Church goes forward on divestment; Presbyterian plan widens Jewish rift


By Manya A. Brachear

The Chicago Tribune
10 November 2004


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Church goes forward on divestment
Presbyterian plan widens Jewish rift

By Manya A. Brachear
Tribune staff reporter
Published November 10, 2004

Despite an outcry from American Jews, a Presbyterian Church (USA) committee has taken its first steps toward a process of selective divestment of it's financial stake in companies that profit from the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

On Tuesday, the church announced the standards it would use to identify which companies in its portfolio perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian discord. Once identified, those companies will be asked to change their business practices with parties that play a role in the conflict.

The church, which traces its history to the 16th Century and the Protestant Reformation, has about 2.5 million members, 11,200 congregations and 21,000 ordained ministers.

The church has not determined how much of its $8 billion in holdings would qualify for potential divestment. The last time the church voted with its portfolio to protest a foreign government was to deter Sudan's Islamic government from waging war on Christians and animists in the southern part of the country. Divestment was also used to encourage an end to apartheid in South Africa.

The step toward divestment in the Middle East further deepens the rift between Presbyterians and Jews, among whom relations were starting to fray.

Anger intensified last month when, shortly after a visit to Chicago, a Presbyterian theologian accompanied a church delegation to Lebanon to meet with leaders of the militant group Hezbollah. Local Jews were offended by his comments that Islamic leaders were easier to talk to than Jews.

On Wednesday about 30 Presbyterian and Jewish delegates from Chicago will resume a formal dialogue to confront the explosive issues head on.

Jewish opponents view the divestment strategy, adopted in July, as an effort to undermine Israel. Presbyterian proponents say it's an attempt to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that threatens their missions in the Middle East and to end oppression of the Palestinians.

If conversations between the church and the companies reach an impasse, divestment would not take place until the church's governing body meets again in 2006. It would not take place at all if companies cooperate or Israeli occupation ends, the separation barrier falls and a peaceful agreement is reached on settlements.

By deciding to go forward, some experts say, the Presbyterians may encourage other mainline Protestant churches to follow suit. The topic of divestment has been raised within the United Church of Christ and the United Methodists, as well as within the Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church is the American arm.

Such a domino effect, experts say, would threaten centuries of progress in Christian and Jewish relations.

"I think the implications are very serious in that we don't yet have a full sense of how much damage has been done and what can be done to repair that damage," said Rev. Paul Rutgers, executive director for the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago and a Presbyterian who opposes the divestment strategy.

Others said the move has raised the bar for interfaith dialogue by putting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict--long considered too volatile a topic for inter-religious discussions--at the top of the agenda for talks between Protestants and Jews.

"The Presbyterians are kind of putting down the gauntlet," said Rev. John Pawlikowski, director of the Catholic-Jewish studies program at Catholic Theological Union and president of the International Council of Christians and Jews.

Jews said they felt penalized for defending their homeland against Palestinian militants.

"For Jews, divestment was the equivalent of boycott, said Emily Soloff, executive director of the Chicago chapter of the American Jewish Committee. "And the Jewish community has many years of experience at the wrong end of boycotts."

But Rev. John Buchanan, senior pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, said it is not a matter of taking sides.

"It is not an attack on Israel," Buchanan said. "It is a modest attempt by one small denomination to say a word of peace and justice and hope in the middle of continuing mind-numbing violence and human suffering."

On Tuesday, the church announced it would target companies that operate on occupied land; sell products, services or technology to support Israeli settlements or the construction of the separation barrier; or do business with organizations that support violence against innocent civilians.

Companies can balance their business practices by protesting the occupation, helping victims, contributing to a viable economy for an independent Palestinian state, or employing Israeli Arabs or Palestinians.

Once companies are named, negotiations will begin. If they fail, the church will submit shareholder resolutions. And if that does not succeed, the church's General Assembly will vote on whether to divest.

"The goal is not to divest but persuade organizations to change their behavior," said Jerry Van Marter, director of the Presbyterian News Service.

Still, some Presbyterian pastors have denounced the strategy. And veterans of inter-religious dialogue say relations already have suffered irreparable damage. Two Jewish representatives have withdrawn from the formal dialogue.

"Jews feel attacked," said Rev. Stanley Davis, a longtime facilitator of interfaith relations in Chicago. "This has cast a pall on all mainline Protestants."

To steer other mainline Protestants away from similar action, Jewish leaders have engaged other denominations in dialogue. Individual congregations also have joined forces to find a resolution.

Members of Chicago Sinai Congregation and Fourth Presbyterian have launched an initiative to study Scripture, discuss theology and confront issues in the Middle East.

Rabbi Michael Sternfield said he hopes it will allow the two congregations, which have been longtime partners, to renew that friendship. Members of Chicago Sinai and Congregation Kol Ami have joined with Fourth Presbyterian to run soup kitchens. "Instead of grumbling about each other ... we both believe in handling it constructively," Sternfield said.


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