Course Outline
The PASSIA academic course on Political Theology was developed at the request of St. Olaf College, Minnesota, USA, to provide a comprehensive seminar for their students during the period of 9 March-6 April 2023.
PASSIA consulted with colleagues and experts – both locally and internationally – to plan and implement such a course, which started with an introduction to political theology and included political theology in the Middle East, as well as Jerusalem and the three faiths and their respective relation to the Holy Land. The course also covered religious vs. historical narratives and provided an insight into the political theology on the ground. PASSIA organized a four-week lecture and excursion program, put together a comprehensive reading package and a list of further research material, and served as a point of contact and guidance throughout the course.
St. Olaf Course Program – 9 March-6 April 2023
| Date | Time | Lectures, Visits, Guides & Speakers |
| Thursday, 9 March
Jerusalem PASSIA
|
10.00-10.30 | Welcoming and Introduction
Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi, Chairman of PASSIA |
| 1. Introduction to Political Theology | ||
| 10.30-11.15 | Introduction to Political Theology in Contemporary Politics
Bernard Sabella, Executive Secretary, Middle East Council of Churches, Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees |
|
| 11.15-12.00 | The Use of Political Theology Among the Three Monotheistic Religions in Palestine/Israel
Bernard Sabella |
|
| 12.15-13.15 | Lunch | |
| 13.30-15.30 | Field and Study Visit: Palestine Heritage Museum (Dar Al-Tifl) Tour and presentation: Palestinian culture and heritage
Dr. Khaled Khatib, Director of the Museum |
|
| Friday, 10 March | ||
| Saturday, 11 March
BETHLEHEM Lutheran Church
|
11.00-12.15 | Visit to the Walled Off Hotel – Banksy Museum |
| 12.15-13.00 | Lunch | |
| 13.30-14.30 | Introduction to Political Theology
Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, Academic Dean and Professor of Biblical Studies at Bethlehem Bible College in Bethlehem |
|
| 14.30-15.30 | The Effect of Political Theology Conceptions on the Formalization of Liberation Theology Towards the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac |
|
| Assignment No. 1 | Case Studies of Political Theology in the Middle East (Prepare for Monday) | |
| Sunday, 12 March | ||
| Monday, 13 March
Beit Sahour, YMCA |
2. Political Theology in the Middle East, including Case Studies | |
| 10.00-11.00 | Political Theology in the Middle East and Palestine
Rifat Kassis, General Director of Kairos Palestine |
|
| 11.00-12.00 | Case Studies (including Presentation of Assignment No. 1)
Lebanon: Power and religion in Lebanon. Rafiq Hariri’s patronage and his posthumous legacy to demonstrate how religion becomes a site for power struggles in contemporary Lebanon. Syria: Violence and Radical Theology in the Syrian War. |
|
| 12.00-13.00 | Lunch Break | |
| 13.00-14.00 | Case Studies (including Presentation of Assignment No. 1)
Egypt: Connection between the forms of exceptionality (1) produced by longstanding practices of Egyptian secularism, (2) peculiar to the 2011 uprisings and their aftermath, and (3) that both make and unmake democratic practices. Iraq: The Role of Religion in Iraqi Politics: The Shi’ite Movement in Iraq and its Social Movements. |
|
| Tuesday, 14 March
Jerusalem, PASSIA |
10.00 | Islamic Waqf Council (Role of the Islamic Waqf and the Political Theology discourse)
Dr. Hani Abdeen, Dean of the Medical School, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, and member of the Waqf Council |
|
Wednesday, 15 March Jerusalem, PASSIA |
3. Jerusalem: The Three Faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam and Their Respective Relation to the Holy Land | |
| 10.00-13.00
|
Jewish Perspective: Dr. Menahem Klein, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Political Science at Bar-Ilan University | |
| Christian Perspective: Joseph Hazboun, Regional Director, CNEWA/Pontifical Mission, Jerusalem | ||
| Muslim Perspective: Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi | ||
| 13.00 | Lunch | |
| Thursday, 16 March
Tel Megiddo |
8.00
Full day |
Field and Study Visit: Armageddon Valley
Guide: arranged via United Travel/Dalia |
| Friday, 17 March | ||
| Saturday, 18 March
Jerusalem – PASSIA |
4. Religious vs. Historical Narratives. | |
| 12.00 | Sami Abu Shehadeh, Palestinian historian and leader of the Balad/Tajamou’ party; former member of the Israeli Knesset | |
| Sunday, 19 March | ||
| Monday, 20 March
Jerusalem |
19.00 | Sacralized Politics: The Case of Occupied East Jerusalem
Prof. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, Lawrence D Biele Chair in Law, Institute of Criminology- Faculty of Law, School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
| Assignment No. 2 | Reflect on a theme or idea that has arisen from the lectures, site visits and readings so far. Reference at least one speaker, one reading, and one visit. | |
| Tuesday, 21 March
Jerusalem/Lifta |
10.00 | Field and Study Visit: Remains of the Depopulated Village of Lifta (Understanding the Palestinian Nakba – Lifta is the last standing Palestinian village, whose inhabitants were deported or fled during and before the war of 1948.)
