Witnessing for Peace

When Westerners ask Palestinian Lutheran bishop Munib Younan when his family converted to Christianity, they are often surprised to learn that the conversion occurred many centuries ago. In Witnessing for Peace: In Jerusalem and the World, Younan shares many poignant stories from his ministry as the Bishop of Jerusalem of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. He opens with a memorable story about being the only Christian representative chosen to accompany Muslim leaders in a meeting with Pope John Paul II at the Dome of the Rock in 2000. Immediately after this wonderful moment of interfaith cooperation, Younan was accosted twice-first by a Muslim extremist man and then by a Jewish woman who spat on him-because of the cross he wore. This juxtaposition of mutual respect tempered with outbursts of hatred sets the stage for a heartfelt book that both explains the venerable tradition of Palestinian Christianity and issues a clarion call for peace in the Middle East. Younan's book is an important reminder that although Christians constitute less than 2% of Israel's population, their presence is a potentially significant determinant of the region's future.