Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), of which Pax Christi USA is a member, is offering a three-part mini-series to bring together South African and Palestinian religious leaders, theologians, activists, and public intellectuals to explore the urgent intersections between apartheid, genocide, theology, and global solidarity.
Drawing from South Africa’s history of racial oppression and liberation, participants will engage questions of political mythmaking, resistance movements, ecumenical leadership, liberation theology, and the enduring relevance of the Belhar Confession in confronting injustice today.
Session 1: “White genocide” and real genocide: South Africa, Palestine, and the politics of fear
Wednesday, June 3
10-11:15 AM ET
Read more about the speakers and register here
Featuring Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, Rev. Rudi Swanepoel, Rev. Edwin Arrison, and CMEP Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, the opening session examines the political and theological power of competing narratives around violence, victimhood, and oppression in South Africa and Palestine. As claims of a so-called “white genocide” in South Africa continue to circulate globally despite widespread criticism from scholars and human rights advocates, Palestinians and international observers have increasingly raised urgent alarms about the realities of mass displacement, collective punishment, and genocide in Gaza. Grounded in the lived experiences of South African and Palestinian leaders, the session invites participants to wrestle with questions of justice, solidarity, and the ethical use– and misuse– of the language of genocide.
Registration is FREE; donations are requested but it is possible to register for free.
Session 2: From anti-apartheid to Palestinian liberation: Lessons in global solidarity
Session 3: The Belhar Confession and the moral imperative of justice in Palestine
Dates and times coming soon!