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Issue 32 - Spring 2004 The Challenge Of 1 Christian Zionism by Jonathan Kuttab A Holy Week in P-2 an Unholy Land P-3 A Tribute to Fadwa Tuqan P-5 n This Issue n This I A Christian Zionist Primer P-6 (Part III) Rewinding The Bible Prophecy Clock Issue 32 - Spring 2004 (Part IV) Decline and Rise of Christian Zionist Influence P-9 (Part V) The Christian Right P-11 by Donald Wagner Challenging Snapshots P-13 Christian Zionism The Challenge Of Christian Zionism Jonathan Kuttab The movement of Christian Zionism provides a chal- tional and international affairs? Is it a predictor of the lenge and an embarrassment to Palestinian Christians end-times, and a method for identifying which political at a number of crucial levels, requiring us to address powers or movements today are evil, and constitute an this issue theologically, politically, and existentially. It antichrist to be opposed by God-fearing Christians? Or raises for us a number of issues that must be addressed. is prophecy carrying a message from God to be given cou- rageously to a sinful society, and to those in power, call- First and foremost are the theological issues: What kind ing them to repentance, and reminding them of who is of God does Christianity teach and what kind of God truly sovereign in the affairs of men? do we believe in? Is God a tribal, territorially- based God, partial to the tribe of the Hebrews and interested Christian Zionism also revives issues thought to be re- in granting them a particular piece of land in Palestine solved during the first century of the Christian era con- to be their eternal birthright regardless of the rights of cerning the nature of relationship between the Old and its indigenous inhabitants?? Is God the Lord of Hosts, New Testament, and Jewish -Christian relationships. Af- glorying in the military exploits of his people, and wrath- ter two millennia of Jewish powerlessness, and gentile ful and vengeful towards their enemies, assuring them (including Christian) domination, and indeed even per- of military victory (regardless of their own spiritual state secution of Jews, the picture has changed dramatically. of godliness or lack thereof)? Or is God the sacrificial Jews now constitute a powerful, dominant and control- God who loves the whole world, and who, as revealed ling force, not only in their own affairs, but exercising to us in Christ, transcends racial and national bounda- power over others, including the small number of Pales- ries, and opens his arms and offers his salvation to Jew tinian Christians. Christian Zionism seems to celebrate and gentile alike, inviting into his universal kingdom this, and calls on Christians to promote this, and see in all those who believe in him, granting them the power it the hand of God. While the anti-Semitic persecution to be children of God, and inheritors of the promises?? of Jews was certainly sinful and un-Christian, is the cur- rent support of their arrogance the right response?? Are It also presents hermeneutical problems of understand- they to be exempt from the moral and ethical require- ing prophecy and of eschatology: Is prophecy a form ments of justice on account of their suffering and is the of fortune telling, and predictions about current na- unqualified support offered by Christian Zionism the 2 Issue 32 - Spring 2004 correct penitential response to Christian complicity in the persecution of the Jews? Christian Zionism, on the political level, is crassly sim- plistic and unabashedly biased. It is supportive of the most extreme political positions of right wing Israelis, and deliberately ignores political realities, and the inter- A HolyWe est, or even existence, of other groups, including Pales- tinian Christians. In its total bias, it also ignores the requirements of international law, ethical principles, vio- in an lations of human rights, and the requirements of simple justice. It is oblivious to the suffering of non-Jews, and the long- term impact of Israel’s suicidal policies, which Have you ever wondered why the day our Lord was killed is it gives a divine mantle of justification. Christian Zion- called “Good Friday”? What’s “good” about the torture and ists, particularly in Western countries and the United murder of another human being? What could possibly be “good” States, translate their theology into concrete political in- about the torture and murder of the One many people on that fluence on behalf of Zionism and the state of Israel, and very day believed to be the Messiah? successfully influence the financial, political and mili- tary assistance given by the United States government When I first moved to this land we call “holy”, I was living in to the State of Israel. They further claim that such po- the Galilee in a small Arab village, about 50/50 Muslim and litical behavior is mandated by their faith and theology, Christian. The Christian population was divided between the and is normative for all Christians as well. Should all Greek Orthodox Church and the Greek Catholic Church. Since Christians support them in their political activism as I worked for the local Greek Catholic priest I attended services well?? at the village church that was built before the Crusader Era. Not only were the services conducted in Arabic, but the liturgy These issues rightly should be the concern of all Chris- was the same as the Eastern Orthodox, very unfamiliar to me. tians, but they are particularly the bane of Palestinian Most of it was sung, sitting or standing. and Arab Christians. Christians in the Middle East have to contend not only with the theological implications At first I just stood of these positions, as they live in the midst of a Moslem when everyone else world reeling from the impact of the demonization of stood and sat when Islam and the apparent onslaught of a ‘crusading” West- everyone else sat, ern world on them, but also with their political impact not understanding that they experience themselves in the form of daily dep- what was being said rivations, humiliations, loss of land, of rights, of loved or the symbolism ones, and of their patrimony. All this is justified in the behind any of the name of their own God and their own scriptures. traditions involved; the swinging of the The village of Ibillin It is to deal with these and similar questions that the incense, the blessing Sabeel International Conference was organized in Jeru- with three fingers by the priest, the parading of the elements. It salem. It is our hope that the deliberations of that con- was all very strange and mystical to me. As I began to under- ference will lead us to answers that are theologically cor- stand some Arabic and had a few lessons on the liturgy from my rect, and politically sensitive, and that it will translate boss, I began to appreciate the ancient traditions as having their into a plan of action for bringing these issues to the at- basis in the founding fathers of Christianity, traditions that go tention of the church at large, and ultimately bringing back almost 2000 years. good news of peace, justice and reconciliation to the Holy Land as well. Living in a village that still adheres to the old way of life, the sound of the church bells takes on the role of “town crier”. One listens for the church bells to give you messages; a one hour Jonathan Kuttab is a lawyer and member “wake up” call before church, the 3 repeated rings that let you of the Sabeel board. Issue 32 - Spring 2004 3 ek Unholy Land know the priest has arrived and you should begin walking times by the eldest and to church, the 3-3-7 series that lets you know that church most respected men of has begun, the constant ring of the celebration of a wed- the congregation, while ding, or the 3 slow tolls that repeat several times to let the children follow behind village know that someone has died and there will be a fu- throwing flower petals. neral the next day. The bells ring out the story of the life of (In a traditional burial the village. service the casket is car- ried around the church Priest carrying the Holy Fire All during Lent there are beautiful services every Friday instead.). Even though evening leading up to Holy Week. But the endurance test the men struggle under the weight of the burden, it is con- really begins on Thursday, what we in the West call Maundy sidered a great honor and blessing to be selected to carry the Thursday, or the day of the Last Supper. Even though in the crucifix. West by suppertime it is still Thursday, in this part of the world a day is counted from sundown to sundown. Conse- Saturday begins the celebrations. The service celebrating the quently by the evening of Thursday, it is already considered victory of Christ over death begins at 10:00 am and lasts the day the Lord was crucified. In the evening a three-hour until 1:00. During the ceremony the congregation leaves service begins during which all twelve gospels that describe the church by the western door, symbolizing the setting of the events are sung, special music is performed, and a large the sun and the darkness of death. The door is then locked. cross is carried three times around the church by one of the The priest reads the liturgy while people hold candles and priests. (I learned the hard way to wear flat shoes to church sing.

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