It’s the fault of Evangelical Christians and their misguided support of Christian Zionism. If only we could persuade these benighted fundamentalists to repent, the rockets descending on Israel, the beheading epidemic, extreme Muslims bombing less extreme Muslims, people being burned alive for no particularly good reason would all immediately cease.
Why did no one think of this before?
From here:
Canadian Anglicans are invited to join members of other traditions at an upcoming conference that will explore a belief many see as one of the biggest obstacles to peace in Israel and Palestine.
[….]
A movement rooted in conservative evangelical Protestantism that emerged in the mid-20th century, Christian Zionism holds that the contemporary State of Israel represents the culmination of biblical prophecy and thus merits strong—and often uncritical—moral, financial and political support.
They should investigate whether present-day Anglicanism represents faithful witness to the gospel.
Thank-you David- I just can’t believe whats happened in our world/ the ACoC- just sickens me-
When it comes to American foreign policy, while a falsehood about biblical prophecy is not necessarily “one of the biggest obstacles to peace in Israel and Palestine”, it is indeed a factor. There is no promise of a second Return to the Land. To that extent there is no connection between Israel in the Bible and the modern State of Israel except the name.
That is not to say that that modern secular State established with much confusion of mind in 1948 has no right to exist now. But we should not perpetuate mental confusion about it. I say this as a Jew, an Old Testament specialist and a real Christian conservative. There will not be genuine peace in that region, or anywhere else for that matter, till all bow the knee to Jesus son of David and become part of the Israel of God. “But now it is hid from thine eyes.”
Apart from reading both Testaments carefully, I recommend Kenneth Cragg’s This Year in Jerusalem http://www.amazon.com/This-Year-Jerusalem-Israel-Experience/dp/0232515344/ref=la_B001HQ59OS_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426890306&sr=1-13 and several more of his works.
One needn’t be a Christian Zionist to appreciate that israelo is the only country in MENA where the church is growing, were Christians can worship without fear of imprisonment and/or death, and is an island of civilization is a sea of Islamic and totalitarian barbarism. It’s sad and rather disgusiting to listen to Bethlehem Bible College, Musalaha, and other dhimmis speak of suicide bombers as martyrs and praise intifada; they act as if they but say enough antisemitic drivel, that their Muslim overlords won’t decapitate them or burn them in their churches. Fat chance.
Nothing that I have just written should be interpreted to mean that I hold any brief for tyrants or terrorists of any species. Personally I should like more civilisation everywhere, not less. That’d include my own ‘Right of Return’ being recognised in Israel although I am a Christian.
Only Christianity teaches a universal love-ethic, since the Lord extended the duty of love for neighbour to non-Jewish neighbours [Lk. 10]. And forgiveness, so sorely needed all over, was the first step that the Good Samaritan had to take in relation to his hereditary enemy.
Thanks for your thoughtful response Priscilla. I grew up in a conservative church that was heavily into this viewpoint and it seemed like a lot of twisting of scriptures to make their viewpoint fit with what the Bible actually said.
While it was popular in the mid-20th century, it (thankfully) seems to be fading away in most Christian circles… except for possibly a few pockets in the US.
Gary Burge is a pal of Stephen Sizer as commented on a few blog posts ago.
Same old replacement theology with a twist of Palestinian Liberation Theology
all the while avoiding the inconvenient truths of Islam, Arab culture, threats to wipe out Israel & the Jews etc. Instead Christians need to be supporting Pastors like
Naim Khoury from First Baptist in Bethlehem and Arab Christians in Nazareth & the Galilee area.
http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/25757/Default.aspx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcAAJELtJvo
Looks like Sabeel & ACoC are pulling out the stops on this one bringing in speakers from the States. The hating just continues.
It is beyond reprehensible that an organization that continues to market itself as a Christian club would give any thought to criticizing real Christians for spreading the Gospel! I am thankful that the LORD God has rescued me from this den of thieves.
well…at least the Jews aren’t getting the whole blame for this one.. I can’t help but wonder if these church leaders read and believe the Bible……..
Let’s see: sodomy and abortion as sacraments, welfare state, global warming/ecobuncombe, thinly-veiled antisemitism, slurping up to Islam, denial of the solas…does the leadership read and believe the Bible?