On Gaza and the American church: applying Research about Paths of De-radicalization and Conversion
Listen to Scott's interview on the Determine Truth Livestream discussing the situation in the Levant, research findings, the early church, and the Gaza conflict.
I had the privilege to talk with Rob Dalrymple and Danny Hall on the Determine Truth podcast/livestream this week. We discussed deradicalization and conversion research in the Levant, the early church context and how we might apply deradicalization findings to the current Gaza conflict.
Key Takeaways:
Extremists don’t “give a damn about theology” most are motivated by a complex mix of psychological, social and personal factors. Grievances play a huge role and, unaddressed, motivate some to participate in violent conflict.
Honor and Shame are far more influential dynamics in the Middle East (as compared to guilt/innocence). A “quest for significance” and/or defending the honor of a tribe, religious group or family are strong motivators for behavior.
Retribution, military retaliation and hostility rarely steer extremists away from their ideologies or behavior, however, from this research belonging, relationships and social structures that welcome the enemy were far more influential.
The early church model of patience, non-violence, love of enemy and care for the marginalized was a huge factor in the multiplication of the church in the first 4 centuries. We are seeing this duplicated in the Levantine church today.
A sense of belonging comes first in a process of ideological or religious change, then behavior and beliefs. The typical Western approach to change approaches belief first, arguing intellectual facts, but this rarely changes people.
Applying findings to the dynamics of how the church should address the dangers of Christian Nationalism in the US, Christians might consider ‘sitting at the feet’ of those with grievances and simply listening first rather than arguing. For the Middle Eastern church this is a critical component of mission.
What can the American church learn from the Middle Eastern Church?
We have a drastic misunderstanding of how people change. We think shaming, confronting, coercive force and direct power plays influence people to change and the research disagrees.
Christ demonstrated left-handed power through relational influence, service, love while the church in the West seems to prefer right-handed power as the primary way to influence their societies.
The traits Jesus was known for are sorely lacking in the Western church.. power, wealth and coercion are far more prevalent than humility, love and service.
Being ‘right’ or theologically correct seems to capture out-sized importance in the Western church and even out of sync with behavior and attitudes. If ‘love’ and Christ-likeness are the primary measures of spiritual maturity our truth-claims must match behaviors and attitudes in order to be influential.
So what about Israel and Gaza?
Militaristic retribution, collective punishment, asymmetric responses are likely only creating more extremists and radicalizing a whole new generation.
Christians have a unique contribution to the global dialogue on war and conflict that is historically rooted in peacemaking. We are in danger of failing this historic calling when we appeal to just war or self defense.
The testimony of the church is injured when Christians advocate for violence, it is antithetical to the ways of Jesus. Through the centuries the church has incarnationally embodied peace in conflict. This is our unique contribution to the world.
Violence begets more violence… how many Israelis are now on the side of the Palestinians as a result of kidnapping and killing on Oct 7? How many Gazans are closer to the Israeli viewpoint as a result of 40,000 civilian deaths?
Just war theory, often cited in conflict, was a drastic turn from the ethic of the early church’s first 400 years. The first church was strictly committed to non-violence and peace even as a persecuted minority.
Christians today in the West seem far more interested in propagating the logic of the state instead of the logic of the Kingdom. Instead of supporting the war, ideologically justifying the war and defending militaristic interventions, the heritage and unique calling of christians is peace-making. This is sorely lacking in today’s conflict.
If the church (and/or Western nations) invested in infrastructure, education, healthcare, economic and employment opportunities, root-causes may be better addressed and long-term peace might be achieved.