Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Hello everyone,

Perhaps if you are like me, and you deeply struggle with what is happening in Israel and Palestine today.  War is horrifying.  The people who suffer most are civilians.  Houses are blown apart, meeting places are no more, playgrounds are obliterated both in Israel and in Gaza.  As Christian's how do we respond?

Within Christianity there is a movement called Christian Zionism.  The Presbyterian Church in Canada is on record as not believing in or supporting Christian Zionism.  In 2008 the Presbyterian Church in Canada adopted the following

"At the heart of Christian Zionism is the belief that the modern State of Israel is divinely ordained and scripturally determined to have a central role in ushering in the end of history. The pre-condition of Christ’s return is that Jews (who have been chosen to do God’s work) must return to Palestine in fulfillment of biblical prophecies. They must establish their state in the whole of Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel), including Jerusalem, which has been given by God to Jews exclusively as an eternal inheritance. The Jewish temple must be rebuilt in order to usher in the second coming of Christ.

Accordingly, since Christian Zionists believe that the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 and the extension of Israel’s boundaries in 1967 are a divine fulfillment of promises to the patriarchs and a precursor to the immediate second coming of Christ, they endeavour to actively participate in bringing what they believe are God’s plans to completion by supporting the extension of Israel’s boundaries and settlements. They also encourage people to reject any peace process between Israel and Palestinians and the establishment of a Palestinian state because they believe these actions would be contrary to God’s will. In this light, all aspirations of the Palestinian people to their own country in parts of the “Holy Land” must be rejected. Christian Zionists also tend to ignore the presence and undervalue the significance of Christian Palestinians.

The working groups of the Committee on Church Doctrine and the International Affairs Committee agreed that this interpretation is at variance with the teaching of Scripture concerning both the general resurrection and judgment. In Reformed theology as expressed in the subordinate standards of The Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Westminster Confession of Faith and Living Faith, the kingdom of God is not primarily an earthly reign bounded by time, race or geography but is Good News centred in the person and work of Jesus Christ and is directed to all people everywhere. Reformed Christians generally believe that the 1,000 years mentioned in Revelation 20 are symbolic. Furthermore, the events related to and the time of Christ’s return, are the sole purview of God. The day of Jesus’ return is unknown to us and cannot be influenced through human effort. In the meantime, efforts among all peoples to express love, peace and justice in the world are the clear mandate of those who would follow Jesus faithfully."

As Christians we listen to Jesus who came to break barriers between people with news of an inclusive love for all.  God loves Jews and Palestinians, Canadians and First Peoples just as God loves all people.  When war breaks out God cries.  God experiences the pain of those who suffer. God calls on us in the grace of Christ to live in peace with one another.  War is evil in all its forms.  We pray for and encourage world leaders including those in Israel and Palestine to work towards peaceful solutions that allow all people to live in harmony with one another.  As in Canada so in the Middle East land is a gift of God to be shared to meet the needs of all so that all may live in dignity.

Take good care

Marty