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The Problem of IshmaelA Story of Missed Opportunitiesby Rebecca Irwin-Diehl I have heard the story of Ishmael interpreted universally as a cautionary tale in the patriarchal narrative of Abraham. Its consequences have rippled through the generations and down through the centuries of conflict among the children of Abraham. I have heard the story preached from a variety of pulpits and by a diverse range of voices. Some interpreters are more sympathetic and even-handed than others in attributing responsibility for the mess. But everyone seems to agree that the story of Ishmael is, in fact, a mess. Most often in my own faith community (which is a largely middle-class, African American congregation), the story is preached along these lines. Mistake #1: Impatient for the promise to be fulfilled, Sarah and Abraham tried to do God’s will their way. Mistake #2: Hagar made a bad situation worse with an arrogant and disrespectful attitude. When Sarah demanded that Abraham banish Hagar and Ishmael, she finally was tuning into God’s will. Ishmael had no part in the covenant God had made with Abraham. Indeed, the implication is that the centuries of violence and bloodshed between the descendents of Isaac (Jews) and the heirs of Ishmael (Muslims) serve as proof positive that the world would be a more peaceful place if, well, if Ishmael had never been born. Put that way, most folks will (I hope) shift uneasily in their theological comfort zones. Judith Kelly of Arlington, Virginia, facilitates trainings with the Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service (www.paceebene.org), and supports the School of the Americas Watch (www.soaw.org) movement. She is a member of Pax Christi and St. Aloysius Parish in Washington, D.C. Gain a new understanding of the Ishmael story as Rebecca shares the stories of adopting her sons and celebrating their birth mothers and birth families with their family. |
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