US Evangelical support for Israel ‘has never been more widespread’
-04/10/05
In a speech that will be greeted with concern by many Christians in the UK, a specialist has suggested that American evangelical support for Israel ìhas never been more widespread than it is todayî.
The comments which will alarm many, come from Southern Baptist religious liberty specialist Richard Land, who was addressing a gathering of Christians and Jews in Washington.
The comments will come as a disappointment to many Christian peacemakers and church leaders including the Archbishop of Canterbury.
In a joint letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair last year, Dr Rowan Williams and Dr David Hope warned about the dangers of Christian Zionism.
They suggested that “theological work” needed to be done to “counter those interpretations of Scripture from outside the mainstream of the tradition which appear to have become increasingly influential in fostering an uncritical and one-sided approach to the future of the Holy Land.”
A survey from the US has suggested that evangelical Christians in America overwhelmingly support Israel’s right to kill terrorist leaders.
Evangelical Christians have also been seen as ìnatural partnersî in opposing the proposed two-state solution because of their theological views on Israel.
But speaking at a briefing sponsored by a pro-Israel organization, the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission said the understanding that God has given the Holy Land to the Jews forever in an unconditional covenant is a ìsettled convictionî for most evangelicals.
That belief was not discovered by evangelicals in the 19th century, he suggested, but was rediscovered two centuries before by the Puritan forefathers and passed on to evangelicals.
His speech marked the second time in a week Land had spoken on evangelicals and Israel before a Washington audience. On Sept. 22, he participated in a dialogue with members of the Council on Foreign Relations regarding evangelicals and the Middle East.
In his most recent speech at the Stand for Israel briefing, Land said 18th century evangelicals ìinherited from their Puritan forebears an interest in the land and the people of Israel as they related to prophecy and end-time events. [Massachusetts pastor] Increase Mather and other American Puritans in the 17th century, for example, had predicted that Israel would be restored politically and spiritually in the future, before the thousand year reign of Christ on the earth.î
That belief, which Land said he believes is taught in the New Testament, ìwas taken up by the most influential and probably the most gifted theologian that America has yet produced, Jonathan Edwards, in the 18th century,î he said. Edwards ìwas absolutely determined when there were no Jews in the Holy Land that the Jews would return to the Holy Land,î Land said.
Such evangelical belief, as well as support for Israel, has continued, manifesting itself in the years leading to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 and in the decades since, Land said.
He cited an August poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life that found white evangelicals gave stronger support to Israel than any other group. In the survey, 54 percent of white evangelicals sympathized more with Israel than with the Palestinians, while only seven percent favoured the Palestinians over Israel.
Land acknowledged he does not speak for all ìconservative, Bible-believing Christians.î
ìThere are those who accept what is called a replacement theology, particularly many in what is called the reform tradition, who argue that Israel has now been replaced by the church.î Many who hold to that view support Israel ìbased on other arguments,î he said.
ì[W]hile not all evangelicals believe [Godís covenant with Israel still exists], more evangelicals believe it today than ever before in the history of the Protestant faith since [Martin] Luther, and those evangelicals make up a higher percentage of American voters than ever before in the history of our nation,î Land said.
ìIt is a deep religious conviction in our bone marrow, in our genetic code — God gave the land of Israel to His chosen people the Jews,î he said. ìAnd God blesses those who bless the Jews and curses those who curse the Jews…. And we have seen no more dramatic demonstration of it than weíve seen in the 20th century. Look at the 20th century history of Russia and Germany, and compare that to the 20th Century history of the United States.î
Land said he believes a major reason God has blessed the United States ìto the extent that He has and has not judged us more than He has and as much as we deserve is because we have been the least anti-Semitic nation in the West, and … from even before the U.N. vote that established the Jewish state, we have been the strongest supporter of Israel.î
In comments to the Council on Foreign Relations, Land said evangelicals do not ìgive blind acceptance of everything that the state of Israel does or has done.î
Suggested reading: ‘Christian Zionism: Road Map to Armageddon?’ by Stephen Sizer
US Evangelical support for Israel ‘has never been more widespread’
-04/10/05
In a speech that will be greeted with concern by many Christians in the UK, a specialist has suggested that American evangelical support for Israel ‘has never been more widespread than it is today’.
