The overwhelming vote by the General Synod of the Church of England to express its solidarity with Palestinian Christians and Palestinians in general, and to engage with the Kairos Palestine II declarations, brought double the joy and support to the Palestinian cause after years of debate.
The General Synod, held its meetings from July 10 to 14 in York, and voted on a motion calling for engagement with a document issued by Kairos Palestine, an ecumenical Palestinian Christian movement.
The Church took a step described by Palestinians and Christian leaders as “historic” towards strengthening solidarity with Palestinians, after its governing body voted to listen to the voices of Palestinian Christians and engage with a series of Kairos Palestine II declarations.
Kairos Palestine coordinator : A historic step and a listening to the Palestinian Christian voice from one of the most influential churches in the world
The General Synod adopted an amended resolution by a vote of 253 to 47, in which members pledged to stand in solidarity with Palestinian Christians and all Palestinians. The resolution also encourages dioceses and churches to engage with the Kairos Palestine declarations as part of a broader effort to understand the lived experiences of Palestinian Christians.
The final text was amended to state that the Church will "listen" to the Kairos declarations, rather than "receive" them, as authentic expressions of the Palestinian Christian experience, while reaffirming its opposition to antisemitism, hatred against Muslims, and all forms of religious intolerance.
The resolution commits the Church to interreligious dialogue, calls for responsible investment policies in light of the International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion on the illegality of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, and urges the British government to work towards a just and lasting peace.
In addition to the 253 votes in favor, the votes were distributed among the three councils that comprise the Synod. In the Synod of Bishops, 25 bishops voted in favor of the proposal, five abstained, and no bishops voted against it. In the Synod of the Clergy, 115 members voted in favor, 20 against, and 30 abstained. In the Synod of the Laity, 113 members voted in favor, 27 against, and 35 abstained. This result, according to Palestinian priest Fadi Diab, who participated in the Synod's discussions in Britain, indicates a shift in the Church's stance on the Palestinian issue. In an interview with , Diab stated that
the document discussed by the Synod was titled "A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide," and was first published in November 2015. It is a theological and political appeal from Palestinian Christians, calling on Christians worldwide to stand in solidarity with the Palestinians and to pressure governments and international civil society to isolate, boycott, divest from, and impose sanctions on Israel.
colonial entity
The document describes Israel as a “settler-colonial, exclusionary entity” and calls on churches worldwide to clearly distinguish between dialogue with Jews and dialogue with Zionism. This made the adoption of the document a welcome outcome, following a long and arduous effort by numerous Palestinian churches.
Rifat Kassis, the special coordinator for the Kairos Palestine II document, told that the decision by the General Synod of the Church of England “constitutes a highly significant historical step, not only because it welcomes the Kairos Palestine document and listens to the Palestinian Christian voice, but also because it grants this voice official ecclesiastical recognition within one of the most influential churches in the world.”
Kassis added that the new decision transforms the document from a Palestinian initiative into a reference point for theological and institutional discussion within global churches, thus opening the door to a broader dialogue on the churches’ moral responsibility in the face of occupation, settlement, apartheid, and genocide. He said that this decision aligns with the growing international shift in understanding the reality of what is happening in Palestine, and affirms that the voice of justice, however delayed, will find a listener.
In a press statement, the authors of the document described the decision as a courageous step in listening to the voices of Palestinian Christians, who have borne the burdens of Israeli occupation, settlement construction, apartheid, systematic violence, and displacement for decades, and who face increasing challenges that threaten their continued historical presence and the authentic Christian presence in the Holy Land.
The statement, a copy of which was received by Al-Quds Al-Arabi, indicated that the decision is the fruit of many years of sincere and constructive dialogue, continuous meetings, hosting delegations to the Holy Land, and listening directly to the testimonies of Palestinian Christians.
It added that the decision also reflects the significant efforts exerted by the Kairos Palestine initiative and its partners in the United Kingdom, who have worked diligently and responsibly to build bridges of understanding and raise awareness of the reality experienced by the people of the Holy Land, based on the belief that sincere dialogue and living witness are the path to justice and peace.
The statement said the decision affirms that true peace cannot be built on ignoring the suffering of peoples or silencing the voices of the afflicted, but rather on acknowledging the truth.
Regarding the decision's significance for Christians in the Holy Land, the statement said it holds great spiritual and moral value, as it sends a clear message that the global Church continues to hear their voice and stands with them in their efforts to preserve their historical presence.
For its part, the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine welcomed the decision of the General Synod of the Church of England to adopt a proposal calling for engagement with the documents of Palestinian churches. In a statement, the Committee emphasized that the decision's importance stems from the historical and religious standing of the Church of England, as the official church in England, and its significant presence and influence in British public life, with several of its bishops serving in the British House of Lords. This, the Committee asserted, gives the decision an important ecclesiastical and moral dimension in discussions concerning justice and peace.
The committee noted that the General Synod's decision followed a visit to Palestine several weeks prior by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullaly, during which she met with a number of Palestinian religious and political figures and listened to accounts of the situation of churches and Christian communities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The committee affirmed that this decision reflects a growing awareness within churches worldwide of the reality of the situation in Palestine, the importance of listening to the voice of Palestinian churches, and their role in defending justice and human dignity, and in establishing the values of peace based on truth and equity, in accordance with the principles of international law and Christian values.
The Church of England's vote follows a similar move by the Presbyterian Church in the United States, the largest Presbyterian denomination in the country, whose General Assembly last month adopted the "Kairos Palestine II" document, recognizing Israel's war on Gaza as genocide and calling for an arms embargo on Israel and divestment from companies associated with it.The document, prepared by Kairos Palestine, a Palestinian Christian movement that revitalized itself following the war on Gaza, calls on Christians worldwide to stand in solidarity with Palestinian Christians. It urges churches to pressure governments to isolate Israel, hold it accountable, impose sanctions, boycott it, and ban arms exports until it complies with international law, ends its oppression and tyranny, and adheres to the principles of justice and peace.
Since its publication in 2009, the Kairos Palestine document has been a cry of faith and hope from Palestinian Christians amidst their suffering. It is a biblical and moral appeal to churches worldwide to stand for truth and justice and to work for a just peace that preserves the dignity of all people. It has never been a call for hatred or exclusion, but rather a plea for love, justice, and reconciliation based on truth.
The document also describes Israel as a settler-colonial entity and its military campaign in Gaza as genocide.
