How should we consider Israel/Arab questions from a specifically Christian viewpoint? Roger Dunsdon considers.
Where is God in all this?
Christian views on Israel are generally driven by a theological philosophy known as ‘Fulfillment Theology’ AKA ‘Replacement Theology’. In these, the idea emerges that – in some sense – the ‘Church’ is the successor to Israel in God’s purposes, and the ‘Church’ is now God’s chosen people. Israel and the Jews no longer count and Christ has ‘fulfilled’ all God’s ultimate purposes.
‘Fulfillment Theology’ is a more subtly approach to ‘Replacement’, a ‘politer’ approach, but at a practical level it is difficult to see any difference between the two. In the ‘fulfillment’ paradigm, we are told that Jesus is the new Israel! Jesus, it is said, fulfilled in His life and redemptive work all the promises that God ever made to the Jews, even the promise that Canaan would be the everlasting possession of the Jewish people! Jesus is the Promised Land. Proponents of this theory attempt to distance themselves from the appalling evils (and anti-Semitic consequences, as in the Christian pogroms of history) associated with Replacement Theology. However, they end up believing the same thing at a theological level. Jews have no special place in God’s ongoing purposes, and Eretz Israel is an anachronism.
The purpose of this article is not finally to resolve this basic controversy. Indeed it is often commented that holders of the ‘Fulfillment’ hermeneutic simply try to avoid engagement with the broader Covenantal purposes of God. Why should they engage when they already know the answer?! They accuse any who hold to the main alternate view – that God’s end time plan does indeed entail an ongoing purpose for the Jews – of being something called ‘a dispensationalist’. This is a serious and deliberate distortion. Many Believers indeed hold to what is best defined as a ‘Classical Zionism’ hermeneutic, who are not Dispensationalists. In the UK we have simply to think of the late Rev David Pawson as an exemplar, in this regard.
Unavoidable
For any serious Christian (or Berean Christian) there appear to be four aspects to this:
(1) Is Israel God’s purpose?
(2) What is the impact on the Gospel?
(3) How should we consider modern Eretz Israel?
(4) How should we consider ‘Palestine’?
These four aspects can be depicted visually as here:
https://christian-publications-int.com/images/Israel/Israel%20-%20profound%20questions.ppt
Readers are encouraged to download this (completely free) basic structure as it contains the seeds of a definitive biblical answer to the Israel conundrum. Indeed there are several books advertised on the Christian Publications International (‘CPI’) website that make for excellent further reading. A browse will suggest possibilities, but a great starting resource is David Pawson’s “Defending Christian Zionism”.
Project Replacement + Torn Curtain
A slightly more detailed resource is linked immediately below. This seeks to pose some tough questions for Christians (and indeed for non-Christians, too). It raises specific biblical questions that anyone with integrity in this debate must engage with. When Christians ‘side with’ the concept of ‘Palestine’, they (in reality) call into question the nature and purposes of God.
Beyond this there is the pesky question of Sacerdotalism. Do we impose ‘priest’ betwixt man and God? The deeper the commitment to a priesthood (sacerdotalism), the stronger are the views against Israel when expressed in ‘Christian’ circles. It is perhaps not surprising that some of the deepest anti-Semitism is promoted by the Eastern/Russian Orthodox and the Church of Rome (Catholicism). Within the ‘Protestant’ hermeneutic, Replacement/Fulfillment theology is likewise most likely to be promoted by the ‘High Church’, with its strong commitment to a separate ‘priesthood’. Sadly, however, there is a broad ‘Replacement’ worldview within what is today called ‘the emerging church’, and its myriad sub- ‘streams’.
In the resource linked below, one profound question raised is “with sacerdotalism, are we trying to stitch back together the curtain that was torn in the Jerusalem Temple (Mark 15:28, Matthew 27: 51)?” Here is the free resource: https://christian-publications-int.com/images/Israel/Tough%20Questions%202%20-%20Replacement%20Theology.ppt
We repeat, it is not the purpose of this article to finally resolve these questions. But we hope we have provided a frame of reference to consider these things in greater depth. As there is precious little ‘teaching’ on this from within the traditional ‘churches’, the true Berean Christian must proverbially ‘roll up their sleeves’ and undertake their own study. This question of Israel will simply not go away.
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Another helpful resource that explores this matter in-depth is David Lambourn’s “The Forgotten Bride – How the Church Betrayed its Jewish Heritage”. At approx £8 (plus p&p), this is a splendid resource. Direct link here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forgotten-Bride-Church-Betrayed-Heritage/dp/1098831144
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