A Gift from God: Christian Support for Israel (Part 1)
After 2,000 years of Replacement Theology, the existence of devout Christians who support the Jewish State of Israel is a mind-blowing reality. Both Jews and Christians involved in this world should not take this support for granted.
Careful examination uncovers a number of unexpected things about this phenomenon that most call Christian Zionism. Why are these people remarkable? Who are they? How many are there, really? And in a growing environment of global animosity toward Israel, how should Jewish and Christian Zionists proceed in their common passion, in their common call?
So why are Christian Zionists remarkable?
The fact that a number of Christians support today’s Jewish State is remarkable. After a 2,000-year infusion of Replacement Theology into the heart of religious Christianity, it would seem that none should be aligned with Israel, defending and promoting its existence, its life, as a fully sovereign Jewish State among the world’s nations. After all, the vast majority of Christian traditions regard the church and Israel as one-and-the-same, a transcendental entity without borders or boundaries in this world.
Accordingly, the real Jerusalem is a not regarded as a city here on earth. Instead it is a metaphysical place that exists in a spiritual, heavenly dimension. What’s more, it is a place to which the only gate is inside human hearts that, for their part, unlock the entryway with the singular key of believing in Jesus as Divine Messiah and Savior.
Although in differing degrees, these are the interpretive filters through which the Bible is read and understood by all branches of Christianity. Accordingly, unless they convert, Christianity concludes that the human family of Jews has no biblical claim to the identity of Israel or to the place of Jerusalem.
Even the founder of Protestantism and hero of Evangelicalism, Martin Luther, concluded that these things were obvious. The entire Jewish race, he railed with righteous indignation, is guilty of deicide and cursed by God.
“Either God must be unjust,” he wrote in a publication called Table Talks, “or you, Jews, wicked and ungodly. For you have been in misery and fearful exile 1,500 years, a race rejected of God, without government, without laws, without prophets, without temple.” Thus, “for us Christians,” he stated in On Jews and Their Lies, Jews “stand as a terrifying example of God’s wrath.” Five hundred years later, Adolph Hitler concurred, easily justifying Jewish genocide to his fellow countrymen by the doctrinal teachings and social prescriptions of their own spiritual father in the name of Jesus.
For its part, the Synagogue is keenly aware of Christian conduct as a direct consequence of Replacement Theology. It has inspired inquisitions, provoked pogroms, excused expulsion, and authorized theft. Ultimately, it sanctioned the Holocaust, facilitating Jewish genocide.
The Nazis quoted Luther in almost everything they wrote about Jews. At his Nuremberg trial, Julian Streicher, founder and publisher of Der Stürmer, declared, “Dr. Martin Luther would very probably sit in my place in the defendants’ dock today, if this book [The Jews and Their Lies] had been taken into consideration by the Prosecution.”
Streicher, found guilty and executed, was right. Luther brought reformation to the practice of Christianity but brought to fruition the anti-Semitism embedded in its DNA. His arguments still resound throughout the church’s various expressions. Christianity’s anti-Semitism—and all that it portends—remains.
Who are These People?
There is, however, a unique exception in the Christian world. It appeared about 100 years ago. Depending upon the denominations from which they come, some Christians have turned 90-to- 180 degrees in how they regard Jews and the State of Israel. With origins in Great Britain, these Christian Zionists played a vital role in rebirth of the Jewish State. Their continued support remains vital today. Who are these people?
My own involvement in Jewish-Christian relations began 13 years ago. Knowing almost nothing about the Christian world, I have since followed a specific call to facilitate dialogue between Jews and Christians; most of the time this is between Modern Orthodox Judaism and Charismatic Christianity. The more I learn, the more I am amazed by the exceptional segment of everyday Christians who stand with the Jewish people and their Homeland State.
I am amazed because the more I learn, the more I see for myself how entrenched Luther’s articulation of anti-Semitic thought remains in all branches of Christianity, including Evangelical varieties. How is it that some Christians overcome such thoroughly engrained thinking? And yet they do. What’s more, the process of stepping away from community consensus means their path is frequently costly, often lonely.
Count and Motivation
How many are there? Popular estimates range from 70 to 100 million in the United States alone. These numbers are mesmerizing. But are they true? There may be that many Evangelicals in America. Perhaps most of these would tell pollsters that they support Israel’s right to exist. But it simply is not accurate to say that all of them love Israel.
I believe there are 5 to 7 million, less than 10 percent, have a discernable passion for Israel. This does not mean the majority of Evangelicals are anti-Israel. It does mean, however, that they are mostly indifferent. Israel, Jews and Judaism simply do not appear on their religious radar.
Among the fraction of those who are proactive for Israel, most tend to describe their passion as a “call” or “download from heaven.” Many tell the same story. They were walking in one direction with God—vis-à-vis their Christian faith—when they received a divine interruption, telling them to stand with today’s Jewish State.
What do they do with this call? Most respond with regular prayers. Some give money to Israel-related charities. Others take part in celebratory events or political advocacy. Very few, however, visit Israel, perhaps 80 to 100 thousand each year. Most of these come on what might be called a “Jesus template” tour, visiting various sites but almost never interacting with Jews who call the country home.
Yes, some will visit Yad Vashem (Israel’s Holocaust Museum) and walk through Jerusalem’s Old City. But in the end, the vast majority will completely miss the Divine miracle of our lifetime: God’s restoration of Zion and His elect.
There are a small number of Christian Zionists who come to the land to learn from political leaders, security experts, and business entrepreneurs. A segment of them also come to learn about the Hebraic roots of their faith and are willing to pursue such education from observant Jewish educators with expertise in Jewish-Christian relations.
