The experience of international volunteers doing liberation theology in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Abstract

The objective of this research is to describe how the experience of working for social justice in the context of occupied Palestine, from the point of view of a sample of international volunteers, is aligned with the Palestinian liberation theology of Naim Ateek and the Palestinian contextual theology of Mitri Raheb. This paper begins by summarizing the historical trends and antecedents of liberation theology and the development of liberation theology in Latin America. This paper then outlines key aspects of the historical, social, psychological and religious contexts of life in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as well as unique aspects of Palestinian liberation and contextual theologies. The paper then presents the results of interviews with seven international volunteers who participated in various forms of non-violent resistance and witness activities in occupied Palestine. The theologies of Ateek and Raheb are used as tools for discussing the results of the interviews.