For Christians, the conundrum of competing Israeli and Palestinian claims is especially complex. For many believers, the difficulties involve more than questions of prudent foreign policy and humanitarian concern; they embrace issues of biblical interpretation and theology as well.
Recent events have reignited the fires of conservative Christian zeal for Israel: the Middle East peace talks and the debate over loan guarantees for Israel, for example. And you can sense the heat of that zeal in such things as a not-inexpensive, full-page ad in the Washington Times, and plans to move the annual Prayer Breakfast for Israel from its routine Washington venue to Jerusalem.
For a current report on the activities of Christian Zionists, turn to page 46 of this issue. To sample some CT comment from the past, read on. Here are excerpts from a 1978 editorial:
“God has an interest in all peoples, yet he has a distinguishable interest in the people of Israel. Moreover, the tragic history of the suffering of the children of Israel, most of it … inflicted by those who claim to be the followers of the Jewish Messiah, … warrants our support of a homeland for the Israelis. There is no better place for such a state than on Palestinian soil.…
“[But] unlike the impression that some Christian defenders of Israel convey, we do not believe that God needs our initiatives in order to bring to pass what he has foretold will eventually happen. God’s word to us is … to seek to apply the principles he has set forth in all of our relationships, whether or not such obedience seems … to hinder or help the fulfillment of divine predictions.
“Among the principles … are the promotion of justice for all peoples, together with special concern for the descendants of God’s ancient chosen people.”
DAVID NEFF, Managing Editor
Cover photograph by V. Gilbert Beers.
