Denominational Mobility among Palestinian Christians

Abstract

This article examines denominational mobility – switching or crossing denominational lines – among Palestinian Christians in Palestine. The study uses qualitative methods and content-driven analysis of interviews with thirty-five Palestinian Christians, conducted in February, March, April and November 2017. The results suggest that denominational mobility is happening among Palestinian Christians between Orthodox, Catholic, mainline Protestant, and Evangelical communities. The analysis revealed three main motives for this denominational mobility: personal belief, marital and family reasons and socio/economic related reasons. Interviewees most often mentioned personal belief as the primary reason for denominational mobility, followed by marital or family matters. Additionally, within the population interviewed, young adults and women were the most mobile in their denominational affiliation. Furthermore, this research suggests that an individualistic impulse in denominational mobility is present within the Palestinian Christian community where denominational mobility traditionally is not encouraged.