MissionFest feels fallout from Middle East controversies
TORONTO, ON—Although the theme of MissionFest Toronto 2006 was "In Unity of Purpose," there was discord surrounding one proposed speaker in the days leading up to the March 23 to 25 event.
MissionFest sponsor World Vision Canada invited Alex Awad, dean of students at Bethlehem Bible College and pastor of a small international church in east Jerusalem, to speak during the conference's Israel track about the experience of Palestinian Christians.
Awad is a Palestinian Christian whose father was killed during crossfire between the Israeli and Jordanian armies in the 1948 Arab/Israeli war. He writes and speaks extensively about the Palestinian experience.
However, once word got out about Awad's pending appearance, several groups and individuals voiced concern through phone calls, letters and e-mails to MissionFest sponsors.
"There was a lot of opposition for this particular speaker during this particular year of MissionFest," says MissionFest executive director Jude Hodgson.
Describing Awad as "very anti-Israel in a lot of his viewpoints and writings," Hodgson says the complaints reached the ears of MissionFest board members, prompting discussions about Awad's proposed presentation.
Awad became aware of the controversy and subsequently withdrew from participating.
Responding to ChristianWeek via e-mail, Awad says World Vision informed him in early March of the opposition to his participation, asking if he wished to keep the commitment. "My response was positive," says Awad. "The next day, a MissionFest committee member called me and urged me to withdraw on my own."
Awad says he was told his presence "could split MissionFest," and that some "committee members threatened to leave with their constituencies if I showed up to share." Adding that it was never his "desire or intention" to withdraw, Awad says, "I did not want to force my presence at a place of worship where I was not wanted."
Conclusions drawn
One of those opposed to Awad's participation was Charles McVety, president of Canada Christian College in Toronto. McVety says while he has never met Awad or heard him speak, he did "some research" into Awad's writings that led him to conclude Awad is no friend of Israel.
Awad's book, Through the Eyes of the Victims is, according to the author, targeted at western Christian readers and meant to be "a summary of the [Israeli/Palestinian] conflict from a Palestinian perspective."
It offers a view of Israel's history that at times conflicts with prevailing views. For example, referring to the Six-Day War of June 1967, Awad writes, "Israel waged war against the Arabs in 1967, with specifically expansionist intentions." Footnotes in his book add, "the fact is that Israel was not forced to lash out at Egypt and could have avoided war altogether."
In contrast, New York Times journalist Thomas L. Friedman describes the same war as a defensive one for Israel in his book From Beirut to Jerusalem.
"It is easy to forget today that in the month before the June 1967 war, when Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser began beating his war drums, established a joint military command with Jordan and threatened to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth, many Israelis became convinced their borrowed time was up."
McVety says he told Hodgson Canada Christian College was prepared to withdraw their sponsorship of MissionFest if Awad spoke. "We could not support these teachings against Israel. We could not be seen to support and we could not financially support," he explains.
He labels as "hypocritical" those who "pray for the blessings of the God of Israel," while "cursing Israel as evil."
When asked how he responds to the label "anti-Israel," Awad says, "If being pro-human rights and pro-justice means 'anti-Israeli,' then one could consider me 'anti-Israeli.' I stand against Israeli abuses of the human rights of Palestinian people."
Unfortunate occurrence
Karen Homer, public relations director for World Vision Canada, describes Awad as "a peacemaker" and says it's "sad" that he wasn't a presenter at MissionFest.
"It's unfortunate, because for us the voice of the Christian Palestinians who are fellow believers in a very conflicted area, did not have an opportunity to speak. So the voice of the poor wasn't heard to the full extent that it could have been had he been there.
"[World Vision has] a very long history of working in the Holy Land. We've been there for more than 30 years. We have community development projects, and we're very much known as being peacemakers in the area.
"So we really wanted to give Palestinian Christians a voice. Our goal was to give a leading Palestinian Christian a voice to talk about his experiences."
Describing Awad as "a very gracious person," Hodgson says even though he didn't give a seminar during the Israel track, MissionFest staff, volunteers and board members welcomed Awad warmly and hosted him following the conference for lunch.
"Regrettably, those who actually opposed my presence at the Fest did not come to that luncheon," says Awad. "But those who came expressed regret for the fact that I was denied the opportunity to share."
He says many Christians in Canada "are not aware of the challenges of the Palestinian Christian communities," and that "the more the Canadian churches learn about what is actually taking place in this land, the better they will be able to pray intelligently and act towards Palestinians in the spirit of Christ and in harmony with His teachings."
While in Toronto, World Vision arranged for Awad to speak at Peoples Church on "100 Huntley Street" and at a March 23 forum for church leaders at World Vision headquarters, which included representatives from various evangelical and mainline Protestant denominations.
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