For Church or Nation? Islamism, Secular-Nationalism, and the Transformation of Christian Identities in Palestine

Geometries of ‘global’ evangelicalism

“…Second, since they are only a small percentage of the Christians living among the Muslim Palestinian majority, relations are not always harmonious (Kaartveit 2013), but this is rarely addressed publicly for concern about Israel's 'divide-and-rule' policies. The types of political engagement between these two groups vary, however, with Christians generally supporting nonviolent activism, if any (Lybarger 2007). Third, most Palestinian evangelicals detach themselves from other Christian denominations, for their 'liberation theologies' (Ateek 1989) tend to eschew evangelical priorities such as proselytization.…”

Religious Minorities in the Middle East

“…As large family groups from Hebron and other parts of the West Bank make their presence felt, Muslims of Bethlehem origin 2 sometimes complain that the "Hebronites" have redefijined what it means to be good Muslims in terms of dress codes, family structure and norms of everyday social conduct. Such nuances are often lost on local Christians, who fijind themselves losing their position to a rising Muslim middleclass (Lybarger 2007). In addition to this, the growing strength of Islamic movements and the decline of secular ideologies have served to create an atmosphere where tensions between old Bethlehemites and newcomers from other parts of the West Bank are increasingly described in sectarian rather than regional terms.…”

“…Allegedly funded with money from Saudi banks, families of Hebronorigin have bought a substantial amount of land in Bethlehem and Beit Jala (Lybarger 2007). Such transactions are increasingly seen as indications of territorial aggression against Christian land ownership.…”

“…Reservations about utilizing international connections reflect concerns about the prospects of a Palestinian national project, as well as their own place in it. Historically, Christian leaders, both local Church leaders and political fijigures, have been heavily committed to a secular nationalist vision of a Palestinian community, and many of them have been actively engaged in left-wing political factions such as the PFLP and the DFLP as well as Fatah (Aburish 1993;Lybarger 2007). As they see it, the secular nationalist project depends on a convincing projection of cross-sectarian Palestinian unity, both internally, and in relation to the 118 bård kårtveit international community.…”

“…Writing about political identities among West Bank Palestinians during the Oslo Years, Lybarger identifijies three distinct identity orientations among Christian Palestinians who had their political awakening during the fijirst Intifada. One involves the continued perpetuation of a traditional secular nationalism, one advocates a Christian religio-communal revitalization that mirrors the Islamist revitalization, and one involves an apolitical escape into an otherworldly religious piety (Lybarger 2007). As already mentioned, many prominent Christians still retain a strong commitment to secular nationalism, and their reservations about speaking out on internal diffferences can be seen as a reflection of this.…”