5stringJeff
Senior Member
rtwngAvngr said:http://www.christianzionism.org/churchesN.asp
Throughout history some Christians have tried to use the Bible to justify violence: for the Crusades, for Anti-Semitism, and for slavery. There are many examples of these misguided Biblical exegesis. One specfic example is Thorten Stringfellow's treatise to justify slavery. The church has been too slow to respond to these misuses of the Bible, and these were black periods in the history of the church.
Now Christian Zionists are using the Bible to again justify violence. Although the motives are couched in terms of compassion toward the Jewish people, and supporting alleged Biblical prophesies, the political agenda of territorial expansion advocated by Christian Zionists results in grave violence and injustices toward the Palestinians. For some time, individuals, and theologians have spoken out against Christian Zionism. In the past few years, conservative to liberal denominations are now taking official positions condeming and questioning this theology.
Denomination Date Body Title, quote, and link to resolution or postion
Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod April 2004 Commission on Theology and Church Relations A Lutheran Response to the "Left Behind Series"
"The clear witness of the New Testament is that the person of Jesus Christ is the interpretive key to the Old Testament, and indeed to all of Scripture." MORE
Presbyterian Church USA July 2004 General Assembly (national) On Confronting Christian Zionism
"Christian Zionism promotes a theology that justifies grievious violations of basic rights of people who are also made in the image of God, and is contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ." MORE
Reformed Church in America June 2004 Annual Synod (national) Christian Zionism: A Historical Analysis and Critique
"Jesus, picking up seminal themes from the Hebrew scriptures, preached and lived a message of reconciliation " MORE
United Church of Christ July 2003 General Synod (national) An Alternative Voice to Christian Zionism
"We believe that the tenets of Christian Zionism neither reflect the intention of the teachings of Jesus and the prophets, nor promote peace in the Middle East, and respectfully recommend and alternative voice to this theology." MORE
Mennonite Church USA July 2005 MCC Peace Office Newsletter Christian Zionism and Peace in the Holy Land
"A widespread but erroneous belief is that Christain Zionists read Daniel and Revelation literally. They do not. No Christian Zionist applies a consistently literal interpretation to Revelation. No one has suggested that Jesus was really a lamb." MORE
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America June 2005 Chicago Metropolitan Synod Resolution to Encourage the Study of Christian Zionism
" the movement of Christian Zionism based on these biblical interpretations seeks to influence U.S. policy toward Israel in a manner that would arguably facilitate mistreatment of Palestinians, continued occupation of the land, opposition to a two-state solution, and exclusive Israeli control of Jerusalem "MORE
United Methodist Church June 2005 IL Conference On Unwrapping the Rapture
" every household should give prayerful consideration as to how God will actually judge us for our silence about and complicity in the crushing of the Palestinian people " MORE
Episcopal Church November 2004 Diocese of Chicago Confronting Christian Zionism
"A partial response to Christian Zionism would be to say that we read Scripture in light of [Jesus'] two great commandments - to love God and our neighbor." MORE
Shamgar, is that you??
Seriously, though, do you realize that you are quoting from liberal Christian groups?
And what the hell is Christian Zionism? It's certainly nothing I'd ever heard of until our friend Sham showed up a few weeks ago.