화해의 긴급성 (룰라 쿠리 만수르)

화해의 긴급성 :

10월 7일(하마스의 이스라엘 침공) 이후 1년이 지난 제4차 로잔 대회에서의 성찰   

 

2024년 10월 10일

룰라 쿠리 만수르 Dr. Rula Khoury Mansour

 

 

요약 (By Chat GPT)

 

이 글은 2023년 10월 7일 이스라엘-가자 전쟁 1주년을 맞아, 갈등 속에서 화해와 평화 구축의 필요성을 강조하는 내용을 담고 있습니다. 저자인 Dr. Rula Khoury Mansour는 화해가 단순한 법적 틀을 넘어, 관계를 회복하고 인간의 존엄성을 회복하는 과정이라고 설명합니다. 그녀는 나사렛 평화연구소에서 진행 중인 평화 구축 활동을 설명하며, 진실 공유, 용서, 정의, 그리고 함께하는 미래라는 화해의 네 가지 핵심 요소를 강조합니다.

 

화해는 진실을 소유하려는 태도에서 벗어나, 진실을 찾고 상대방의 관점을 경청하는 것을 포함합니다. 용서는 과거를 부정하거나 정의를 무시하는 것이 아니라, 정의를 강화하고 치유를 위한 공간을 만듭니다. 또한 정의는 억압받은 자들의 존엄성을 회복하고, 갈등의 근본 원인을 해결하는 데 필수적입니다. 진정한 화해는 서로를 배제하지 않고, 함께 평화로운 미래를 꿈꾸며 살아가는 것입니다.

 

교회는 이 갈등 속에서 중립적인 입장을 취하며, 양측을 하나님께로 이끄는 다리가 되어야 한다고 강조합니다. 저자는 기독교인들이 전 세계적으로 이 사명에 동참하고, 중동 지역의 고통받는 이들과 함께할 것을 촉구합니다.

 

마지막으로, 저자는 전쟁과 고통 속에서도 화해를 위한 길을 포기하지 말고, 작은 승리들을 기념하며 희망을 잃지 말 것을 강조합니다. 화해의 사명은 단순히 우리가 하는 일이 아니라, 우리 정체성의 핵심에 깊이 뿌리내린 소명임을 강조하며, 이 어려운 길을 걸어가야 한다고 주장합니다. 

 

(왼쪽) 하마스의 이스라엘 침공 // (오른쪽) 이스라엘의 가자지구 병원과 학교 공습

 

 

 

본문

이스라엘-가자 전쟁 1주년을 맞아 반성할 때, 나는 이렇게 묻지 않을 수 없습니다. "우리는 무엇을 얻었는가? 앞으로 우리는 어디로 가야 하는가?" 이러한 질문들은 제 마음을 무겁게 짓누르며, 우리가 나사렛 평화 연구소에서 일하며 개인과 지역사회를 평화 건설자로서 역량을 키우기 위해 일하는 일의 긴박성을 형성합니다.

이러한 깊은 성찰과 무거운 마음을 안고 저는 서울로 향했습니다. 2024년 제4차 로잔대회에서 전 세계 202개국의 5,200명 이상의 지도자들이 모인 자리에서 저는 우리의 이야기를 나누었습니다. 그것은 계속되는 고통과 분열 속에서의 희망과 평화에 대한 깊은 갈망의 이야기였습니다.

저는 저녁 본회의 패널에서 ‘화해 - 깨어진 지역에서의 교회의 책임’이라는 주제로 이야기를 나눴습니다. 우크라이나, 부룬디, 콩고에서 온 세 명의 패널리스트와 함께 우리는 우리의 평화 건설 여정을 공유했습니다. 전 세계에서 모인 이들 앞에서 저는 저의 이야기뿐만 아니라, 고향인 성지와 중동, 즉 가자, 서안, 이스라엘, 레바논에서 계속해서 분쟁을 겪고 있는 사람들의 이야기를 대표하고 있음을 느꼈습니다. 2023년 10월 7일 전쟁이 발발하면서, 그들의 고통이 그 어느 때보다 가깝게 느껴졌습니다.

