Religious Leaders' Statement on Christian Zionism

[cappie]

Religious Leaders' Statement on Christian Zionism

"We Stand for Justice. We Can Do No Other"

JERUSALEM, AUG. 30, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is "The Jerusalem Declaration on Christian Zionism" released Aug. 22. The statement was written by Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem and other local heads of Churches in Jerusalem.

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"Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9)

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 program provides a worldview where the Gospel is identified with the ideology of empire, colonialism and militarism. In its extreme form, it laces an emphasis on apocalyptic events leading to the end of history rather than living Christ's love and justice today.

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 preemptive 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!

We call upon Christians in Churches on every continent to pray for the Palestinian and Israeli people, both of whom are suffering as victims of occupation and militarism. These discriminative actions are turning Palestine into impoverished ghettos surrounded by exclusive Israeli settlements.

The establishment of the illegal settlements and the construction of the Separation Wall on confiscated Palestinian land undermine the viability of a Palestinian state as well as peace and security in the entire region.

We call upon all Churches that remain silent, to break their silence and speak for reconciliation with justice in the Holy Land.

Therefore, we commit ourselves to the following principles as an alternative way:

We affirm that all people are created in the image of God. In turn they are called to honor the dignity of every human being and to respect their inalienable rights.

We affirm that Israelis and Palestinians are capable of living together within peace, justice and security.

We affirm that Palestinians are one people, both Muslim and Christian. We reject all attempts to subvert and fragment their unity.

We call upon all people to reject the narrow world view of Christian Zionism and other ideologies that privilege one people at the expense of others.

We are committed to non-violent resistance as the most effective means to end the illegal occupation in order to attain a just and lasting peace.

With urgency we warn that Christian Zionism and its alliances are justifying colonization, apartheid and empire-building.

God demands that justice be done. No enduring peace, security or reconciliation is possible without the foundation of justice. The demands of justice will not disappear. The struggle for justice must be pursued diligently and persistently but without violence.

"What does the Lord require of you: To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)

This is where we take our stand. We stand for justice. We can do no other. Justice alone guarantees a peace that will lead to reconciliation with a life of security and prosperity for all the peoples of our land. By standing on the side of justice, we open ourselves to the work of peace -- and working for peace makes us children of God.

"God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:19)

Patriarch Michel Sabbah
Latin Patriarchate, Jerusalem

Archbishop Swerios Malki Mourad,
Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate, Jerusalem

Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal,
Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle East

Bishop Munib Younan,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

[Aloysius]

AMEN!

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

I'm suprised. ive heard pretty bad things about the Latin Patriarch. but this sounds good.

[Aloysius]

what bad things have you heard about the latin patriarch?

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

I heard he was an Ex-Jew who believed that the jewish people still had a valid covenant with God.

[Aloysius]

hmm... well the ex-Jew part wouldn't be something bad ... but there do exist some amongst the hierarchy with the eroneous opinion that the old covenant is somehow running parallel with the new covenant. I believe Ratzinger had a few boxing matches in his days of the CDF against this idea.

if the latin patriarch is one of these, it's nice to see he at least understand the Church as the new Israel enough not to support some divine right for israel to exist.

Of course, I'd like to see what quote from him led you to believe this. it is entirely possible that he was saying something correct and some trad jumped to conclusions from it (it's not unknown)

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

I'm not sure who told me that. or what he said. He seems to know what he is doing, and i have no qualms with the man, unless some evidence is present.

[Mateo el Feo]

It's a fair enough position that these patriarchs are taking. I hope they have the same resolve against Islamic Imperialism, which is all about "colonization, apartheid and empire-building."

[ruso]

Great article, well for the Patriarch Michel Sabbah.
Thanks for the post Cappie.

[KnightofChrist]

I would agree with their idea to some degree. Anybody lusting for world domination is nuts, and I would agree with other points too. Yet this letter does sound a little hippie dippie left-wing blame america or israel first. Where is this Christian Zionist empire? And where is the harsh comdenation of Islamo Terrorist in this, I dont see it! It sounds like their just blaming America and Israel for the "unending cycles of violence" and not so much the terrorist.

Also it sounds as if their bunching alot of people together. Does my abtily to see the fact that Islamo Terrorist are both America and Israel's enemies in this Holy War, which Islamo Terrorist began, make me in their eyes a "Christian Zionist"?

Because I AM NOT!

Their declaration has many good points, yet it is very leftwing, one sided and pro-muslim.

