S2. Ep 7. Empathic Imagination, Mutual Flourishing, and Israel-Palestine

EPISODE DETAILS

This week on the Empathy Table, Ideos’ Amar Peterman is joined by David Katibah, Director of Communications and Christian Engagement at Telos Group. 

David shares about his work atTelos which intersects with his story of growing up in a post-9/11 world as a person of mixed Middle Eastern heritage. Amar and David talk about the conflicts in Israel-Palestine and the reflexive defensiveness of Christians in support of Israel that contributes to a polarized imagination of winners and losers, rather than mutual flourishing. Amar encourages us to embrace an intellectual and empathic humility when engaging in these complex issues.

Finally, David reminds us that our aim is for mutual liberation—the marginalized from oppression and oppressors from the lies of colonization and power that inhibit their own true flourishing. True, mutual flourishing only exists when both oppressor and oppressed are released from the bondage of this binary imagination. Amar and David also discuss the need for repentance and transformation within the church, and our call to build, with Christ, a kingdom of Shalom.