Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre Churches and Christians in the Holy Land Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre

Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre

Churches and Christians in the Holy Land



The Holy Land

Jesus and His Disciples Christ’s followers / Romans Christian Romans 323-614AD Persians 614-628 Byzantines 628-637 Arab/Muslims 637-1092 Arabs/Crusaders 1099-1239 Arabs 1239-1514 Ottomans 1517-1917 British Mandate 1917-1947 UN Partition Plan 1947 Israel 1948 (al Naqba) Occupation 1967 PA in West Bank and Gaza Seperation


Churches of the Holy Land Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem Armenian Patriarchate

Coptic Orthodox Church Syrian Orthodox Church Greek Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarchate Syrian Catholic Church Maronite Archdiocese of Haifa and the Holy Land Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the M.E. Custody of the Holy Land ( Franciscan Order)

The local Churches in the Holy Land belong to 4 Church families: Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic, & Protestant.


Christians Today – Demography In Israel

Areas occupied 1948

150,000 Christians

Among 7 million

Just over 2%

In Palestine

Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem

50,000 Christians

Among 4 million

Below 2%

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

Chistians Moslems Jews

Currently, they Currently, they are between are between 400,000 – 400,000 – 500,000 500,000 scattered scattered throughout the throughout the WorldWorld


The Dwindling Christians…

Of the 750,000 Palestinian refugees who were driven out of their homes in 1948, 50,000 were Christians

Since then, emigration amongst Christians increased substantially

Percentages of Palestinian Christians continued to decrease due to: Occupation and oppression practiced against the Palestinian

population by the Israeli Occupation Deterioration of the economic situation especially after the

closure and separation policy Unemployment and difficulty in attaining jobs High cost of living in Education and Health Limited and unaffordable housing availability in Jerusalem


The youth is the most affected. Population Pyramids of Christian Sample of the West Bank and of Israel Compared to

Population Pyramids of The Two Countries 1. Christian Sample Population Pyramid –

West Bank 2. Palestinian Population Pyramid –

West Bank

-300 -200 -100 0 100 200 300

0-45 - 9'

10 - 14'15 - 1920 - 2425 - 2930 - 3435 - 3940 - 4445 - 4950 - 5455 - 5960 - 6465 - 6970 - 7475 - 7980 - 84

85+

Female Male

-400000

-200000

0 200000 400000

0-45 - 9'

10 - 14'15 - 1920 - 2425 - 2930 - 3435 - 3940 - 4445 - 4950 - 5455 - 5960 - 6465 - 6970 - 74

75-7980+

Female Male

*Source: Christian sample population in late 2005 and early 2006.

*Source: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics 2005


Challenges Need for political settlement : Freedom facing oppression and

Economy facing separation and closures drive Palestinian Christians out of this country.

Effective cooperation; networking is encouraged on all levels within the Churches. Uniting the voices against the occupation and Israeli policies and need for law and order within Palestinian territories..

The Need to support the three vital sectors. Health: General and specialized support for the Health service

institutions where services are given to all Palestinians. indicators shows that West Bankers spend 25% of their income on health care and 75% of them have no adequate health insurance.

Housing: A real challenge East Jerusalem. Very limited options and resources to stay in the city where Israeli policies limit construction

Education: In pursuit for higher education we risk loosing Palestinian Christians then turning into emigrants. On lower education levels support for tuition fees and Schools infrastructure will ensure better education and keeping Palestinians Christians within the Christians schools.


Other HOT issues Residency rights of the Palestinian Christians in Jerusalem

are threatened today through the Israeli policies in confiscating ID cards from those who have residency right somewhere else besides the house demolition orders against at least 20 families.

Freedom of movement of Clergy and the faithful between the West bank and East Jerusalem , Reentry and entry issues limit the work of the Church and are against UN recognized human rights

Formalizing property and land registration in the Bethlehem area will lower the level of friction that frequently arouse when crimes in this level happen


Alarming Jerusalem Scenario?Current Jerusalem Christian Population: 10,000

Directly affected by Israeli Policies Family re-unification pending cases estimated at 300 families

(900)

National Insurance cases against Christians in Jerusalem are 1200. 50% of which may loose residency rights for their family to be in Jerusalem

(1800)

Isolation policy behind the apartheid Wall, and residency rights risks from being abroad will cause a loss of 100,000 residency rights. 1.4% of them are Christians

(1,400)

Children without ID cards in Jerusalem. Assuming 1.4% of the 10,000 are Christians

(140)

House demolition cases of 20 families (60) Indirect causes

Emigration rates of Palestinian Christians in Israel and Palestine was estimated at 4.5%

