By Anne W. Semmes
While hundreds of drones from Iran were headed for Jerusalem last weekend the Anglican Archbishop of Jerusalem Hosam Elias Naoum was on his way to Christ Church Greenwich to address its congregations last Sunday morning in two services and its Forum. Naoum and Marek Zabriskie, rector at Christ Church became friends last year when Zabriskie led a pilgrimage of his church members to Israel.
At the Forum Zabriskie would announce another planned pilgrimage early next year (if peace prevails) to Jerusalem and the Holy Land he described as an “incredibly complex, fascinating part of the world.” He would engage the archbishop to address those complexities. And Naoum would demonstrate that complexity in engaging the 250-plus attendees with questions of his identity. “How many of you think that I am Israeli?” Hands would raise. “How many think that I am Palestinian?” Other hands raised. “How many think that I am Christian?” All hands raised.
“The answer is all of them,” he replied. “I am an Arab because Arabic is my first language and Arab Christianity existed in Jerusalem way before even Islam came into being…I’m also Palestinian, historically. The area was called Palestine during the British mandate…then when Israel came into being we became part of Israel. That’s because I come from the Nazareth area, so I’m an Israeli citizen by nationality, as well.” And it was in South Africa where Naoum would begin his theological training at the College of the Transfiguration and Rhodes University where Archbishop Desmond Tutu would often introduce him as “a carpenter’s son from Nazareth.”
Naoum’s diocese is writ large with five countries: Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan. Count also “35 institutions that are run by the diocese with hospitals and clinics, rehabilitation centers and other social programs,” he told. But what makes that whole Diocese of Jerusalem unique he said was, “We have been involved and engaged in ministry, globally for 2,000 years since the very beginning of Christianity.”
And yet, Naoum reported that the percentage of Christians in the Holy Land has “dropped drastically to less than two percent.” Zabriskie weighed in having learned from his pilgrimage of a loss of some 20 percent of Christians (Naoum corrected to 27 percent) over the last 100 years amongst those living in Israel and Palestine. “I was absolutely gob smacked,” noted Zabriskie, as those few Christians were “delivering up to 30 percent of the humanitarian and educational effort in the occupied Palestinian areas.”
How is this possible?” asked Zabriskie. “Because” said Naoum, “Each denomination, whether Catholic or Anglican, Episcopalian or Coptic or Orthodox, all of these denominations have institutions and, basically, in terms of job providers within the community, they tend to be the second-largest provider after the government. We churches make a huge difference in the life of the churches over there.”
“Having Jews and Muslims as our neighbors for more than 2,000 years,” noted Naoum “our mission into these communities has shifted from its traditional way of doing evangelism into showing Christ in action…Our congregations, our ministries’ outreach, those institutions show the real love of Christ.” And having met Christ Church’s director of Youth Ministry, Josh Barton, he added, “Youth Ministry is really dear to my heart, really important for one simple reason, because if we are serious about the future of the ministry in the Holy Land, the future is our children and young people.” Thus, Naoum is investing a lot of his time in this ministry, he said, “so that we can ensure that there will be a future for our church in Jerusalem.”
Addressing the ongoing tragic conflict in the Holy Land, Zabriskie asked, “What role does spirituality play going forward now? How could Hamas have launched that attack on October 7, and have any sense of spirituality for those who are with them who are Jewish…and for Israel to kill 32,000 Palestinians?” “Whether they are Palestinian or whether they are Jewish or even Christian sometimes,” answered Naoum, “It all has to evolve around Jerusalem. Because each group thinks that Jerusalem is theirs. And they want to claim it. And I think unless we understand and admit that Jerusalem should be and is the spiritual home for far more than just simply Christians or Muslims or Jews. This is the home of the Abrahamic faith. We’ve been neighbors for 2000 years…It’s not mission impossible at all. But unfortunately, there are those radicals who always make our life miserable…It is important that we see the face of God in all people whoever they are.”
What hope does Naoum have for a two-state solution of Israel and Palestine, Zabriskie asked. “I think really all the churches in Jerusalem, we are deeply believing and committed to the two-state solution. There’s no other way other than that, but simply to say that a secure Israel alongside a Palestinian state that is also secure and free and also deserving of life and country. There’s no other way we can ensure and assure both things without the two-state solution.”
“We need to build relationships and trust so that we have a sense of common life,” added Naoum. “Let me tell you, even now, within Israel or within Palestine, no one side can live without the other. We are strongest dependent on one another…teamwork makes the dream work.” He then praised his “wonderful staff… and most importantly my clergy who are doing fantastic work…There’s so much responsibility. There’s so much to do with so little resources, but they are doing wonderfully.”
“Everyone in this room has challenges that they’re facing,” said Zabriskie. “What wisdom would you give us, for people facing difficult challenges? What verses in scripture have been speaking to you since October 7…. How do you move forward with hope?”
Naoum told of the day he was installed as Archbishop in May of 2021. “We were also in a war with Gaza, much smaller than the current one, and a lot of problems in society. We were supposed to have a thousand people in the installation. But we ended up having only a couple of hundred and it was an online service as well.” What had spoken to him then – as now- were Jesus’ words found in John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” “And that spoke to me,” said Naoum, “and continues to be, that we need to offer the best for the people because they are God’s image.”
“How can we support the vital ministry that you are providing what your diocese needs?” Zabriskie asked. Naoum directed all to the Bible, Psalm 122, to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” And for those “who are closer to Washington, talk to their Senators and Congress people, to encourage them to treasure both Israelis and Palestinians. That would be great.” He lastly encouraged others to make their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, though “this is maybe on the shelf for now. To come and see is a great gift – that we are united in the place where it all happened. It changes your life, drastically.” Those that come, he said, “find they don’t read the Bible anymore the way they used to read it. They see it from a different lens altogether.”
The Donation Plate from the 8 and 10 a.m. Christ Church services were given to the American Friends of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem (AFEDJ) to help support the churches, schools, and hospitals that they operate. Those wishing to donate can visit afedj.org
