Sani-Ibrahim Azar, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, and Susan C. Johnson, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) have released a statement on a visit of solidarity to the Holy Land. “Over the past week we have engaged in a solidarity visit with the people and ministries of the [ELCJHL], concluding with Palm Sunday celebrations,” the statement read, in part. “We have experienced the strength of the Lutheran Christian community, which serves the people through worship, diakonia, education, health care, environmental stewardship and gender justice.”
The statement continued: “At the same time, we have experienced how the church’s witness in this place, continuous since the time of Christ, is under existential threat. Though many of us have visited before, we have never seen the Holy Land at such a critical point. For Palestinians, movement is restricted, violence is increasing and hope is dimmed. Many feel they have no choice but to leave their land. The last standing hospital in Gaza, which has a partnership with the Lutheran World Federation’s Augusta Victoria Hospital, was bombed by Israeli forces on the morning of Palm Sunday. We wonder if we can still shout, ‘Hosanna!’
“This solidarity visit has been a reminder to the people of the ELCJHL that they are not alone. It has also been a reminder to the people of the [ELCA] and the [ELCIC] that our presence and accompaniment with the Palestinian Lutheran people is a vital expression of our shared faith and commitment to justice and peace. Together, we invite you to come and see – to witness the vibrant life and faithful witness of the ELCJHL, and sumud (steadfastness) of the Palestinian Lutheran people. We know that travel is not possible for everyone, but we affirm that showing up, in whatever form it takes, matters deeply. For, as long as the ELCJHL is here, we are all here.
“We call upon the people of our three churches to remain steadfast in our solidarity, witness and advocacy for justice – for the sake of our life together and in support of the indigenous Christian presence in the Holy Land. By doing so, we greet the One whose arrival in Jerusalem continues to unite us in our ‘Hosannas.'”
Read the full statement.
