This webinar analyzed the war on Gaza and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts from an Anglican perspective, examining Anglican mission and colonial legacy in the Middle East, and responses of Anglican churches from different parts of the Anglican Communion to the current crisis. Panelists discussed Christian Zionism; religion and peacebuilding; faith, trauma, and suffering; and hope as a lived practice in community.
-
Dr. Kwok Pui Lan
Moderator / EDS Distinguished Scholar
Dr. Kwok Pui Lan was Dean’s Professor of Systematic Theology at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, and a past president of the American Academy of Religion. Before that, she taught theology and spirituality at the Episcopal Divinity School. She has authored and edited numerous books on Asian and Asian American feminist theology, biblical interpretation, and postcolonial criticism. She is the author of The Anglican Tradition from a Postcolonial Perspective and editor of Transpacific Political Theology. She received the Lanfranc Award for Education and Scholarship from the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2021.
-
The Rev. Dr. Fadi Diab
Ramallah, Palestine
The Rev. Dr. Fadi Diab is a Palestinian priest, theologian, writer, and advocate for justice and peace. He serves as the rector of St. Andrew’s Church in Ramallah and St. Peter’s Church in Birzeit and provides pastoral leadership across multiple institutions in the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, including the Episcopal School, Medical Centre, and Evangelical Home for Children. A key figure in interfaith and justice movements, he co-authored the Kairos Palestine Document and serves on the board of Kairos Palestine, the Palestine-Israeli Theologians Forum, and the Al Ahli Arab Hospital (Gaza) board. Fr. Diab holds degrees from the Near East School of Theology, Chicago Theological Seminary, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and Virginia Theological Seminary.
-
The Rev. Canon Leyla K. King
Texas, United States
The Rev. Canon Leyla K. King is an Episcopal priest, writer, educator, and advocate for small church ministry. She serves as the Canon for Mission in Small Congregations for the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, supporting and strengthening small churches across the region. A founding member of the Small Churches Big Impact Collective, she works to highlight the beauty and resilience of small congregations. A proud Palestinian-American, she is committed to amplifying the voices of Palestinian Christians within The Episcopal Church. Ordained in 2009, she holds degrees from Harvard University, Dartmouth College, and completed Arabic studies at Middlebury College. She resides in Austin, Texas, with her husband and three children.
-
The Rev. William Roberts '79
Ontario, Canada
The Rev. William Roberts is an Anglican priest, former legislator, and expert in health policy and public leadership. A graduate of the Episcopal Divinity School, he was twice elected as a New Democrat Member of the Alberta Legislature, focusing on health care reform. With an MBA in Health Management, he has worked extensively in policy and leadership development, including founding the Whistler Forum for Leadership and Dialogue. As the Interim Executive Director of Sabeel in Jerusalem (2014–2016), he engaged in advocacy for Palestinian liberation and worked with Al Ahli Anglican Hospital in Gaza. He is currently focused on water justice efforts in Jordan and the Jordan River Valley.
-
The Rev. Dr. James Walters
London, United Kingdom
The Rev. Dr. James Walters is a priest, theologian, and scholar of interfaith relations. He is the founding director of the Faith Centre at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he promotes religious literacy and interfaith leadership. For six years, he led immersive learning programs in Israel-Palestine, engaging Muslim, Jewish, and Christian students in understanding the religious dimensions of the conflict. A professor in practice at LSE's Department of International Relations, he is actively involved in global interreligious dialogues and advocacy for religious freedom. He is the author of several books, including Loving Your Neighbour in an Age of Religious Conflict (2019), and serves as a canon theologian at Chichester Cathedral.