“Taking up a sword”: A missiological reflection of violence in Gaza in the light of a missional reading of Luke 22:47-53 and global sustainability

Abstract

“Lord, shall we strike with a sword?” (Luke 22:49). This article seeks to interrogate this religious question in the context of global wars, and particularly the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The question which this article seeks to answer is whether it is correct for both Israel and Hamas to lift their swords in the name of God and for God. While interrogating this context through the lens of a missiological reading of Luke 22:47-53, it became clear that this war is not only disruptive, violent, and an assault on a triad of God, humanity and entire creation, but also have devastating consequences, as in the death of many civilians, including women and children, in the Gaza Strip. This article proposes a missional ecclesiology and ecclesial praxis, which defines a missional church as an agent of transformative encounters interfacing with and mediating the shalom of God in the face of global wars and woundedness. The missional reading of Luke 22:47-53 calls for a ceasefire in favour of love, peace, forgiveness, reconciliation, and solidarity with humanity irrespective of their religious affiliation.