Guide: Yacoub Odeh, Lifta resident, activist and member of the Lifta Committee |
| 5. Political Theology ON THE GROUND | ||
| Wednesday, 22 March
Jerusalem, St. Anne’s Church
PASSIA |
10.00 | The Theology of Accompaniment – The Work and Advocacy of the World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI)
Veli Pekka, EAPPI, Jerusalem |
| 1 pm | The Sacred Month of Ramadan: Traditions and Celebrations
Dr. Mustafa Abu Sway, Integral Chair for the Study of Imam Al-Ghazali’s Work at the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Quds University; member of the Waqf Council, Jerusalem |
|
| Thursday, 23 March
Bethlehem, Dar Al-Kalima |
12.00 | Lecture and Discussion Encounter with “Stakeholders”:
Dr. Nuha Khoury, Advisor to the President on Global Education and Exchange, Dar Al-Kalima University College, Bethlehem |
| Friday, 24 March | ||
| Saturday, 25 March
Bethlehem, AIDA Camp Bible College |
10.00 | Field and Study Visit: Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem
Abdelfattah Abusrour, Alrowwad, Aida Camp |
| 13.30-15.30 | Theology of Reconciliation in the Israeli-Palestinian Context
Dr. Salim Munayer, Lecturer at the Bethlehem Bible College, Senior Consultant & Founder of Musalaha – A Vision of Reconciliation |
|
| Sunday, 26 March | ||
| Monday, 27 March
Jerusalem PASSIA |
10.00 | Geopolitical Tour of Jerusalem:
Guide: Daniel Seidemann – Terrestrial Jerusalem |
| 13.30 | Christian Zionist Ideology
Dr. Usama Salman, Program Director at John Paul II Foundation, Jerusalem |
|
| 14.30 | Presentations of Assignment No. 2 | |
| Tuesday, 28 March
Jerusalem, Silwan
PASSIA |
10.00 | Field and Study Visit: “City of David” in Silwan (how archaeology is politicized and Palestinian history, heritage and narratives are appropriated by Jews in the context of the occupation)
Guide: Emek Shaveh |
| Lunch Break | ||
| 14.30 | Political Theology on the Ground: Kumi
Omar Harami, Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, Jerusalem |
|
| 6. Analysis & Discussion of How Religious Ideas Influence Politics | ||
| Wednesday, 29 March
Jerusalem, PASSIA Nahalin/Bethlehem |
10.00 | Ofer Zalzberg, Middle East Program Director, Kelman Institute for Conflict Transformation |
| 13.00 | Departure to Tent of Nations | |
| 14.30 | Field and Study Visit: Tent of Nations
Daoud Nasser – Tent of Nations |
|
| Thursday, 30 March | Assignment No. 3 | Responses to Zionism in Israel/Palestine: compare and contrast two forms of Christian and one form of Jewish or Muslim response to Zionism, informed by lectures, readings, and field visits. |
| Friday, 31 March | ||
| Saturday, 1 April
Jerusalem, PASSIA |
10.00 | Ramadan in Jerusalem and under occupation
Adnan Joulani, PASSIA |
| 12.00 | Breaking the Silence: Israeli (former) Soldiers recount their Experiences in the Occupied Territories.
Guy and Amir, Breaking the Silence |
|
| Sunday, 2 April | Palm Sunday | |
| Monday, 3 April | Finalizing Assignment No. 3 | |
| Tuesday, 4 April
Jerusalem, PASSIA |
10.30 | Easter in Jerusalem and under occupation
Simon Azazian, Consultant for Church & Faith in the MENA |
| Wednesday, 5 April
Jerusalem, PASSIA |
10.30-11.30 | Presentations of Final Assignment, Wrap-up and Final Discussion |
| Thursday, 6 April | Departure | |
