Paul S Rowe - Christians and the Middle East Conflict

Christians and the Middle East Conflict deals with the relationship of Christians and Christian theology to the various conflicts in the Middle East, a topic that is often sensationalised but still insufficiently understood. Political developments over the last two decades, however, have prompted observers to rediscover and examine the central role religious motivations play in shaping public discourses.

This book proceeds on the assumption that neither a focus on the eschatological nor a narrow understanding of the plight of Christians in the Middle East is sufficient. Instead, it is necessary to understand Christians in context and to explore the ways that Christian theology applies through the actions of Christians who have lived and continue to live through conflict in the region either as native inhabitants or interested foreign observers. This volume addresses issues of concern to Christians from a theological perspective, from the perspective of Christian responses to conflict throughout history, and in reflection on the contemporary realities of Christians in the Middle East.

The essays in this volume combine contextual political and theological reflections written by both scholars and Christian activists and will be of interest to students and scholars of Politics, Religion and Middle East Studies.

Paul S. Rowe is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Studies at Trinity Western University.

John H. A. Dyck is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Studies at Trinity Western University.

Jens Zimmermann is Professor of English and Canada Research Chair in Interpretation, Religion and Culture at Trinity Western University.

All three are senior research fellows in the Religion, Culture, and Conflict Research Group based at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia, Canada.

Routledge studies in religion and politics

Edited by Jeffrey Haynes
London Metropolitan University, UK

This series aims to publish high-quality works on the topic of the resurgence of political forms of religion in both national and international contexts. This trend has been especially noticeable in the post- Cold War era (that is, since the late 1980s). It has affected all the world religions (including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism) in various parts of the world (such as the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, South and Southeast Asia and sub- Saharan Africa).

The series welcomes books that use a variety of approaches to the subject, drawing on scholarship from political science, international relations, security studies and contemporary history.

Books in the series explore these religions, regions and topics both within and beyond the conventional domain of Churchstate relations to include the impact of religion on politics, conflict and development, including the late Samuel Huntingtons controversial yet influential thesis about clashing civilisations.

In sum, the overall purpose of the book series is to provide a comprehensive survey of what is currently happening in relation to the interaction of religion and politics, both domestically and internationally, in relation to a variety of issues.

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Christians and the Middle East Conflict
Edited by Paul S. Rowe, John H. A. Dyck and Jens Zimmerman

Christians and the Middle East Conflict

Edited by Paul S. Rowe, John H. A. Dyck and Jens Zimmermann

First published 2014
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

and by Routledge
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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2014 selection and editorial matter, Paul S. Rowe, John H. A. Dyck and Jens Zimmermann; individual chapters, the authors.

The right of Paul S. Rowe, John H. A. Dyck and Jens Zimmermann to be identified as editors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Christians and the Middle East conflict / edited by Paul Rowe, John Dyck, and Jens Zimmermann.
pages cm. (Routledge studies in religion and politics)
Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. ChristiansMiddle EastHistory. 2. Christianity and politicsMiddle EastHistory. 3. Middle EastHistory. I. Rowe, Paul S. (Paul Stanley) II. Dyck, John (John H. A.) III. Zimmermann, Jens
BR1110.C579 2014

ISBN: 978-0-415-74398-3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-81329-5 (ebk)

Typeset in Times New Roman
by Wearset Ltd, Boldon, Tyne and Wear

PAULS. ROWE, JOHN H. A. DYCK AND JENS ZIMMERMANN

PART I
Theological perspectives

SALIM J. MUNAYER

GARY M. BURGE

MAGI ABDUL-MASIH

PART II
Historical perspectives

MAHER Y. ABU-MUNSHAR

TODD THOMPSON

AKIKO SUGASE

PART III
Contemporary perspectives

PAULS. ROWE

PETERE. MAKARI

ALAIN EPP WEAVER

MARK DANIEL CALDER

Map

Figures

Table

Magi Abdul-Masih is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Saint Marys University.

Maher Y. Abu-Munshar is Assistant Professor of Islamic History at Qatar University.