저는 법학도로서 그리고 공공 검사로서 정의가 법적인 수단을 통해 이루어질 수 있다고 믿으며 평화 건설 여정을 시작했습니다. 그러나 하나님께서는 저에게 다른 계획을 가지고 계셨습니다. 저는 곧 법이 중요하지만, 마음을 치유할 수는 없다는 것을 깨달았습니다. 진정한 화해는 법적 틀을 넘어서는 것이며, 관계를 회복하고 인간의 존엄성을 회복하는 것입니다. 이 깨달음은 제가 그리스도의 진리, 용서, 정의에 대한 가르침이 우리 분열된 땅에 어떻게 치유를 가져올 수 있을지 더 깊이 탐구하게 했습니다.

**화해의 네 가지 기둥**

제가 나사렛 평화 연구소에서 일할 때 저를 이끄는 화해의 핵심 요소들은 진리 공유, 용서, 정의, 그리고 공동의 미래입니다. 이러한 원칙들은 진정한 치유와 지속 가능한 평화를 위해 필수적입니다. 그것들은 악을 선으로 이기는 하나님의 전략을 나타내며, 우리는 정직을 거짓보다 우선시하고, 복수를 용서와 정의로, 증오를 사랑으로, 배제를 포용으로 변형시키는 일에 헌신하고 있습니다.

우리의 분쟁에서는 모두가 자신만이 진리를 소유하고 있다고 생각하여, 우리는 비난과 복수의 악순환에 갇히게 됩니다. 진리 공유는 '진리 소유'에서 '진리 탐구'로의 전환을 요구하며, 이는 우리가 전부를 알고 있지 않거나 잘못된 정보를 가지고 있을 수 있다는 겸손을 필요로 합니다. 또한, 우리의 신념이나 정체성을 도전하는 다른 사람들의 관점을 기꺼이 듣고자 하는 마음을 요구합니다.

치유는 정직에서 시작됩니다. 진실 위원회들은 치유가 진실을 말하는 것에서 시작된다는 것을 보여줍니다. 이는 저지른 잘못과 겪은 고통을 인정하는 것을 포함합니다. 이 과정은 고통스러운 역사를 직면하고, 피해 의식과 분노를 부추기는 서사를 넘어 공동의 서사나 최소한 다양한 역사를 상호 인정하는 방향으로 나아가는 것을 요구합니다.

용서는 종종 가장 어려운 부분입니다. 대규모 살육 이후 사람들에게 용서를 요구하는 것은 모욕적으로 느껴질 수 있으며, "결코 잊지 말고, 결코 용서하지 말라"는 문구가 그들의 고통을 기리는 유일한 방법처럼 느껴질 수 있습니다. 그러나 그러한 사고방식을 고수하는 것은 상처를 더 깊게 할 뿐입니다. 용서는 과거가 일어나지 않았다고 가장하거나 정의를 포기하는 것이 아닙니다. 오히려, 용서는 정의를 높이고 진실을 말하고 치유할 수 있는 공간을 만듭니다. 그것은 적대감과 화해 사이의 다리이며, 우리는 '적'을 다시 인간으로 인식하기 시작하는 지점입니다.

우리의 상황에서는 증오와 트라우마가 깊게 뿌리박혀 있기 때문에, 용서는 약함의 표시가 아니라 급진적이고 변혁적인 선택입니다. 그것은 폭력의 악순환을 끊고, 악을 선으로 이기는 하나님의 전략의 일부입니다.

정의는 화해의 맥락에서 존엄성과 권리를 회복하고, 잘못을 저지른 자에게 책임을 묻고, 부서진 것을 고침으로써 치유를 촉진합니다. 진정한 화해는 체계적인 불의를 직면하고, 분쟁의 근본 원인을 해결하며, 모든 당사자들에게 공정한 해결을 보장하는 것을 요구합니다. 정의 없이는 평화는 공허하며, 용서 없이는 정의가 또 다른 싸움의 무기가 됩니다. 국적 차원에서 회복적 정의가 치유를 촉진하는 나라는 세 가지 주요 목표를 달성합니다. 이는 잔혹 행위를 기록하고, 피해자의 고통을 인정하며, 가해자에게 책임을 묻되, 화해를 추구하는 것입니다.