[Aloysius]

it is not left wing and it is not pro-muslim. the topic of the letter was not islam; there was no reason for it to condemn islamofascism. the topic of the letter was "Christian" Zionism, the idea in some heretical christian circles that the jews ought to live in the "promised land".

it doesn't even mention the US. You know, not everything in the world revolves around the United States . The entire point of the letter is to denounce whole-heartedly the evil, racist, and non-christian message which says that the hebrews have a right to that land and the palestinians do not.

the islamo-fascists started their war/jihad against the entire west; but the local conflict in Palestine was started by the UN when it created Israel. and believe me, it won't go away. For seven hundred years the Irish fought against british rule of their island. This holds the exact same sentiments: a foreign power usurped land from the native people and put in an elitist class and government. this will not go away for another 700 years unless Israel's land is greatly diminished, or even the entire state completely dissasembled, and a fixed permanent border is set for a palestinian nation and perhaps a small jewish nation, if any at all. like in Ireland: the places where the settlements are too deep rooted to clear away could be maintained in a very small state if necessary (which would still see violence for a bit afterwards by extremists, especially if some palestinians living there were treated as second class citizens, most likely, and to many it will still be seen as occupied/stolen land) while the places with a majority of palestinians/arabs are made a palestinian nation.

well, that's not going to happen. in any event, the UN majorly screwed that area over sixty years ago. the UN condemned that place to centuries full of war which will continue even if we do not force Israel into ceasefires. the only way Israel could ever actually acheive peace there is with a full genocide of the arab races around it. that is not possible, nor morally permissable; but neither is the continued existence of an occupation of palestine by israel; and the dismanteling of israel probably could not even be accomplished succesfully or peacefully. so pretty much the UN condemned that area to an unending cycle of violence.

these leaders have the right idea: Christian Zionism and Jewish Zionism are both evils just as much as Islamofascism.

anyway, it is not left wing to stick to the conservative religious understanding of the 'promised land' and the role of the jews. 100 years ago mainstream talmudic judaism accepted the talmud when it said that they were exiled from palestine and that only the messiah could let them back in peacefully and justly. 100 years ago Catholics agreed. conservative and traditional moral values oppose christian zionism.

The United States says it wants to fight the root of terror: the frustration of people who do not have a say in their government, in their own fate, the downtroddenness of living under totalitarianism and islamofascism and the willingness to blame outside forces like the US and Israel. Okay, that's all well and good: the Palestinians are downtrodden because their land has been occupied by foreign europeans for sixty years and they have been treated like second class citizens. the Palestinians' right to self-determination was completely abolished and taken away. the Palestinian people as a whole are the victims here: the victims of the UN and Israel. the terrorist organizations that sprung out of them are not victims, they are the result of that root cause of terror the US talks about wanting to root out by spreading democracy.

this is not left wing: this is religious conservativism crying out against modernist evil zionist propaganda. it is saying: for the love of God stop saying God gave this land to the Jews and that makes the Palestinians automatically the bad guys: both sides are at fault and the invention of israel in the first place is a major inceptatory fault on one side. Christianity cannot ally itself with zionism any more than it could ally itself with Islamofascism. They are both forces that are devestating that region.

But again, the topic is Christian zionism. it is condemned by the good patriarch and I'd love to hear the Patriarch of the West (oh wait, he dropped that title, lol, am i still allowed to call him that ) chime in in agreement: Christianity is no friend of zionism. Israel is not in existence by divine right, but by human foolishness.

[Era Might]

I don't like the tone of this letter.

Its essential point about militarism is very important, but I wish they had couched it in a more nuanced context. It's very true that a lot of western Christians are basically welcoming war because of their apocolyptic dreams, and God forbid that should influence war itself. But, at the same time, there are a lot of people who want to see Israel destroyed, and it would be tragic if we contributed to that desire with our words.

This is an explosive topic, and needs careful and measured treatment.

[thessalonian]

God is both pro Jew and pro Arab in that he wants them both to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Christian Zionism is against this prinicple. It is wrong.

[ruso]

If the things continue equal, in 25 years to disappear the Christians in middle east, Israel, Libano, Iraq.......neither Moslem neither Jews want us in middle east.
Cappie us this notifying on Libano.
Ah, the more Christian Zionism is George Bush.

Edited September 1, 2006 by ruso

[KnightofChrist]

It does mention the United States by name.
[quote]
We further reject the contemporary alliance of Christian Zionist leaders and organizations with elements in the [u]governments[/u] of Israel and [b]the United States[/b] that are presently imposing their unilateral preemptive borders and domination over Palestine.

[b]This inevitably [color="#FF0000"]leads[/color] to unending cycles of violence that undermine the security of all peoples of the Middle East and the rest of the world.[/b][/quote]

They blame the US, and Israel, for the leading, thus causing the violence not the Isamo Terrorist.

Under the same circumstances the "Creation" of Israel would be a non-issue had the state been a Muslim State and not a Jewish one. The foundation of the conflict in Palestine and the nations the surround Israel is hate of the Jew. It all comes down to that.

The letter sounds very liberal to me, I have heard many libs say the very same things. It makes acusations of "empire building", wheres the empire? It makes acusations of "colonialism", wheres the colonies?

Who are the Christian Zionist? Name them. They claim to be equal, but there is no comendnation of Terrorist, so what if the topic is just "Christian Zionism", Terrorist are a BIG BIG part of the violence, the topic is no excuse to leave out a big part of the problem.