[Virtual Immersion] Facing Despair, Fear, and Anger Together - Mercy Aiken and Bruce Fisk

Mending Divides

Our next Virtual Immersion conversation into the Israel/Gaza war wrestles with what to do as peacemakers when we drift into despair, give in to fear, or move in our anger from righteous indignation to dehumanizing rage. Jer Swigart is joined by Mercy Aiken and Bruce Fisk from the Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East (NEME), who are navigating these realities while fighting like peacemakers for an end to this suffering.

The discussion is anchored in their personal stories of awakening to the injustices and complexities of the crisis, centered on the transition from being pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian to adopting a pro-human perspective.

The conversation delves into the costs of taking such a stance, highlighting the personal, professional, and emotional tolls and the importance of solidarity and relationship-building in pursuing peace. The dialogue shifts to confronting feelings of despair, the challenges of maintaining hope, and the complexities of managing anger without dehumanizing the other, all towards growing our resilience and deepening our souls for sustained practice.

00:00 Opening Context

06:53 Mercy and Bruce Introductions

09:57 Waking up to a Larger Story

20:29 Pro-human is not neutral

22:39 The high cost of leaving a Pro-Israel Christianity

32:18 Despair, Fear, and Anger

40:58 What to do with despair

46:10 Anger

The Virtual Immersion is a series of conversations to platform and amplify the experiences and insights of our Palestinian and Israeli friends and peacemaking partners. The live conversations first take place on Instagram Live @globalimmerse, and are then made available as podcast episodes. These are vulnerable, challenging conversations with peacemakers embedded within this war's trenches.

Support our work at globalimmerse.org/donate

Learn more about NEME's work: neme.network