Who We Are
We are professors, pastors, leaders of church-related organizations, and laity all working together toward one purpose: to examine a theological teaching called Christian Zionism that is growing in the church today. We believe that this trend demands close examination and study.
We are followers of Jesus who believe whole-heartedly in the Bible, love the Lord, believe passionately in our faith, and are deeply concerned about this teaching in the church. We believe we live in a deeply political age. And many want to wed politics to our Christian faith and apply it to the Middle East.
This concerns us. We believe that when politics are joined to faith, as with Christian Zionism, alarms should sound.
We hope that this website will help other Christians navigate these currents and discover a new way to read the Bible and be faithful to Jesus in turbulent times. We want to be peace-makers in the Middle East. We are neither pro-Israel nor pro-Palestine.. We are pro-Jesus and all that He would speak into the world today.
We are the site's Editorial Board.
We have elected to keep our names confidential, that is, to not disclose our names. Quite simply, we don’t wish to be on the receiving end of personal abuse and insults that would likely be directed at us were our names to be listed on this site.
For suggested contributions, improvements, or constructive criticism please contact us here: Your feedback.
Endorsements
Brian McLaren
Every morning when I was a boy, one of my grandfathers would read the morning paper closely looking for information about Israel, because he believed that Bible prophecies were being fulfilled before our eyes. He awoke each day with a sense of excitement to see connections between the Bible and today's news. I wish he'd had access to the kind of information available at christianzionism.org, because it would have helped him see even deeper ways the Bible is relevant to today's news. For all who consider themselves Christian Zionists, this site is a must, and will be of interest for all those simply curious about Israel and the Bible. It is respectful, thoughtful, and accessible to all. - Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration
Walter Bruggemann
Too many American Christians are uncritical, unreflective, and naive concerning the deep human crisis that is taking place in “the Holy Land.” That naiveté, moreover, is reinforced by the pressure of Israeli Zionism combined with romantic notions about the Holy Land. This resource is a welcome one for overcoming such uncritical naiveté and for facing the real crisis there. We have so much to unlearn as American Christians; here is a good reference for that urgent work. - Walter Bruggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary
Carole Monica Burnett
This website is a feast for anyone inquiring about the mixture of religion and politics that is promoted by some preachers in their zealous, unquestioning support of the Israeli government's policies. Every sincere Christian must sooner or later encounter a moment of decision: Does Christian Zionism reflect the values that Jesus taught, or not? Can a Christian be true to his or her faith while supporting ethnically biased policies that deprive innocent people of their human rights? Anyone grappling with this quandary will find an abundance of solid information and well-grounded insights on this website. - Former professor of church history, Ecumenical Institute of Theology
Stephen Hyde
It is possible to visit Israel and return home a confirmed Christian Zionist. However, it is far less likely if your visit includes the occupied territories, and you actually meet some of the people who live there. The jarring reality on the other side of the Wall is one of daily humiliation and injustice. It has been my privilege to experience the beauty of Israel, especially Galilee, and also to know some amazing people on both sides. This vital and much-needed website offers windows into new understanding and hope. - Stephen Hyde, Baptist pastor
K. K. Yeo
The Bible and Christian theology are great resources for spirituality and mission, yet some interpretations of the Bible that are blessings to us have become curses to those living in the land mentioned in the Bible. This website provides invaluable resources for Christians to reflect critically our prejudices in our readings of the Bible, and take seriously the ethics of biblical interpretation. The expanding resources will enable readers to study the Bible in light of its socio-political, literary, canonical contexts while engaging with our modern religious, cultural, and political contexts. - K. K. Yeo, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
A version of this website for Brazil
Today, nearly 30% of Brazilians (60 million persons) identify as evangelicals, and this number continues to grow through evangelism and outreach. These evangelical Christians are confronted almost daily with news about Christian Zionism. They seek grounded Biblical teaching to answer perplexing questions about Christian Zionism. To provide answers, our evangelical contacts in Brazil wish urgently to create a Portuguese language version of this website for the citizens of Brazil. With the Brazilian economy at a low point, however, these contacts seek financial help. They humbly request your donation to help bring this vision to reality.
Can you please help? Every donation, no matter how large or small, makes a difference! The funding required is just $2,300 (U.S. dollars). To make a donation, please contact us at tom.bell@hushmail.com.