As churches across the UK marked the UN International Day of Peace on the 21st September, Christian Aid has urged congregations to speak out about the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
The international development agency has launched a set of resources they’ve called Just Peace resources, which include three short films and accompanying materials, to help churches engage with the complex issues surrounding Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.
Jess Hall, campaigns and organising officer at Christian Aid, told Premier Christian News the films were already helping churches “break the silence” and respond in a way that was both faithful and practical.
“We knew that conflict drives poverty, so we needed to see justice and peace in this part of the world… so that people could live lives free from poverty, live lives in all their fullness,” she said.
Hall said many churches had found it difficult to begin these conversations, but the films, including testimonies from Christian Aid’s Palestinian partners and UK-based Christians, “offered a way in.”
“Starting with a blank sheet was very difficult,” she explained. “But by sharing those voices… it was a way of finding your way into something, by listening.”
One of the films featured the Lord’s Prayer spoken in Arabic by a Palestinian Christian, something Hall said helped bring “faith and hope” to the centre of a difficult subject.
“It was important for us to hear from voices of people who were experiencing poverty,” she added. “Our response started by listening.”
The new resources were launched just as the UK joined several countries in formally recognising Palestine as a state, a move campaigners saw as a vital step towards a just peace.
The resources are designed not just for reflection, but for action. Hall added: “The conversation should always move us into action… we can all speak out. We can all do things that are a part of seeking just peace.”
Churches are also encouraged to take part in the “Red Line for Gaza” campaign by creating a visible red line, creatively with fabric or a placard to symbolise “the many red lines that have been crossed in this war”. She also explained some people have sent messages to MPs.