Category Archives: FOSNA

Challenging Apartheid and Religious Extremism: Sabeel Jerusalem Conference and Webinars

Conference Purpose Statement: 
After ignoring 75 years of Israeli settler-colonial violence, since the 7th of October last year, the world has been shocked into taking notice of the genocide occurring against Palestinians in Gaza. With the aim of speaking into these tragedies, the 2024 Sabeel International Conference will challenge apartheid and religious extremism through a liberationist approach to theology by ecumenical and interfaith collaboration. Thought leaders representing the Abrahamic faiths will guide participants in reflecting on the current situation and exploring ecumenical, interfaith, non-violent avenues for fostering peace and justice in Palestine and Israel. 

Webinars: Sabeel has organized five webinars, each at 8pm Jerusalem time, from January to May. These webinars, facilitated by distinguished academics and activists, serve as a prelude to the conference by introducing themes and topics that will be explored in depth in November.

Register for the webinars here

Wednesday 31st January: An Introduction to Religious Extremism
This webinar will introduce religious extremism and outline the November conference.

Wednesday 28th February: Zionism and Antisemitism
How the term antisemitism has been weaponised and an examination of the relationship between Zionism, apartheid, and religious extremism in Judaism. 

Wednesday 27th March: Islam and Islamophobia
Define Islamophobia, challenge stereotypes and prejudice toward Muslims, and examine how Islamophobia has been exploited to silence criticism of Israel.

Wednesday 24th April: Christophobia and the Persecution of Christians
A discussion on the persecution of Christians and how Christian Zionism exacerbates tensions for Palestinian Christians. 

Wednesday 29th May: A Summary on Religious Extremism
A summary of the series and information about the November conference including the schedule and how to maximize your participation.

Principles: The principles guiding this conference include facilitating constructive interfaith dialogue, promoting human rights and justice in Palestine and Israel, challenging misinterpretations of religious texts contributing to extremism, empowering grassroots activism and advocacy, and strengthening collaborative networks. The Sabeel conference aims to create a platform for dialogue across faiths to address the root causes of extremism and advance human rights in Palestine.

Register for the webinars here

Statements of Support from Sabeel-Kairos UK & Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)

Sabeel-Kairos UK unequivocally stands in support and solidarity with the Revd. Dr. Stephen Sizer as he defends himself in a Bishops Disciplinary Tribunal this month. As a trustee of Sabeel-Kairos UK we have no evidence or reason to believe in the accusations of antisemitism brought against Stephen. As an organization we stand against any form of racism, be that antisemitism, Islamophobia or otherwise, and believe firmly that Stephen holds to these principles too.

We share Stephen’s concern and desire to see justice and equality become a reality in the Holy Land. These accusations of antisemitism raise significant concerns for us about the use of the IHRA definition to silence genuine concern and criticism of the Israeli government’s policies of oppression of the Palestinian people, now clearly evidenced as crimes of apartheid under international law, by respected international human rights organisations.

We sincerely hope that justice prevails in this trial, that Stephen’s name is cleared, and he receives adequate recompense for the distress he has endured.

Sabeel-Kairos UK Board of Trustees and staff members, May 2022.

Source: Sabeel-Kairos UK


#StandWithStephen

Our dear friend Rev. Dr. Stephen Sizer is facing spurious accusations, yet again, in response to his tireless advocacy for Palestinian human rights and brilliant scholarship on the historical and theological influence of Christian Zionism.

His very future as an Anglican vicar is at stake, as he is set to face a Church of England tribunal (held Monday 23 – Friday 27 May 2022) arising from a complaint made by the Board of Deputies of British Jews against Stephen in 2018. The Tribunal will be held at St. Andrew’s Church Centre Holborn, Central London.

In the words of Dr. Gary M. Burge: “Stephen, you have single handedly done more to change this conversation about Christian Zionism than anyone I know.”

The truth is that while Stephen has been somewhat of a lightning rod for cynical accusations of anti-Semitism, this could be any of us. As such, we must not shrink from such accusations as they come, but stand together in solidarity for truth and justice. 

Source: Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)

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