Peace Not Walls
A special ELCA campaign calling for efforts toward a viable, contiguous Palestinian state; a secure Israeli state at peace with its Arab neighbors; and a shared Jerusalem with equal access and rights for Jews, Christians, and Muslims
The Peace Not Walls campaign seeks to connect ELCA members to their Lutheran sisters and brothers in Jordan and the Holy Land. Focused on the three "A"s of
Accompaniment, Awareness-building, and
Advocacy, the campaign seeks to implement the
ELCA’s Churchwide Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine , especially by accompanying and listening to our companions there so we can know what we can do together. This is the lens by which we encounter the complexities of this blessed but bruised Holy Land.
Our church’s primary companion within the geographic area of Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories is the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). This Arabic-speaking community of faithful Lutherans in the Holy Land is the primary relationship through which the ELCA sees the situation in Israel and Palestine. Together, our churches are members of the
Lutheran World Federation, a global communion which has a strong
Jerusalem area program that works closely with the ELCJHL.
The relationship between the ELCA and the ELCJHL—and, more importantly, the relationship between the members of these churches—invites us not just to seek the good for Christians alone, but to participate in the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 2:5) as part of God’s mission of restoring community among all people. Our companions in the ELCJHL wouldn’t have it any other way: their educational, cultural, and health ministries are open to all who will participate; their commitment to seeking peace and reconciliation fosters hope for a future shared by all in the region.
World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel
Pray, educate and advocate for justice May 28 through June 3, 2012, in the World Council of Church's World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel.
Click here for resources. This is an initiative of the
Palestine and Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches.
Thank 60 Minutes for its segment on Palestinian Christians
This April 22, 2012, 60 minutes segment on the shrinking Palestinian Christian population - including an interview with the Rev Dr. Mitri Raheb of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem - deserves our thanks. Go to the
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) action alert, “Thank CBS for Telling the Story of Palestinian Christians” to send your comments.
Our Companions
- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL)
The ELCJHL, the world's only Arabic-speaking Lutheran Church, ministers through 6 churches, 5 schools and 3 additional educational programs.
- The Lutheran World Federation's Jerusalem Program
The ELCA and the ELCJHL are members of the Lutheran World Federation, which operates Augusta Victoria Hospital and its village clinics and two vocational training centers. We, plus other international partners, are partnering in the Mt. of Olives Housing Project.
Other Partners
- Churches for Middle East Peace
CMEP works to encourage U.S. policies that actively promote a just, lasting, and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ensuring security, human rights and religious freedom for all the people of the region.
- Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI)
The EAPPI brings internationals to the West Bank to experience life under occupation. Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs) provide protective presence to vulnerable communities, monitor and report human rights abuses and support Palestinians and Israelis working together for peace.
- National Interreligious Leadership Initiative (NILI)
Inspired by the Abrahamic traditions, NILI represents Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders united for the Peace of Jerusalem.