 

**교회의 역할과 앞으로의 길**

화해의 비전은 전쟁이 격화되고 증오와 극단주의의 목소리가 커지는 가운데 특히 이상적으로 보일 수 있습니다. 그러나 이 분쟁은 단순히 땅이나 오래된 주장에 관한 것이 아닙니다. 이는 실제 사람들, 즉 그 복잡성 속에 갇히고, 그 비극을 겪으며, 존엄성, 안전, 그리고 자신들의 고향을 간절히 원하는 팔레스타인인과 이스라엘인에 관한 이야기입니다. 이러한 깊이 뿌리박힌 고통과 폭력의 맥락에서 역사적 화해는 사치가 아니라 절대적인 필수 요소입니다. 그것 없이는 폭력의 악순환이 계속될 뿐입니다.

기독교에서 화해는 신성한 사명입니다. 우리는 불의에 맞서고 어둠 속에 희망을 가져오며 하나님의 회복과 치유의 사명에 참여하라는 부름을 받았습니다. 교회의 역할은 어느 한편을 지지하는 것이 아니라, 양측을 서로 그리고 하나님께 가까이 이끄는 다리가 되는 것입니다. 이 사명을 살아갈 때, 우리는 하나님의 화해 사랑을 행동으로 구현하여, 상처가 치유되고 적들이 사랑받으며 희망이 지속되는 하나님의 나라를 반영합니다.

서울에서 저와 같은 평화의 비전을 공유하는 지도자들과 연결된 것은 깊은 감동을 주었습니다. 교회는 모든 대륙에 걸쳐 우리 세상에서 치유의 힘으로 부름받았습니다. 하나님의 가족으로서, 우리는 서로의 짐을 짊어지기 위해 존재합니다. 이는 단지 성지에서의 교회의 책임일 뿐만 아니라 전 세계적인 부름입니다. 저는 대회의 마무리 발언에서 우리의 세계적인 가족이 중동 교회와 함께 서서, 가자, 서안, 이스라엘, 레바논에서 고통받는 이들을 지원할 것을 촉구했습니다. 함께 우리는 목소리를 높여, 진리를 추구하며, 용서를 촉진하고, 전쟁의 종식과 분쟁의 공정한 해결을 위해 노력해야 합니다.

 

**폭풍 속에서의 희망**

전쟁으로 피폐해진 땅으로 돌아가는 것은 극도로 힘든 일입니다. 파괴된 장면들, 잃어버린 생명들, 상처 입은 자들과 이재민들의 울부짖음, 그리고 공기 중에 퍼져 있는 두려움—이것들은 무겁고 마음을 아프게 하는 짐입니다. 그럼에도 불구하고, 이러한 순간들 속에서 저는 화해의 긴급한 필요성을 상기하게 됩니다. 고통에 둘러싸여 있을 때 희망을 잃기 쉽지만, 우리는 고통받는 이들을 위해 희망을 전하라는 부름을 받았습니다. 화해의 작업은 쉽지 않은 길이지만, 우리가 가야 할 길입니다.  이 여정에서 우리는 고통이 단순한 시련이 아니라 사명의 일부임을 깨닫게 됩니다.

