By Melissa Willis & Megan Renee

GENRE: NON-FICTION
PUBLISHER: DOUBLEDAY RELIGION
PUBLICATION DATE: JANUARY 2010

Melissa’s Review:

I’m not sure what I think of this book. At the heart of the story is the question of is it possible to love one’s enemies–to love one’s neighbors as themselves? For starters, I don’t agree completely with their interpretation Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan, nor whether this particular teaching as heavily influenced Jesus’ death as the authors give it. So, given that I wasn’t completely on board with their premise, it made it hard for their quest to completely work for me and in the end, this book did little to influence my opinion on the Middle East or my feelings toward Arab Muslims.

I’m not much of a non-fiction reader. Too many non-fictions books tend to be boring and on topics that don’t hold my interest. Tea With Hezbollah was different in this regard. It was well written, with a bit of humor and self-deprecation. As described by the authors, it is a travelogue. It’s not political, nor does it promote a certain ideology. It’s simply the story of two westerners, traveling to the Middle East to talk with some powerful leaders–some who are considered America’s enemies. It has numerous stories and some enlightening interviews, and overall it attempts to remain neutral, though, I think it falls a bit short in this endeavor.

I’m impressed with anyone who could arrange the meetings and interviews these two accomplished. It would have been nice to be a fly on the wall to hear what was not recorded in the book. Most of the people being interviewed were asked similar question, such as what makes you laugh, when was the last time you cried, what do you think of Jesus’ teachings to love their neighbors. The idea seemed to be to put a face on the `enemy’ while trying to determine if one can truly love their enemy. Depending upon the audience, this book may have helped tremendously. However, I don’t consider Arab Muslims to be enemies. I struggle more loving legislators pushing moral laws through congress, than I do Muslims. It was nice to know, though, that most of the Muslims interviewed acknowledge misconceptions about Americans, but nothing published was particularly surprising.

The fictional parable was a wonderful addition to the book. Dekker’s imagination served him well and was a great asset to this book. I kept searching my recollection for a story about a potential Olympic cyclist who chose to leave her training to return to Lebanon on a personal quest. I am happy to say, that before being told it was fictional, I figured it out on my own. Regardless, it was a great modern day presentation of the story of the Good Samaritan and helped to breakup an otherwise rather heavy book. However, the story would have been better if more background was given on the Druze sect. While there is a paragraph in the glossary that gives a bit of background on them, it was one part of the book that left me grasping for an explanation as to why they were so hated. The vague information provided really wasn’t enough to satisfy my curiosity.

In addition to the added parable, this book is well researched, with quite a bit of background information to compliment the current events. For those unfamiliar with the different groups or people involved, Dekker did a great job of catching the reader up. This was a strength of the book and one of its more useful parts.

Depending on the audience, I think this book could have a profound impact, but there were parts of it that didn’t set well with me. Is it possible to truly love one’s enemies? There’s no answer given. It ends with the authors deciding to provide the truth of their journey and it’s up to the reader to decide if it’s possible. One of the questions I kept asking myself throughout was, is it possible to love people who were interviewed (or the group they represented) when we don’t personally know them? Was Jesus talking about a general love your neighbor or was he talking about loving on a one on one basis everyday with people we encounter. I believe the later, so the search for someone who can truly, blindly demonstrate love to someone who they don’t know, have never met, or ever have the opportunity to meet, seems to be stretching Jesus’ teaching. Perhaps what the authors were looking for was not the question of whether people can love their neighbors but whether they can lead an unprejudiced life? That seems to be at the heart of conflicts between most people groups. It’s less about loving them and more about not having preconceived ideas, infused with fear leading to hatred.

It appeared as though most people interviewed, in theory, would help someone in need regardless of their heritage or the background of the needy person (though the Zionists were pretty much despised by all interviewed). However, I think until put in a situation, we really cannot accurately know anyone’s reaction or whether they will truly show love. It’s a lot easier to talk about love than it is to show it day in and day out. This is a weakness in the book. There are people all over the world who daily love their neighbors, but we got only a couple of glances in Tea With Hezbollah. While several of the people interviewed talked of love and agreed with Jesus’ teaching on love, it wasn’t convincing when there were few examples to back it up. The love showed by Muslims seemed to be an effort to help other Muslims or displaced Palestinians. I can’t recall an example of Muslims demonstrating love to Christians or Jews, they simply said they love them. Oddly enough, for the beating that Christianity took throughout this book, the main example of Jesus’ teaching was found in a Palestinian Christian.

