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Christianity Today, November (Web-only), 2007 |

Low Expectations Follow Annapolis Summit

Evangelicals disagree on how to pursue peace, but agree that the renewed Israeli-Palestinian talks may accomplish little.

Kristen Scharold | posted 11/30/2007 09:22AM

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Burge has also argued, in Whose Land? Whose Promise?, that God's Old Testament promises to Israel, his chosen people, are accompanied by expectations of righteous behavior, including hospitality to "the alien" among them.

Darrell Bock, a New Testament professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, which includes a dispensational understanding of Scripture as part of its statement of faith, said Christians can't be sure that Old Testament promises to Abraham apply to modern-day Israel. Dispensational theology dictates that God will someday fulfill every part of his covenant with Israel, including full possession of the Promised Land. Nevertheless, Israel has a prerogative to trade land for peace, Bock said, because God will bring about his promises in his own time and way, and not necessarily in the present day.

Before the summit, Notre Dame historian Mark Noll noted that the meeting was merely the latest in a long history of political efforts to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace. "Anyone who honors the Prince of Peace has to be in favor of some kind of success," he said. What constitutes success will remain hotly contested through 2008, however—among people of faith no less than the peace talks' participants.

Related Elsewhere:

This week's "An Evangelical Statement on Israel/Palestine" urged world leaders to work toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The New York Times published an earlier letter to George Bush with the list of signatures.

Christianity Today's September editorial on "What It Means to Love Israel" addressed theological ideas behind support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Other news on the Annapolis summit includes:

Much to be modest about | George Bush sent the Palestinian moderates home with little to show and less to sell. (The Economist)

Annapolis Over: What Does This Mean for Olmert? | On the plane home Israeli P.M. says country 'is finished' without two-state deal. (ABC News)

A Payoff for Syrians: Seats at the Table, at Least | In the post-Annapolis let's-make-peace-in-the-Middle-East world, the kitchen door may have cracked slightly open to allow Syria back in the house. (The New York Times)

Iran Casts Shadow on Mideast Talks | The Middle East peace conference here on Tuesday was officially about ending the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. But there was an unspoken goal just below the surface: stopping the rising regional influence of Iran and Islamic radicalism. (The New York Times)

Christianity Today's previous articles on Israel and the Jewish people include:

Opinion Roundup: The Evangelical View of Israel? | Evangelicals are more diverse on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than we are led to believe (June 1, 2003)

Christian History Corner: Zion Haste | Does the passion of a few nineteenth-century Chicagoans still influence American policy in the Middle East? (January 1, 2002)

The Chosen People Puzzle | When it comes to relating to the Jewish people, should we dialogue, cooperate, or evangelize? (Richard J. Mouw, March 5, 2001)

CT Classic: Do Jews Really Need Jesus? | What evangelicals believe about evangelization of the Jews—and whether the Holocaust makes a difference in that task. (October 8, 1990)

David Neff met with Condoleeza Rice in October to discuss evangelicals and Middle East politics.

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November (Web-only) 2007, Vol. 51

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Rob Baker

Posted: December 11, 2007 12:02 AM

The two state solution will mean further conflict. Just as Christians were against Apartheid in South Africa we need to state clearly that both the Israelis & Palestinians people must learn to live together in peace. The Palestinians & the Israelis will continue to war & drag the rest of the world into their madness. Since both claim the land & have legitimate reasons for doing so let them share it. Cutting the land in two will result in continued hatred & violence.

H. D. Schmidt

Posted: December 02, 2007 5:17 AM

As George W., tries to mediate between these two archenemies for thousands of years, the greatest obstcacle to true peace is none other than this United States of America for acting more like a bully not only in that region but all over the world with its inhumane and horrendous war mchinery, which is a thing that is in complete disobedience of what the hopes and dreams were of the founders of this nation under God's inspiration. To make things worse, showing partisanship towards the Jewsish nation. To add more insult to injury, to get into Iraq and desthroning Saddam, who previously was a buddy to the USA as he got full support by the USA as he battled Iran's regime that a few years before had kicked out the Sha from Iran, the oil boy of America. This ambiguity on the part of the USA, how can that be a positive influence there, in the whole Arab world? Guns have never ever made any nation to permanent greatness, yet this Nation under God now has armed itself to the teeth, and more?

jim	Posted: November 30, 2007 2:30 PM

Peace in the Middle East. We all would like to see peace in the homeland of our Savior, but it seems that if we have difficulty determining how we would go about such a process. How can we be so negative about President Bush approaching the problems in the Middle East. I only know that God has given much of the land disputed over to the Jews, it is theirs. We could say that any approach is going to be a failure. I do believe that God has a plan in all of this and we really have no idea the details of that plan. It appears to me that over the years efforts to resolve difficulties there could easily have been a part of God's utlitmate plan, and we didn't have the insight to capture the reasoning of God in the matter. Let us join in prayer for this president and others to come and hope each walks in God's instruction in this matter. It isn't the first nor will it be the last in which we as Christians don't see the full picture and don't have great expectations, is it?

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