Like the wise men, we are often attracted to political power and religious symbolism. We often expect that what God is doing in history will unfold in the popular political and religious power struggles, in the palaces and strongholds

Conference In Greece sponsored by the Lausanne Initiative for Reconciliation in Israel/Palestine brings hope.

"Christian schools and religious education in Israel" Symposium was held in Jerusalem. The symposium was organized by the Center for Jewish-Christian relations together with the Jerusalem Institute for Political Research.

The Palestinians situation gives no grounds for any optimism whatsoever: They are physically fragmented, occupied, exiled, and powerless. In fact the balance of power at every level: military, economic, scientific, and technological is totally lopsided against them... Their “friends” in the Arab world are worse than their enemies; their leadership is pathetic, if not outright collaborationist; Israel effectively carries out its oppressive policies with full impunity, and the support of the world’s only superpower which promises to punish those who attempt to support them in any meaningful way.
Are there any signs of hope for Palestinians? I believe there are such signs..

This past Wednesday, I heard the voices of thousands of Israeli and Palestinian Muslim, Jewish and Christian mothers crying out for a better future, for another way, for an end to violence, bloodshed, and terror. We raised our voices in Arabic, Hebrew and English singing....

I pray that I will discover my own sins on this day and will seek to forgive and bless all of my neighbors. I also pray that my Jewish neighbors will seek true forgiveness that is much more than just ritual celebrations.

This is a personal story of discrimination we faced trying to get a residency ID issued for our daughte

I found the contradictions of these two airports very symbolic. In Israel, rule enforcement levels vary depending on the citizen’s ethnicity, and when it comes to security the rules are clear. Anyone who isn’t Jewish should be questioned, and Palestinians are an enemy so they are guilty until proven innocent. And if you are Jewish, then you get VIP treatment, even if you are breaking the rules. Perhaps Jews get used to VIP treatment in Israel.

When I focus my theology on being “chosen” rather than on loving God with all of my heart and loving others like myself, it becomes self-serving or idolatry; when the focus becomes who is “in” and who is “out” rather than being like Jesus, the Good News becomes the same old news of the world.

In a historical move-the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention handles the deed for Nazareth Baptist School facilities to the local Nazareth Baptist School Organization