The International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem is promoting a provocative short video about the exclusive Zionist claim to Jerusalem. They show no compassion for the people who have lived in Jerusalem for generations and whose homes are being demolished, whose land is being confiscated and future hopes destroyed in neighbourhoods such as the Old City, Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan.
The Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem have made a definitive Statement on Christian Zionism which repudiates this kind of religion as apostasy:
Christian Zionism is a modern theological and political movement that embraces the most extreme ideological positions of Zionism, thereby becoming detrimental to a just peace within Palestine and Israel. The Christian Zionist programme provides a worldview where the Gospel is identified with the ideology of empire, colonialism and militarism. In its extreme form, it places an emphasis on apocalyptic events leading to the end of history rather than living Christ's love and justice today.Read more here
We categorically reject Christian Zionist doctrines as false teaching that corrupts the biblical message of love, justice and reconciliation.
We further reject the contemporary alliance of Christian Zionist leaders and organizations with elements in the governments of Israel and the United States that are presently imposing their unilateral pre-emptive borders and domination over Palestine. This inevitably leads to unending cycles of violence that undermine the security of all peoples of the Middle East and the rest of the world.
We reject the teachings of Christian Zionism that facilitate and support these policies as they advance racial exclusivity and perpetual war rather than the gospel of universal love, redemption and reconciliation taught by Jesus Christ. Rather than condemn the world to the doom of Armageddon we call upon everyone to liberate themselves from the ideologies of militarism and occupation. Instead, let them pursue the healing of the nations!
The Apostle Paul has even stronger words to describe those who distort the Christian message in this way.
And, if you haven't spotted it already, take a long hard look at the image and notice what is missing. Is this a clue to their apocalyptic 'end time' theology?
