Christian Zionism and Palestine

Christian Zionism largely grew out of Protestants in Britain and later those in the USA. In

1621, the British MP Sir Henry Finch wrote "The World's Great Restoration", a book inwhich he encouraged Jews to reassert their claim to the Holy Land. Camped outside Acre

in 1799, Napoleon issued a proclamation promising to restore Palestine to the Jews. After 

this the concept of Christian support shifted back to Britain. Supporters included LordLindsay, Lord Shaftesbury Lord Palmerston, Lord Manchester, George Eliot, Holman

Hunt, Sir Charles Warren, Hall Caine and others including Disraeli (who was born Jewish

 but was baptised in the Anglican Church at an early age).

It was Shaftesebury said "There is unbroken identity of Jewish race and Jewish minddown to our times; but the great revival can take place only in the Holy Land." He is also

credited with the phrase "A country without a nation for a nation without a country," this

later become a Zionist slogan "A land without a people for a people without a land."While recognising the right of todays Palestinians to a country along side Israel, it must

 be recognised that historically, the Palestinians were no different from other Arab

 people's within the Otterman empire. Later under the British Mandate of Palestine, some

of the people of the Mandate would be come Jordanians, and others would becomePalestinians... at the time there was no difference.

A follower of Lord Shaftesbury, F. Laurence Oliphant (1829-1888), an MP and an

Evangelical Christian, published a book entitled "The Land of Gilead" (1880), which

urged the British Parliament to assist Jews from Russia and Eastern Europe go toPalestine (a plan Israel later persued), and advocating that Palestinian Arabs be removed

to reservations like those of the North American Indians (a plan never on the books in

Israel, a country that from independence promised freedom for all and today has an Arabminority of 20%).

Christian Zionism combats Christian antisemitism

A significant amount of Christian antisemitism revolves around the theory of replacement

theology. According to this theory Christians replaced the Jews as the chosen people, andJews have no further role to play in gods designs. Replacement theology, described by

Zionism Israel.com as "a bigoted doctrine of the medieval church" is connection with

anti-Semitism and specifically the promotion of the charge of Deicide, that is the Jews are blamed for the crucifixion. This charge from the medieval church lead to numerous

genocides against the Jewish people in various countries. The church has since

appologied and rejected this theology. Christian Zionists are at the forefront of exposing places where this evil lingers.

What is a Christian Zionist?

Christian Zionism is a Christians belief that the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and

the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, is in accordance with Biblical prophecy.

 

Millions Christians in the USA and else where have a committed belief in the importance

of standing with Israel and blessing the Jewish people. The verse most often referred to is

Genesis 12:3 in which God tells Abraham “I will bless those who bless you and I willcurse those who curse you and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

As Zionism is the belief in the Jewish peoples right to return to their homeland, a

Christian Zionist is by definition a Christian who supports the Jewish peoples right to

return to their homeland. Under this broad definition, many Christians qualify thoughtheir reasons for this support differ. Just as Jews of all persuasions formed the Zionist

movement then Christians of all persuasion can also fall within this broad definition of a

Christian Zionist.

Read more at: Christian Zionism De