 

갈등이 우리 주변에서 격화될 때에도 우리가 화해의 일에 헌신할 수 있게 하는 것은 이 부름이 우리 존재의 근본에 깊이 얽혀 있다는 깊은 이해입니다. 이것은 단순히 우리가 하는 일이 아니라, 우리의 정체성의 필수적인 부분입니다. 하나님과 함께 계곡을 걸으며, 신실한 자들을 통해 역사하시는 하나님의 구속의 능력을 목격하는 것에는 깊고 지속적인 기쁨이 있습니다. 이 여정에서 우리는 고난이 단순히 견뎌야 할 시련이 아니라, 우리와 우리가 섬기는 사람들을 형성하는 사명의 일부임을 깨닫게 됩니다. 그리고 어둠 속에서도 작은 승리를 붙들고 기뻐하며, 작은 빛이라도 어둠을 뚫고 나아갈 수 있음을 기억합니다.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://nazarethpeace.org/urgency-of-reconciliation-insights-from-the-4th-lausanne-congress-one-year-after-7-october/?fbclid=IwY2xjawF-kjtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHbU4DqWbvv99G3AW5D2CxruvrUqf9Q-7AA4w_yr1SIjHWaUZqIlV-xlSUw_aem_aerapSk22nWa9-JvqpLHPg

 

The Urgency of Reconciliation: Reflections from the 4th Lausanne Congress, One Year After October 7- By Dr. Rula Khoury Mansour

October 10, 2024

 

Reflecting on the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Gaza war, I can’t help but wonder: What have we gained? Where do we go from here? These questions weigh heavily on my heart, shaping the urgency of our work at the Nazareth Center for Peace Studies where we work on the grassroots level to empower individuals and communities as peacebuilders.

 

With this deep sense of reflection and a heavy heart, I traveled to Seoul, carrying these realities. It was in this context that I spoke at the 4th Lausanne Congress, where over 5,200 leaders from 202 countries gathered. I shared our story—a story of hope and a deep longing for peace—amid the ongoing suffering and division in the Holy Land.

 

The theme of my talk during the evening plenary panel was ‘Reconciliation – The Church’s Responsibility in Areas of Brokenness.’ Alongside three other panelists from Ukraine, Burundi, and Congo, we were invited to share our peacebuilding journeys. Standing before this global gathering, I felt the weight of not only representing my story but also the people back home in the Holy Land and the Middle East—those in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and Lebanon—who have faced conflict for as long as I can remember. With the latest war breaking out on October 7, the sense of devastation feels closer than ever.

 

During my talk, I shared my peacebuilding journey, which started as a law student and then as a public prosecutor, believing that justice could be achieved through legal means. However, God had different plans for me. I soon came to understand that while laws are important, they cannot heal hearts. True reconciliation goes beyond legal frameworks; it’s about repairing relationships and restoring human dignity. This insight inspired me to further my studies, exploring how Christ’s teachings on truth, forgiveness, and justice could offer healing to our fractured land.

 

 

The Four Pillars of Reconciliation

 

In my talk, I emphasized the core elements of reconciliation that guide our work at the Nazareth Center for Peace Studies: shared truth, forgiveness, justice, and a shared future. These principles are essential for genuine healing and sustainable peace. They represent the Kingdom’s strategy for overcoming evil with good, where we are dedicated to transforming hearts and minds—promoting honesty over falsehood, forgiveness and justice over revenge, love over hatred, and inclusion over exclusion.

 

In our conflict everyone thinks they have exclusive ownership of the truth, this way we end up trapped in a cycle of blame and revenge. Shared truth calls for a shift from ‘truth-owning’ to ‘truth-seeking,’ which requires the humility to recognize that we may not have the full picture or might even be misinformed. It also demands a willingness to listen to others’ perspectives, even when they challenge our convictions or sense of identity.

 

Healing begins with honesty. Truth commissions demonstrate that healing starts with truth-telling—acknowledging both the wrongs committed and the pain endured. This process requires confronting painful histories and moving beyond narratives that fuel victimhood and anger, toward a shared narrative or, at the very least, mutually acknowledged diverse histories.

 

Forgiveness is often the hardest part. Asking people to forgive after mass killings can seem offensive, as the phrase “Never forget, never forgive” might feel like the only way to honor their pain. However, holding onto that mindset only deepens the wounds. Forgiveness doesn’t pretend the past didn’t happen or letting go of justice. Instead, forgiveness elevates justice, creating space for truth-telling and healing. It is the bridge between enmity and reconciliation, where we start to recognize the “enemy” as human again.

