LECTIONARY DISCUSSION FOR AUGUST 16, 1998: THE CLOUD OF
WITNESSES

By Dianne Roe

By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled
for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish
with those who were disobedient, because she had received the
spies in peace. . . Therefore, since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight
and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with
perserverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus
the pioneer and perfecter of our faith...Hebrews 11:30-3, 12:1, 2a

CLOUD OF WITNESSES or NATIONAL HEROES --It is natural that
in the first century of the Christian community, a letter written to the
Hebrews would evoke the images of their national identity, lifting up the
heroes of their national cause. What is problematic for us today is that the
Hebrew national hero, Joshua, indirectly alluded to in verse 30, was a
conquering warrior who committed genocide at God's command.

Some Christians today who take those passages literally have used them as a
call to war or as an excuse to conquer, oppress, or even bomb those they
consider the "other".

Christians used the "promised land" theme from Joshua as they wiped out the
native American population in the history of the United States. Today
Christian Zionists have joined Jewish extremists in the forced removal of the
native Palestinian population from the land that Joshua conquered centuries
ago.

If we are truly "looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfector of our faith"
what kind of light can we shed onthe Joshua passages?

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) has initiated an occasional discussion on
scripture related to the lectionary. We invite those who would like to share
their reflections on this to join in the online discussion during this first
lectionary posting. Comments and further discussion of this theme may be
accessed by joining the CPT discussion list (cpt.d). CPTnet is a post
only, non-discussion list. If you are not already a member of CPT discussion
(cpt.d), you may join by sending a message to <server [at] mennolink [dot] org> with the
message subscribe: menno.org.cpt.d. If you need help send a note to
<cpt [at] igc [dot] org>/

REFERENCES

1. JEWISH RENEWAL by Michael Lerner, Harper Perenniel 1995 (pages 91-95).
Rabbi Michael Lerner discusses the Joshua tradition.

2. THE BIBLE AND COLONIALISM by Michael Pryor, CM, Sheffield Academic
Press, 1997. Michael Pryor discusses the
Joshua passages in relation to Latin America, South Africa and Palestine

3. The Hebrew Bible book of Joshua.

4. Recent CPT postings, especially 1 June 1998, CPT VISITS BURNT WHEAT FIELDS,
by Bill Pluecker. An Israeli settler when asked about the arson committed
against his Palestinian neighbors in the burning of the newly harvested crop
of wheat, responded that since God had given (this land) to the Israelites,
they (the settlers) were the rightful rulers. CPT positings can be accessed
at http://www.cpt.org/