In Class

Take 5-7 minutes to free write with the following prompts:

• What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word Israel?
• In one sentence, what is the story of Israel?
• Where did you learn about Israel/Palestine? Who taught you? What was their perspective?

If you were raised in the American church, it is likely that you thought of Biblical promises or ancient history. This is not an accident, immense work has been put into creating imaginative and theological ties between the nation state of “Israel” and biblical promises to the people of God. This week, we will be examining a timeline of “Israel” to provide context for current events and our examination of Zionist and Liberation theologies in the coming weeks.

As you explore the timeline below, pay special attention to where settlers try to take control of geography (the land) and demography (the people).

Refer back to your frayer model definition of settler colonialism and the free write. If it is helpful, use the following questions to guide your reading:

• How does the establishment and expansion of Israel meet the definition of settler colonialism?
• Does the timeline match history you were taught? Why or why not?
• Revisit the quote at the opening of this weeks content. Where in the timeline do you see poverty and oppression? What might it look like to embody “God’s preferential option for the poor?”
• S-I-T
  • Note something surprising
  • Note something interesting
  • Note something troubling