 

In our context, where hatred and trauma run deep, forgiveness is not a sign of weakness but a radical and transformative choice. It breaks the cycle of violence and is part of the Kingdom’s strategy of overcoming evil with good.

 

Justice, in the context of reconciliation, fosters healing by restoring dignity and rights, holding wrongdoers accountable, and repairing what’s broken. True reconciliation demands confronting systemic injustices, addressing the root causes of the conflict, and ensuring a just resolution for all parties. Without justice, peace is hollow; and without forgiveness, justice becomes another weapon in the fight. In nations where restorative justice has facilitated healing on a national level, it accomplishes three key objectives: documenting atrocities, acknowledging the suffering of victims, and holding perpetrators accountable while seeking reconciliation.

 

The real challenge lies in envisioning a shared future. Currently, exclusion and separation dominate life in the Holy Land, with radical groups on both sides seeing themselves as pure without the other. Yet, God’s love embraces all of us, and true reconciliation calls us to do the same. After addressing the root causes of the conflict and working toward a just solution healing comes to reconciling past suffering with present realities, through continuous personal, community, and political actions.

 

Reconciliation envisions a shared future where peaceful coexistence becomes possible, and past wounds no longer define relationships. It requires sincere apologies and reparations—both symbolic and material—that recognize pain and wrongdoing, restore dignity, and raise public awareness. These are essential steps toward genuine healing and meaningful social change.

 

 

The Church’s Role and the Path Ahead

 

This vision of reconciliation may seem aspirational, especially as war escalates and voices of hatred and extremism grow louder on both sides—even, sadly, within some Christian circles. yet this conflict isn’t just about land or ancient claims; it’s about real people—Palestinians and Israelis—trapped in its complexities, suffering its tragedies, and longing for dignity, security, and a place to call home. In such a deeply rooted context of pain and violence, historical reconciliation isn’t a luxury; it’s an absolute necessity. Without it, the cycle of violence will only continue.

 

In Christianity, reconciliation is a divine mandate. We are called to participate in God’s mission of restoration and healing by stepping into brokenness, confronting injustice, and bringing hope to the darkest places. The Church’s role is not to take sides but to serve as a bridge, drawing both sides closer to each other and to God. By living out this mission, we embody God’s reconciling love in action, reflecting the Kingdom of God, where wounds are healed, enemies are loved, and hope endures.

 

Connecting with leaders who share this vision of peace was deeply moving. The Church, spanning every continent, is called to be a force of healing in our world. As God’s family, we are meant to carry each other’s burdens—this isn’t just the Church’s responsibility in the Holy Land; it’s a global calling. In my closing remarks at the Congress, I urged our global family to stand with the Church in the Middle East and support those suffering in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and Lebanon. Together, we must speak out, seek shared truth, foster forgiveness, and advocate for an end to the war and a just resolution to the ongoing conflict.

 

 

Hope Amidst the Storm

 

Returning from Seoul to a war-torn land has been extremely challenging, to say the least. The scenes of destruction, the loss of life, the cries of the wounded and the displaced, and the pervasive fear in the air—these are heavy and heartbreaking burdens to carry. Yet, in these moments, I am reminded of the urgent need for reconciliation. It’s easy to lose hope when surrounded by pain, but we are called to be bearers of hope for those who suffer, even when it feels impossible. We are called to stand in the gap, speak the truth even when it challenges our deepest convictions, extend forgiveness where it seems undeserved, and pursue justice that restores dignity and heals relationships. This is the work of reconciliation; it is not an easy path, but it is the path we are called to walk.

 

What keeps us committed to the work of reconciliation, even when conflict rages around us, is the profound understanding that this calling is woven into the very fabric of who we are—it’s not just something we do, but an integral part of our identity. There is a deep, abiding joy in walking through the valleys with God, witnessing His redemptive power at work through the hands of those who remain faithful. In this journey, we come to realize that suffering isn’t merely a hardship to endure—it’s part of the mission, shaping both us and those we serve. And in the midst of the darkness, hold onto and celebrate the small victories, knowing that even small lights can break through the darkness.