(450)

Balance of Jerusalem Christians in 7 years 5,250


How to cope?Local Churches in Diakonia The Local Churches ( on Social services) Managing more than 65 schools with 23679 students Running more than 5 hospitals and tens of clinics Constructed over 1000 housing units in the past 10 years Accommodating up-to 30% of the Christian working force

(5% in Palestinian Educational system) Supervising tens of organizations:

1. Charitable organizations2. Social service organizations3. Clubs and youth movements

But… The need is still great and the challenges are mounting


Ecumenical Local Churches role

(on Advocacy) Unified positions since 1989

1. On Jerusalem 1994, 2006

2. On movement restrictions

3. On the separation Wall and closures

4. On the security of Israelis and Palestinians Press releases Joint studies : ( e.g. Christian schools / Health services ,

Residency rights and needs assessments) Participation and mediation in the Council of Religious

Institutions of the Holy Land


With WCC and MeccLOCALY BASED Ecumenical Accompaniment program for the Palestinians and

Israelis (EAPPI)

Inter-Church Center ( JIC) based on information and cooperation in association with MECC

INTERNATIONAL Established the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF)

International Church Action for Peace in Palestine and Israel (ICAPPI – now WWPPI)


JIC’s mandate

Provide timely and regular information, analysis and reports to the ecumenical community;

Liaise with the local Churches and with MECC and WCC. Facilitate intensive exposure tours and seminars for

international, high-level government, church and media visitors assuring hosting and contact with the local churches and communities.

Strengthen local church capacity for diaconal work in association with WCC Middle East desk and MECC.

Strengthen local ecumenical and interfaith relations. Host EAPPI as a much-needed local-global accompaniment

program.


EAPPI Objectives

Participate in the daily life and work of Palestinian and Israeli civil society, Churches and Christian communities.

Be visibly present in vulnerable communities, locations or events, e.g. near Israeli settlements and the wall/fence, schools and homes, fields & orchards.

Actively listen to local people's experiences and give voice to peoples' daily suffering

Monitor the conduct of Israeli soldiers Engage in non-violent ways with perpetrators of human rights abuses. Produce testimonies and analysis. Report on violations of human rights. Engage with the media locally, nationally and internationally. Be part of international advocacy and networking activities that highlight

the human rights situation in Palestine.


World Week of Prayer in P/I

During one week churches in different countries send a clear signal to policy-makers, interested publics and their own parishes about the urgent need for a peace settlement that secures the legitimate rights and future of both peoples.

The action week organizers are asking all participants to : Pray with churches living under occupation, using a special

prayer from Jerusalem Educate about actions that make for peace and about facts on

the ground that do not Advocate with political leaders using ecumenical policies that

promote peace with justice Public Action - in order to stress the depth of church concern.


Amman call : Inter-Church commitment (PIEF)

Peace building will include the following: 1. Furthering theological and biblical perspectives and Christian education resources around those issues central to the conflict. 2. Developing strategies that will support the processes of justice and reconciliation, including inter-religious dialogue and cooperation. 3. Strengthening the churches' responses to the occupation. 4. Recognizing, encouraging and cooperating with all efforts of Israeli and Palestinian civil society that are in accord with the vision and goals of the PIEF.

Peace making will include the following: 1. Defining and promoting measures, including economic ones, that could help end the occupation and enhance sustainable growth and development. 2. Strengthening local churches and church related organizations not only to survive, and to be witnesses of hope. 3. Advocacy strategy in order to mobilize all of Church constituencies and influence change.


Christian Related Organizations-CROs

The CROs network in Jerusalem was formed in 2002 aiming to unify the Palestinian Christian voice. Due to movement restrictions it was only a Jerusalem CROs network at the beginning – with 12 member organizations

In 2004, the Network of Christian Organizations in Bethlehem (NCOB) was formed and now embraces more than 26 member organizations

The National Coalition of Christian Organizations in Palestine

(NCCOP)


Christian Organizations…

Accomplishments of CROs networks: Producing the VOX newsletter (Jerusalem) Issuing Position and Action statements Organizing Church services for special occasions Developing contacts with global ecumenical and social

movements and Churches Participating in events and meetings of the MECC, WCC

and World Social forums And…. Tens of organizations initiatives and programs

targeted at embracing the Christian Youth and advocating Just Peace.


Strategies

Unity: NCCOP and Heads of Churches Advocacy: United voice and International

Church support ( KAIROS PALESTINE) Social opportunities; Education, housing, and

health sectors support Economic opportunities: partnerships and

Pilgrimages.


Thank You!


Documents

Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre Churches and Christians in the Holy Land Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre