A Kind History

History. . .  Over the last month, historiographical questions have emerged as a central theme in my studies, readings and conversations.  This should come as no surprise, since history is central to defining our personal, regional, national and global narratives - our identities are influenced by memory, whether personal or collective.  As a result, the lifeblood of conflicts often dwells in the discrepancies of history.  I believe the following two observations from my recent experiences best underscore the significance and complexity of historical interpretation.

The View from Jordan

I do not profess to be the greatest archaeology enthusiast this land has ever seen - I also am aware that I am likely not relaying to you anything you don't already know.  Studying rocks and pottery simply has never seemed as dynamic as observing people.  Last week in Jordan, however, archaeology taught me an important lesson about history with forseeable application well beyond the strata of a tell.

The site in question was Ramoth Gilead, location of the death of king Ahab of Israel, as well as, on this day, the largest collection of drying laundry I have ever seen.  Home to a tell, or artificial mound created by layers of ruins, the land surrounding Ramoth Gilead also boasts a thriving industrial sector and new housing community.  Stepping off the bus, I was shocked to see one of the buildings (above which hung the aforementioned laundry) encroaching upon the tell itself.  I apparently appreciate archaeology more than this Jordan, I thought.  Of the miles of flat and barren plains that surrounded us, developers chose to juxtapose an apartment complex over ancient history.  I imagined archaeologists everywhere having nightmares about the image before me tantamount to those of young children fresh off an experience with E.T.

At the end of our visit to the battleground site—Israel grappling with Damascus is not a phenomenon confined to contemporary history—my professor engaged my curiosity regarding the voracity of Jordanian archaeology.  What are our motivations for unearthing history and how do they influence our excavation priorities? In Jordan a strong emphasis is placed on Islamic history and that alone.  It may be that Jordanians specifically or Arabs/Muslims in general worry about the implications of adding detail and color to the biblical stories, even those that show the Israelites in a less than perfect light.  Archaeology has the power to fill in blanks, connect puzzle pieces and create a richer history of Israelite presence in the land, a fact which suggests more truth to the historicity of the Jewish narrative proffered by modern religious Jews.

Yet this concept—that by destroying, hiding or merely ignoring history we can alter it—is hardly a secret, especially in the Middle East.  The numerous attempts to challenge the voracity of the Holocaust made popular by Iran only further highlight efforts to undermine the legitimacy of the State of Israel.  This is a pattern which will only lead those involved further and further from the peace they think they are seeking.

The Meaning of Yad Vashem

Last week, I hopped on bus 21 and headed for Mount Herzl, home of Yad Vashem, the elegant yet somber Israeli Holocaust memorial.  Always an intensely moving experience.  As I gradually marched through hall after hall of flagrantly horrific photos, videos and quotations, I contemplated the Jewish identity—they are the most downtrodden and marginalized people the world has ever known.  The role of my roots in this monumental tragedy, the failures of the church and humanity itself, were all too apparent to me.

And yet, as I exited the rear of the museum to the glorious view of the "Promised Land," I couldn't help but ask myself what message, what meaning, the procurators hoped the museum would endow.  One can scarcely take a breath in this land without recognizing the effects of a history of victimization on Jews in this land, and Yad Vashem rightfully represents the harrowing experiences of Jews during those dark hours.  My curiosity, however, centers on a simple phrase so often used in Israel: "Never Again."  What is it, exactly, that should "Never Again" happen?  Is it the oppression of a people, the relegation of them to second class citizens, or only the mass graves and gas chambers which haunt the dreams of Jews worldwide?  Is it that some realities should be placed in the column of "Never Again," or simply "Never Again to Us?"  In his book entitled The Holocaust Is Over; We Must Rise From its Ashes, Avraham Burg, the son of Holocaust survivors, advocates for a Jewish recognition of the effects of victimization, despite their undeniably horrific past.  A failure to do so today will continue to lead Israel down the path of the history it abhors - yet another example of the oppressed becoming the oppressors.  The mentality of Us vs. Them must not be allowed to gain ground in the Israeli democracy - Jews must take an honest look at how the failures of an identity of victimization are poisoning the very foundation of Israeli society and all but erasing the possibility of peaceful coexistence.

History is a fabric of stories, often muddled, often contradictory, but one that is still being written—not a closed list of events on which someone can reflect as our studies often suggest.  As Winston Churchill once famously stated, "History will be kind to me for I intend to write it."  The truth of the matter is that the influence of an individual or nation's desire to shape their historical narratives goes well beyond the borders of the “Modern Middle East.” We each attempt to shape history to some extent in our favor.  As an American, I am constantly reminded of the history of indigenous peoples in the land we today call our own, and how our crimes were born in part out of a narritive of "oppression."  As a Christian, the memory of our crusades, our Anti-Semetism and our Inquisitions burns daily in a land which felt the brunt of the pain.  Writing history, when done of truth and in earnest, is an unavoidable and beneficial reality of life.  But to Churchill I ask, Is writing a "kind history" really worth the price?