Kairos II: A moment of truth
KAIROS II: A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide
As part of the Mission Committee’s presentation, the Methodist Conference this year was addressed by Father Fadi Diab, Rector of the Anglican Parish in Ramallah in the West Bank. He presented the Kairos II document, A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide, calling for greater costly solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Father Fadi stressed to the Conference that the Palestinian people need support and more action from other countries, saying: “...the last three years have changed us forever. In Gaza we have seen the decimation of an entire society ... this document (Kairos II) is not an abstract theological reflection but a cry of a people whose faith is being tested”.
Father Fadi told the Conference that the church cannot choose neutrality. A Notice of Motion was agreed, which requested a study resource that can be used for churches to be produced, based on Kairos II. It also asked for the President of the Conference to write to the UK Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, and the governing bodies of other jurisdictions in which the Methodist Church in Great Britain has a presence, urging them to uphold international law and to take the actions outlined in the Time to Act campaign.
One of our ministers, Rev Sean Adair, who has pastoral charge of Greenhill, Killamarsh and Mosborough, prepared a short introduction to the Kairos II document on video for the August Breakfast Church service at our Killamarsh Church, along with one of our Circuit Stewards, Maryke Turvey. You can watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dIZOsTaaZs
You can also read the actual Kairos II document itself here:
https://www.kairospalestine.ps/images/Final_Kairos_document_II_English.pdf
You can listen to and watch Father Fadi Diab’s address to the Conference here from about 28mins and 10secs into the video linked below.
Study materials are to be made available. Some are already being circulated around the Circuit, thanks to the generosity of some of our friends in the Justice Seekers group in the Circuit.
The main point being made is that we take the time to listen to our siblings in Christ. We don’t have to agree with them. However, we do need to ask what costly solidarity might look like for us to stand alongside them at this time.
