is extinction.
“I believe we’ve had studies of 146 Christians who’ve left since Oct. 7 of two years in the past,” she mentioned. “That is one thing that could be a dire circumstance within the Lutheran expertise and the broader Palestinian Christian expertise.”
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Center East Prepared Bench gathers in Chicago in February, 2025, to debate Sumud and the way the church can mobilize for justice within the Holy Land. (Picture courtesy of ELCA)
The ELCA presents different Lenten devotionals, together with one known as “Dismantle: An Anti-White Supremacy Lenten Devotional.” Like many provided by different Christian communities throughout Lent, the devotionals communicate to a theme of resistance in opposition to oppression and advocacy for the marginalized.
The Sumud Lenten devotional’s first video focuses on Mary, the mom of Jesus, who stays an inspiration for Palestinian Christian ladies in the present day as a sister in sumud, or perseverance. Others give attention to the necessity for Christians to talk the reality and problem society to combat injustice.
Bishop Meghan Johnston Aelabouni of the Rocky Mountain Synod of the ELCA mentioned she was encouraging using the Sumud Lenten devotional.
Aelabouni, who till final yr served as co-pastor for the English-speaking congregation of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem, is especially near the difficulty. She mentioned the Lenten useful resource can present a chance for individuals who haven’t traveled to the area to higher perceive Palestinians’ lived actuality and doubtlessly take steps towards advocacy of justice and peace.
“As faith-based communities, a part of our work is participating in civic life as residents, and it’s also in elevating the deeper questions of humanity, of what does justice appear to be? Why will we consider it’s vital? And sure, why will we consider it’s biblical?” she mentioned. “I believe we want a rise in consciousness that there might be one other method, that there is usually a completely different method.”
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