Paths of Hope: seeking justice and compassion for Palestinians and Israelis

Paths of Hope: seeking justice and compassion for Palestinians and Israelis 7.30pm Monday 10th November. St Laurence Church, Stroud
Author Matthew Teller in dialogue with The Rt Revd Rachel Treweek (Bishop of Gloucester), moderated by Judith Large.

This event will take a long-term perspective on the possibilities for a just peace for the inhabitants of the lands of Israel-Palestine, based on equal rights and dignity for all. Matthew Teller will explore the prospects for a just “two-state solution” and for alternatives such as a single state governed through “nonterritorial autonomy”. Bishop Rachel will speak in response from her Christian faith perspective and share reflections from being in Israel-Palestine. A dialogue will follow, in which Judith Large will bring in questions for the speakers from the audience as well as from her own perspective.

We’re very fortunate to have these two speakers bring their hopes for what can sometimes seem a hopeless situation.  Matthew Teller has a deep knowledge of the history and cultures of Israel-Palestine and the wider Middle East, while Bishop Rachel will bring her experience of recent visits to the area and in particular to its Palestinian Christian communities.  The evening should be a great opportunity to learn about the situation and perhaps how people here in Gloucestershire can respond in hopeful ways that are open to the possibility that a just peace could eventually be achieved.

Pre-booking online is required (see here), but tickets are free, with the opportunity to donate to the work of St Laurence Church: Stroud Centre for Peace and the Arts. Doors open at 7pm for a 7:30 pm start.

Speakers’ background:

Matthew Teller is an Oxfordshire-based writer, journalist, broadcaster and speaker of Jewish background who has lived in, worked in and travelled through the Middle East for more than four decades. He is the author of the 2022 book “Nine Quarters of Jerusalem” and is the co-editor of “Daybreak in Gaza”, a 2024 anthology of writings by Palestinian authors.  He also wrote the “Rough Guide to Jordan” and the “Rough Guide to the Cotswolds”, among other titles.

Rt Revd Rachel Treweek is the Bishop of Gloucester and sits in the House of Lords, being the first female bishop to do so.  She is also the Anglican Bishop for HM Prisons. She is a regular visitor to Israel-Palestine and has published reflections on her experiences (see below).

Judith Large is a Quaker and a Senior Research Fellow at the Conflict Analysis Research Centre, University of Kent, with three decades of practical experience in war and post-conflict transition settings. She also volunteers as a Saturday morning welcomer at St Laurence Church.

Recommended reading:

Bishop Rachel writing on Israel-Palestine:

Shining a Light and Magnifying a Whisper (2025)

Identity, Separation, Power and Trauma (2024)

Matthew Teller writing on nonterritorial autonomy for Israel-Palestine:

Making It Work from the River to the Sea – New Lines Magazine (2024)