Palestinian Example of Radical Christian Discipleship

We refuse to be enemies — The bold Christian declaration on a rock near the entrance to The Tent Of Nations

Radical Christian discipleship isn’t about being perfect or having all the answers; it’s about a willingness to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Jesus, no matter where that leads.

Philip P. Eapen | Aug 5, 2024

Nobody can force us to hate,” Amal says. “We refuse to be enemies.”

Amal, a Christian from the West Bank, spoke these words in response to the destruction of her family’s fruit orchard by Israeli bulldozers. She echoed her father, Bishara (‘Gospel’) Nassar, whose words are painted on a large rock at the entrance to their property.

Amal’s brother, Daher Nassar, rushed to the orchard after a shepherd informed him about a bulldozer on their farm. By the time he arrived, the almond trees had been destroyed. “Why you broke the trees?” he asked. The Israeli military claimed ownership of the land he had inherited from his grandfather.

Amal’s grandfather had bought the land in 1916 and raised his children in the Christian way of non-violence and peace. The family has owned the land through Ottoman, British, Jordanian and Israeli reign. The Nassar family runs The Tent of Nations on their farm to “develop a positive approach to conflict management” in the face of “great injustice.” Their long-term vision includes establishing an Environmental Educational Center on the farm where children and youth can learn about sustainability, alternative energy, organic farming, and community building.

Before defending any support you might have given to the oppressors of Palestinian Christians, put yourself in their shoes for a moment. Imagine waking up one morning to strangers at your door saying, “Our God has given your house to us. Get out before we force you out!” You might laugh it off as a joke, but Palestinians have faced such brutality for the past seven decades.

An egregious land grab in the name of God is unacceptable. “Is this the way you settle a matter of ownership in today’s world?” wonders Rev. Munther Isaac, a Lutheran Pastor and the Academic Dean of Bethlehem Bible College. Last Christmas, the world listened to his famous sermon, Christ in the Rubble: A Liturgy of Lament.

A viral video clip shows a Palestinian woman confronting a Jewish settler who was taking over her family home in occupied East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah. “Yakub, you know this is not your house … You are stealing my house,” she said. The settler replied, “If I don’t steal your home, someone else will.”

Different sections of Palestinian society have reacted differently to one of the bloodiest and longest-standing colonial-settler movements in recent history. Palestinian Christians, rather than taking up arms, have quietly endured the loss of their land or peacefully held their ground.

Is there any other Christian community in the world that practices Christian discipleship and self-denial to this degree? When we think of Palestinian Christians in the West Bank, including Bethlehem, we are reminded of the sterling example set by Hebrew Christians. The author of the epistle commended them: “You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property …” (Heb 10:34).

Jesus made it clear that following Him isn’t about having an easy life. In Matthew 16:24, He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

This isn’t just about giving up chocolate for Lent or skipping a Netflix binge to read the Bible. It’s a call to put Jesus at the center of our lives, above our own desires and ambitions. It means being willing to sacrifice comfort, status, and even our own lives if necessary.

Jesus didn’t just talk about self-denial; He lived it. And even today, there are Christians who take His words seriously, living out radical discipleship in ways that challenge and inspire us.

Shane Claiborne is an American Christian activist and author who has dedicated his life to living simply and serving the poor. As a co-founder of The Simple Way, an intentional Christian community in Philadelphia, Shane and his friends live among the marginalized, sharing their lives and resources with those in need.

He has also been involved in advocating for social justice issues, from opposing the death penalty to promoting economic equality. Shane’s life is a modern-day reflection of Jesus’ call to love our neighbors and to seek first the kingdom of God, rather than the comforts of this world. Unlike many Christians, Shane called for a ceasefire in Gaza. “Grief should never be a cry for war. Revenge is poisonous. Collective punishment is evil. Killing Gaza’s children because of the sins of Hamas is sick. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

“Grief should never be a cry for war. Revenge is poisonous. Collective punishment is evil. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

The lives of Jesus and these contemporary Christians challenge us to rethink what it means to follow Him. Radical discipleship isn’t about being perfect or having all the answers; it’s about a willingness to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Jesus, no matter where that leads.

For young Christians today, this can mean making counter-cultural choices, like standing up for justice, living simply, or choosing forgiveness over revenge. It means being willing to love and serve others, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. And it means trusting that in losing our lives for Jesus’ sake, we will find true life.

This article was published in the Sept 2024 issue of Good News Illuminer.