‘War is not the solution but the consequence of failure’: Evangelicals call for an end to the violence in Iran
By Daniel Hofkamp - Posted at Evangelical Focus:
Christian leaders partnering in the Middle East lament the conflict after the Israeli and US attacks on Iran. They call to seek reconciliation and pray for the protection of the most vulnerable.The new military escalation, following attacks by Israel and the United States against targets in Iran and Iran's response, has plunged the Middle East into what Christian leaders describe as a “heavy and strange moment”.
Amid growing fear, evangelical voices from Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth are calling for prayer and a Christ-centred focus.
Zaza Lima is a psychologist and theologian with decades of experience in missionary work among Arab peoples and in Muslim-majority contexts. When the attacks began on Saturday, she was at a meeting with Christian leaders from the Middle East, hearing first-hand about the emotional impact of the escalation.
“Everyone was talking about the pain and the trauma”, says Zaza Lima, speaking to Spanish news website, Protestante Digital.
She explains that the meeting was a time to reflect and share the pain with people from different places, who may currently be experiencing missile strikes and attacks from the armies involved in a bloody battle.
“I don't have a voice to represent everyone. I speak as a friend, as someone who loves, prays for, and supports others”, adds Lima, who is currently studying at Bethlehem Bible College, where she is in close contact with Palestinian Christians, Arab believers who are Israeli citizens, and other evangelical leaders in the region.
