Universalism And Nationalism In Palestinian Christian Thought: Naim Ateek'S Theology And The Paradigm Of The Exodus

Palestinian Christian theologian Naim Ateek has argued against the Zionist interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, claiming that it favors a national reading of the Bible and contradicts the Christian understanding of a universal God. Ateek's use of the terms "universalism" and "nationalism" ought to be understood in the context of the post-World War II encounter between the Christian discourse on Judaism and the discourse on Liberation Theology, as well as in the context of a political conflict over land/territory that has turned increasingly national-religious. The Exodus paradigm is a useful case in point, as it is central to both the Zionist movement and Liberation Theology. Although liberation theologians perceive the Exodus story as an integral part of its own religious history, the Zionist movement's reading of this story creates a monopoly on this paradigm that prevents Palestinian theologians from using it for their own purposes.