One of the participants of the National Council of Churches’ recent delegation to the Middle East was The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon. Kinnamon is the Allen and Dottie Miller Professor of Mission, Peace and Ecumenical Studies at Eden Theological Seminary and chair of NCC’s Justice and Advocacy Committee. His position at Eden makes him one of my professors. The St. Louis Dispatch recently ran an article on his trip to the Middle East. Kinnamon told the paper he had little hope for the current peace efforts under way between Israel and Palestine:
"Our group report is more pessimistic than the headlines," said Kinnamon in a recent interview at Eden's dining hall. He said the security barrier being put up by Israel to protect itself from Islamic extremists is a hindrance to peace between the two sides, though he stressed the council's "strong support of Israel to exist with secure borders."
In the delegation's official statement on its trip, called "Barriers Do Not Bring Freedom," the members wrote that their position "is one of alarm and worry. Current policies promise more war, death, and destruction. ... There are far too many disturbing realities to give us confidence."
Click here to read the full article. A good bit of the article deals with the barrier being built by Israel. Kinnamon, who studied in Israel and served on the staff of the World Council of Churches (WCC), tells the paper that NCC is calling for increased financial investment in Palestine but, unlike WCC, is not recommending that churches divest resources in Israel.
Related story: World Council of Churches Urges Divestment From Israel
Related Post: Should The United Church of Christ Consider Divestment From Israel?