My point is that, instead of 100 million U.S. Evangelicals who are passionate about Israel, committed to firsthand knowledge of its culture, prosperity and religion, there are, perhaps, more like several hundred thousand. With such a modest number from the United States, it is not unreasonable to estimate that the population of like-minded Christians elsewhere in the world is smaller still.
For Part 2, click here
Reprinted with author’s permission from Charisma Magazine
To read part 1, click here
Together, how should Jewish and Christian Zionists proceed in this chaotic world of uncertainty? This is and should remain an open question by all concerned. Even so and for now, here are three suggestions:
First, we need to begin with mutual recognition that, like Israel itself, our shared passion is a miracle. It is, in fact, a “God thing” that is not going to disappear. Support from the core of Christian Zionism is not going to wane. Rising winds from a 21st century storm of Replacement Theology aimed at Evangelicals may rile the shallow waters of those whose support is little more than response to a poll, but it will only make small ripples on the surface among those with a deep commitment to the Jewish State, Christians who see its rebirth as fulfillment of God’s irrevocable covenants with the Jewish people.
Second, both sides need to address the larger population of global Evangelicals and traditional Christendom, especially with proactive initiatives in response to two very different trends, the so-called Prosperity and Social Justice “gospels.” As expressions of authentic faith, there are aspects of each that resonate with Judaism.
There are troubling aspects too. Is Genesis 12:3 a formula for getting rich? Is social justice the raison d’être for redemption? No and no, of course. Still, in both cases, the question is, how can we plug into the positive aspects of these trends, maintaining a balance between faith and works? And in the social justice stream, how can we do so without being bamboozled by Palestinian Liberation theology that delegitimizes Israel’s existence?
Third, we need to build better and more meaningful alliances with Christian Zionist organizations so that their constituents develop a deeper understanding of Israel’s people and culture. NGOs like the Christians United for Israel, Eagles Wings, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem, Bridges for Peace, Christian Friends of Israel, AIPAC and Heart to Heart are nurturing the larger number of Christian Zionists who pray for Israel and are open to learning more about the unique passion God has given them for our reborn nation. How can we help these and other organizations like them nurture and strengthen their constituents’ real but nascent passion?
Of equal if not greater importance, how can we help them reach the children of their constituents, especially those attending Christian universities, places where there is almost no understanding of Judaism, Jews or the culture of Israel?
The prevailing view is to strengthen advocacy primarily by helping supporters understand the modern history of Israel and its contributions to science, technology, medicine and agriculture. For its part, the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation—the CJCUC—believes theology must come first.
Christianity’s engrained anti-Semitism, as expressed by Martin Luther, is the fundamental reason for atrocities by the Church against the Synagogue. The task of addressing theology requires a new form of communication, a framework that allows all parties to walk down paths of dialogue without tripping landmines that blow up relationships. In essence, the safeguard is mutual commitment to understand the other’s point of view.
Understanding, both sides must acknowledge, does not mean agreement. CJCUC has learned that 90 percent of Jewish-Christian relations in the matter of theological discussion is simply a matter of listening, and to do so without the need to teach, preach or proselytize.
Notably, a focus on theological dialogue must not be limited to the age 50-plus demographic of Christian Zionists. It is critically important that the priority of biblical, ideological discussion include the campuses and curricula of Christian schools. It is easy, but dangerously inaccurate, to assume that the children of Christian Zionists are building on the foundation of what these parents have learned. The fact is that many Christian universities and colleges have not corrected Martin Luther’s anti-Semitism in their Bible, Theology or Missions departments.
Conclusion
Like Israel’s rebirth, a passion to nurture the nation is a miracle found in the hearts of most Jews and some Christians too. Still, many fellow Jews are inclined to protest, “Christians? We should join forces with them? Really?”
This skepticism is entirely understandable. Many Jewish Zionists come from families who survived the Holocaust. When this unspeakable result of Christian anti-Semitism is combined with 2,000 years of church atrocities against the synagogue, it is natural and easy to assume that all Christians share the sentiments that justified these evil acts. Christians who genuinely stand with Israel? Christians who are Zionists? They must have ulterior motives, perhaps to covertly convert. How is it possible that they are really different than their religious ancestors?
I have shared all of these concerns. But after 13 years of working, living and studying with core Christian Zionists, a called-out remnant if you will, I know their passion is genuine and righteous. It’s true, they really are different!
Theirs is a calling nuanced with the simple faith that blessing Israel means receiving blessings from God as stated in Genesis 12:3. Theirs is a mandate to be Watchmen on the Wall as mentioned in the Psalms. Theirs is the responsibility to do as Esther did when Mordecai told her that if she did not act for God’s chosen people, He would bring salvation from someone else.
The former Chief Rabbi of England, Jonathan Sacks, once said that today’s strain of Anti-Semitism is a moral infection that cannot be cured or defended by Jews alone. We need the help of others. I concur. God is raising up these “others” that we need. We must acknowledge that He is doing this; that He is moving in mysterious ways, stirring up the hearts and minds of Christians around their world to boldly stand with Israel.
Judaism and Christianity share more than common values—much more. We believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; we share a common Scripture that is the Word of God; and we share a common mission to be His agents for redemption in a broken world.
For nearly 2,000 years, the Synagogue and the church have been at odds. Now, like a gift, we are presented with unprecedented opportunities to dialogue and work together for the betterment of humanity. We can, we must, accept this gift and put it to work as a team, recognizing and responding to God in each other.
Reprinted with author’s permission from Charisma Magazine
Note to readers:
To read more about Genesis 12:1-3, the following site should help you.United States Council Of Catholic Bishops - http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/12
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