This evening, I had the opportunity to attend a powerful Zoom session hosted by Rev. Dr. Ben Boswell, pastor of Collective Liberation Church here in Charlotte, North Carolina. The featured speaker was Rev. Dr. Rodney Sadler, who many in our community may remember from his sermon during Black History Month at our own church, Caldwell Presbyterian in Uptown Charlotte. Dr. Sadler is a faculty member at Union Presbyterian Theological Seminary and a well-respected author, theologian, and Christian leader.
Rev. Sadler recently returned from Israel, where he spent time listening to the stories of Palestinians from diverse faiths and ethnic backgrounds. Tonight’s presentation was a sobering account of his observations, reflections, and theological challenges following that visit.
A Genocide Unfolding
The most urgent point Rev. Sadler emphasized is that we are witnessing the genocide of the Palestinian people, carried out by the conservative Zionist government of Benjamin Netanyahu. It is deeply troubling that simply using the word genocide in this context is often met with accusations of antisemitism. But as Rev. Sadler reminded us, genocide and antisemitism are not synonymous—and conflating them is a dangerous rhetorical tactic that silences critical conversations.
Almost 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza over the past year—a horrifying toll that continues to grow. The photographs, stories, and statistics Rev. Sadler shared tonight were heartbreaking. It is mind-boggling to grasp that such apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and violence are happening not only with global indifference, but with the active support of the United States government and many self-described Christian Zionists.
Colonialism Repackaged: Settler Colonialism in Palestine
What we are witnessing in Israel today is not new. It is settler colonialism—an aggressive form of displacement in which one group seeks not coexistence, but the expulsion or extermination of another. Just as Manifest Destiny in the United States led to the genocide of countless Native American nations, Zionism—specifically as practiced by the current Israeli government—has manifested as the systematic removal and erasure of the Palestinian people.
And this does not just affect Muslims. There are Palestinian Christians, many of whom live under the same brutal conditions. One of the most jarring points Rev. Sadler shared tonight is that most American Christians are either ignorant of the plight of our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters, or have turned away from them in blind support of Christian Zionism—a movement that often weaponizes religion for political gain.
Zionism ≠ Judaism
It is vital to draw a clear distinction between Zionism, a 20th-century nationalist ideology, and Judaism, a rich, ancient, and diverse religious tradition. To criticize the policies of the Israeli government is not to oppose Jewish people or faith. As Rev. Sadler highlighted, even prominent Jewish leaders like Rabbi Arthur Waskow have denounced the Netanyahu administration as a betrayal of Jewish values.
The Death of Christianity in the Land of Jesus
Perhaps the most tragic and sobering reality shared tonight is that Christianity is dying in the land of Jesus. Ongoing violence, occupation, and apartheid have driven countless Christians from their ancestral homes in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and beyond. We should be deeply concerned about this as followers of Christ.
Places like the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center and Bethlehem Bible College are working to preserve the Christian presence in the Holy Land and promote peace rooted in justice. We must stand with them.
Stories of Resistance and Hope
Despite the darkness, there are stories of hope and resistance:
- The Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Center empowers Palestinian youth through art as a means of nonviolent resistance.
- Communities like Silwan (biblically known as Siloam) face forced displacement under the guise of archaeological excavation, yet continue to resist.
- Palestinian families, even when winning court cases to retain land, face systematic obstruction and harassment.
Rev. Sadler also reminded us of the haunting “Apartheid Wall”, described by Archbishop Desmond Tutu as worse than the segregation walls of South Africa, and the staggering statistic that over 65% of Palestinian land is now under full Israeli military control.
What Can We Do?
We cannot remain silent. As people of faith, as human beings, we must:
✅ Re-engage with our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters. Invite them to share their stories.
✅ Reject Christian Zionism and educate ourselves on its dangers.
✅ Stand firmly for human rights and against all forms of apartheid, colonialism, and genocide.
✅ Support organizations promoting justice, peace, and nonviolence:
I also encourage you to connect with Collective Liberation Church, follow them on Facebook, and subscribe to their newsletter. Whether you live in Charlotte or elsewhere, these are global human rights issues that concern us all.
A Final Word of Faith and Hope
As a follower of Jesus, I believe that we are all children of God—whether we are Muslim, Jewish, Christian, atheist, Hindu, or follow another spiritual path. Our shared humanity demands that we work for a multiracial, multiethnic global community rooted in love, peace, kindness, justice, and dignity for all.
The struggle for justice in Palestine is not merely a foreign policy debate—it is a test of our moral courage and our willingness to live out the values of compassion, truth, and solidarity that lie at the heart of all great faiths. To heal our culture, we must end the ongoing genocide in Israel and work together to bring lasting, multi-ethnic peace to the Middle East.
Additional Resources
If you want to dive deeper, you’re welcome to explore my full notes from tonight’s Zoom session. The presentation was recorded, and I will add that link to this post once it becomes available.
Together, may we walk hand in hand toward the vision of peace and justice that so many courageous Palestinians, Israelis, and global allies continue to fight for every day. Together, let’s work to be “culture healers, not culture warriors.”
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