Jonathan Kindberg '07 M.A. '09 has spent the last two summers living in the West Bank. He has studied Arabic, taught English, and attended numerous meetings with organizations working for Palestinian and Israeli reconciliation.

The academic program that steered Jonathan in this direction was his undergraduate degree in Christian Education.

"When I arrived on campus as a freshman," Jonathan recalls, "the topic of social justice seemed like simply a new fad, and for that reason, I was turned off by it. But then I began to listen more closely to the perspective behind it."

A foundational course taught by Professor David Setran in the Christian Education program stands out as a defining moment for Jonathan: "We were discussing how, in the past, evangelicals held together social action and evangelism/personal piety, but that today there is often a split between these areas… Dr. Setran really challenged this way of approaching things.

"That day began a personal quest to see how the two could be brought together. This is what I would like to be about, in many ways, in the Middle East."

Jonathan credits Professor of New Testament Gary Burge for strengthening his passion for the people, politics, and history of the Middle East, and Professor Jim Wilhoit, chair of the Christian Formation and Ministry department, for fostering his spiritual life. "His mentorship really sparked in me a desire for a deep spirituality and life of prayer," Jonathan says.

Currently, Jonathan is preparing for peace and reconciliation work between Israelis and Palestinians. "I would like to establish a community composed of Israeli and Palestinian Christians that combines contemplation and action in working for peace."

He concludes, "We have to realize that we cannot zealously 'make' peace until we embody peace in ourselves, and the source of this is Christ's death and resurrection."

This spring Jonathan will complete his M.A. in Intercultural Studies—a program that is equipping him with the cross-cultural tools needed for community development in an overseas context.