The comments which will alarm many, come from Southern Baptist religious liberty specialist Richard Land, who was addressing a gathering of Christians and Jews in Washington.
The comments will come as a disappointment to many Christian peacemakers and church leaders including the Archbishop of Canterbury.
In a joint letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair last year, Dr Rowan Williams and Dr David Hope warned about the dangers of Christian Zionism.
They suggested that “theological work” needed to be done to “counter those interpretations of Scripture from outside the mainstream of the tradition which appear to have become increasingly influential in fostering an uncritical and one-sided approach to the future of the Holy Land.”
A survey from the US has suggested that evangelical Christians in America overwhelmingly support Israel’s right to kill terrorist leaders.
Evangelical Christians have also been seen as ‘natural partners’ in opposing the proposed two-state solution because of their theological views on Israel.
But speaking at a briefing sponsored by a pro-Israel organization, the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission said the understanding that God has given the Holy Land to the Jews forever in an unconditional covenant is a ‘settled conviction’ for most evangelicals.
That belief was not discovered by evangelicals in the 19th century, he suggested, but was rediscovered two centuries before by the Puritan forefathers and passed on to evangelicals.
His speech marked the second time in a week Land had spoken on evangelicals and Israel before a Washington audience. On Sept. 22, he participated in a dialogue with members of the Council on Foreign Relations regarding evangelicals and the Middle East.
In his most recent speech at the Stand for Israel briefing, Land said 18th century evangelicals ‘inherited from their Puritan forebears an interest in the land and the people of Israel as they related to prophecy and end-time events. [Massachusetts pastor] Increase Mather and other American Puritans in the 17th century, for example, had predicted that Israel would be restored politically and spiritually in the future, before the thousand year reign of Christ on the earth.’
That belief, which Land said he believes is taught in the New Testament, ‘was taken up by the most influential and probably the most gifted theologian that America has yet produced, Jonathan Edwards, in the 18th century,’ he said. Edwards ‘was absolutely determined when there were no Jews in the Holy Land that the Jews would return to the Holy Land,’ Land said.
Such evangelical belief, as well as support for Israel, has continued, manifesting itself in the years leading to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 and in the decades since, Land said.
He cited an August poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life that found white evangelicals gave stronger support to Israel than any other group. In the survey, 54 percent of white evangelicals sympathized more with Israel than with the Palestinians, while only seven percent favoured the Palestinians over Israel.
Land acknowledged he does not speak for all ‘conservative, Bible-believing Christians.’
‘There are those who accept what is called a replacement theology, particularly many in what is called the reform tradition, who argue that Israel has now been replaced by the church.’ Many who hold to that view support Israel ‘based on other arguments,’ he said.
‘[W]hile not all evangelicals believe [God’s covenant with Israel still exists], more evangelicals believe it today than ever before in the history of the Protestant faith since [Martin] Luther, and those evangelicals make up a higher percentage of American voters than ever before in the history of our nation,’ Land said.
‘It is a deep religious conviction in our bone marrow, in our genetic code — God gave the land of Israel to His chosen people the Jews,’ he said. ‘And God blesses those who bless the Jews and curses those who curse the Jews…. And we have seen no more dramatic demonstration of it than we’ve seen in the 20th century. Look at the 20th century history of Russia and Germany, and compare that to the 20th Century history of the United States.’
Land said he believes a major reason God has blessed the United States ‘to the extent that He has and has not judged us more than He has and as much as we deserve is because we have been the least anti-Semitic nation in the West, and … from even before the U.N. vote that established the Jewish state, we have been the strongest supporter of Israel.’
In comments to the Council on Foreign Relations, Land said evangelicals do not ‘give blind acceptance of everything that the state of Israel does or has done.’
Suggested reading: ‘Christian Zionism: Road Map to Armageddon?’ by Stephen Sizer