BY  :  Staff  Writer  Christian  Today

A coalition of Christian pastors, theologians and lay leaders has launched a public declaration rejecting a controversial Palestinian Christian document that the Church of England’s General Synod voted to “hear” and engage with despite strong opposition from Jews.

The “Declaration Against Kairos II” calls on Christians worldwide to reject what it describes as theological distortions that are damaging Jewish-Christian relations. It invites Christians to add their names in support.

It has been published in response to a document called “A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide”, also known as Kairos II, which was produced by the Palestinian Christian movement Kairos Palestine. The document characterises Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as genocide and Israel as a colonial, apartheid state.

The coalition opposing Kairos II accused it of “inaccurate, one-sided, and dangerous rhetoric”.

“Upon reading and consideration, we simply cannot receive Kairos II or endorse any hearing of it in a Christian context, and we explicitly reject it and denounce the same.

“God commands ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour’ (Exodus 20.16). It is our conviction that Kairos II is not in the interests of Palestinian Christians and only serves to hinder the cause of peace, failing to acknowledge or recognise the root causes of pain in Gaza and the region of Judea and Samaria, commonly referred to as the West Bank.

“Its language is acerbic and even seems to rationalise and justify the heinous atrocities of Palestinian terror factions on October 7 2023 which have had devastating consequences.

“The document falsely and without substantiation accuses Israel of genocide in relation to its war on Hamas and terror factions in Gaza to rescue hostages and destroy Hamas’ capabilities.”

The General Synod, meeting in York, voted by a wide margin on Monday morning to “hear” the document, rather than “receive” it as the original motion stated. Following strong opposition from Jewish leaders, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, told Synod that hearing documents like Kairos II “does not mean we agree with everything in them”.

Regan King, a London pastor who helped initiate the Declaration Against Kairos II, said in a statement that Synod’s decision to give it “any hearing” was “astounding”. He argued that the Church of England had moved away from a historical tradition of support for Jewish people associated with figures like William Wilberforce.

The Declaration Against Kairos II affirms that biblical covenant promises to the Jewish people are enduring, and states that Israel has a right to self-defence against terrorism.

It rejects any theology it sees as excusing attacks on Israel or denying Jewish people’s historical ties to the land.

“The Church has a responsibility to speak truthfully, biblically and with humility. We grieve the immense suffering that is ongoing in the Holy Land,” said King.

“We believe Christians must reject all narratives that undermine the legitimacy of Israel and the God ordained and sovereignly orchestrated existence of the same.

“At a time of increased and rampant antisemitism, it is astounding that the Church of England’s General Synod has agreed to give a thoroughly dishonest and acerbic document any hearing, a document that undermines the rights of the Jewish people and demonises Israel, even seeking to rationalise the horrendous atrocity of October 7 2023.”

Ahead of the vote, Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis had urged Synod members to reject engagement with Kairos II, calling the document “little more than political activism dressed up as theology” and warning that an endorsement would harm Christian-Jewish relations.

He said it was “shameful” that the General Synod had recommended engagement with Kairos II.

“This is a document full of falsehood, which openly rejects dialogue, uses extreme rhetoric to challenge the very existence of Israel and objects to existing peace agreements in the region,” he said.

“Though it poses as a route to understanding, Kairos II in fact functions as an egregious barrier to it, reducing one of the world’s most complex conflicts to a single, warped narrative, which can only harm the cause of peace.”

Signatories of the Declaration Against Kairos II include Anglican theologian Ian Paul, who spoke out against the document during the Synod debate.

“This motion raises some awkward and challenging questions for us,” he said.

“How can we claim to speak for ‘a just and lasting peace’, when we are listening to the pain of one side only in this complex, contested conflict, which we must — but we refuse to hear from the other—the bereaved and the maimed of 7th October and the second intifada? Why was the other voice not invited? If it is good enough for our archbishop, why not us?

“How do we avoid the charge of hypocrisy, when we meet Palestinian Christian leaders as our brothers and sisters in Christ, as we should, yet stay silent while some of those same communities celebrate terrorist violence, and their children post that celebration online?”

Photo  Courtesy  :