Dekker was not particularly kind to Christian and I think the book was a bit skewed. It felt like he was more concerned with presenting Muslims in a positive light, that he was willing to portray Christians (and Americans for that matter) in a rather unflattering light. Christians aren’t perfect, but neither were any of the religious groups presented. While some attention given to the violence of Muslims and Jews, it felt as though Christianity took the biggest hit. Furthermore, while there is a misconception in some parts of the world as to what a Christian truly is, I don’t hate the title as the authors apparently do. It might carry some baggage, but so does virtually every other religious title throughout the world.

I can’t decide if this should bother me, or if it simply does without cause. This book is so focused on similarities, it gives zero time to the differences between the two religions. I keep asking myself if this should matter, and I think it does, a little at least. It probably wouldn’t bother me if the anti-Christian sentiment had not been so prevalent. The reader is given the impression that Islam is a wonderfully tolerant religion that allows all into heaven, regardless of their belief in who Jesus is. Major religions tend to revere Jesus as a great teacher/prophet/person, but disagree on who he is. What separates these faiths is John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” There were many things that led to Jesus’ death, not just the teaching to love one another, which the authors repeatedly reference. Jesus taught to love ones enemies and leaders were upset with him for socializing with the lower classes. Arguably the primary teachings that led to his death though, was his claim of deity. We can talk all we want about the similarities of Islam and Christianity, but where it matters, they are worlds apart. Was it necessary to point this out in this book? Probably not, but I would have liked to have had that question asked and answered in the interviews. It is a major difference between the two religions and would help people of all religious affiliation better understand both faiths a bit better.

Again, depending upon who reads Tea With Hezbollah, I think it could be very helpful as well as enlightening. For Christians who truly understand the difference between the two religions and what is at stakes, it should renew their desire to love everyone around them not just in word but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18). The strength of this book is not in the promotion of better relations between Arabs and Christians though, it’s in the modern day parable of the Good Samaritan. When it comes down to it, what the authors were looking for happens day in and day out. Every time someone is helped by another, isn’t that fulfilling what Jesus commanded us to do? Does it have to be a good deed for an `enemy’ to be obeying his commands?

Megan’s Review:

Tea with Hezbollah is the account of Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis as they embark upon a journey through the Middle East. It is the second non-fiction book for both. The goal of their journey was to find a true Samaritan, as from the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus told. The question that they ask themselves is this: “Is it possible to love one’s enemies?”

As they journey in countries such as Lebanon, Israel, Syria and Saudi Arabia, they get to meet with the influential people behind the scenes, from political officials to ordinary citizens. Ted and Carl ask them candid pointed questions, the kinds of questions you wouldn’t hear on a major news outlet use in their interview. These men speak candidly about the little things in their lives. What makes them laugh, the things they love about their children & grandchildren. They talk about what they think of Americans and what Americans think of them. In their conversations, they also talk about Islam and Christ. The transcripts of all the conversations are placed right into the text of the book.

Almost every person interviewed for this book really respected Christ, which was something I was not expecting. Another thing that I did not expect is that they group Christians and Americans together, believing that the two are identical.

This book is one that will leave you thinking long after closing its cover. It shines a light on the places in the Middle East that are frequently heard of in news reports that speak of their violence or unrest. In this book, they highlight these places, making them feel very real. They are no longer just hotbeds of violence but homes to people who in many ways are like us.

What they don’t touch on, however, is politics. Neither author gives an opinion on what is best or how things should be handled. Both men profess to know little of what should be done and give no advice. I thought that was appropriate and appreciated that.

In between several chapters of the book is the narrative of a woman named Nicole. She is a woman who found out about her heritage in Lebanon and went to the country seeking answers. I thought that the decision to include that in the book was a smart one. It was a nice to break up the chapters and to apply more life into what Ted and Carl are trying to express.

This book is not a lesson in theology nor is it a two step process into solving the problems of the Middle East. It is, however, a glimpse into the journey of two men and reflections on what they learned on their trip. Tea with Hezbollah is a book that readers can take a lot from after reading whether they agreed with the words or not. For many, it can teach us about cultures we’ve never experienced. For that, I definitely think it’s worth picking up.

Review copy provided courtesy of Doubleday Religion.