Credit due Christian Zionism and the Balfour Declaration Page 13

A BRITISH flag at an exhibit focusing on the First World War. (Reuters) Christian Zionism and the Balfour Declaration

• BY ELI KAVON writes that, “Until the late nineteenth and big-power recognition of Jewish authorities would not allow this would- century, most plans for a Jewish entity aspirations. be messiah to arouse anger among s we approach the centennial of in Palestine were Christian. These plans I would like to focus on one of the Copenhagen’s populace and this early the Balfour Declaration, one rea- were predicated on the perception that earliest advocates of a Jewish return to Christian Zionist was never heard from son for the British recognition of a geographical Palestine was the ancient the Land of Israel. (There is an impres- again. AJewish homeland on November 2,1917,homeland that ‘belonged’ to Jews. This sive list of Christian individuals and Manyjews today are suspicious of the has been overlooked. While many his- perception, rooted in a biblical world- movements - in Joseph Adler’s Restoring zeal of American Evangelicals for the torians either credit the Balfour Decla- view, influenced wide sectors of Chris- the Jews to their Homeland (1997) - that State of Israel. While Christians today ration to Chaim Weizmann’s contribu- tendom. It was a pre-modern percep- were the harbinger of Lord Balfour and are not as insistent as Holger Paulli was tion to the war effort or to an attempt to tion that persists into modernity and it the support for Israel among American on conversion, there remains a residue create sympathy for the British struggle continues to influence many Christians Evangelicals in our own day.) of doubt. What was Lord Balfour pro- among American and Russian Jews, a to this day, especially, but not exclusive- Holger Paulli (1644-1714) is an early moting in his public declaration? Was profound reason for the British recog- ly, in the United States.” Christian Zionist whose life was cloaked his belief in the fulfillment of biblical nition is rooted in religion, specifically It should come as no surprise that in mystery and eccentricity. After study- prophecy based on the idea that all Jews Protestant Christianity. Christian Zionists in England had great ing theology he made a fortune from would be baptized once they reached The Christian Zionist movement influence on the issue of the Balfour the West Indies slave trade. He under- the Land of Israel? is today overshadowed by the Jew- Declaration. According to Goldman, went a mystical experience as a younger My gut and my study of history say no ish efforts - rooted in the Bible but British foreign secretary Lord Arthur man and proclaimed himself King of when it comes to the situation today. expressed in a modern movement - to James Balfour’s “religious beliefs influ- the Jews. His ultimate goal was to con- While there are no doubt Protestants build a Jewish state in Israel. In fact, enced his political decisions, particu- vert all Jews to Christianity. Then he who see Zionism as an ushering in of the as early as the 17th century, predating larly on the question of a Jewish return would lead “his people” to the Land of Second Coming, we should not reject modern Zionism by more than a hun- to Palestine, which he felt would be the Israel, ushering the messianic advent. all Christians who are zealous in their dred years, Christians advocated and fulfillment of biblical prophecy.” The Paulli was prolific. Long before Her- support of Israel. I believe that there is imagined a Jewish return to the Land declaration from Balfour, delivered to zl’s diplomatic efforts and his meet- genuine excitement among Christian of Israel. Lord Lionel Walter Rothschild, titular ings with European leaders to promote supporters of Israel - the people of the In his groundbreaking study of Chris- president of the British Zionist Federa- Zionism, the Dane Paulli was sending Hebrew Bible are walking again in the tian Zionism, Prof. Shalom Goldman tion, was as much a religious document tracts with his ideas to King William III footsteps of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Judah emphasizes the impact of religion on the as a political one. “The establishment of England and the dauphin of France. Maccabee. To have freedom of religion creation of the Balfour Declaration. In in Palestine for a national home for the He predicted the rebuilding of Jerusa- and walk where Jesus walked inspires Zeal for Zion (2009), Goldman debunks Jewish people” represented the Chris- lem would take place in 1720. His one these supporters. Whatever Lord Bal- the myth that only a few “Righteous tian convictions of a messianic reality. condition for this return was that all the four’s motives, his actions enabled Jews Gentiles” were supportive of the Jew- The Balfour Declaration was not simply Jews be baptized. His downfall was his to enter the family of nations and return ish struggle to create a state. Goldman a document of international diplomacy return to Denmark in 1706. The Danish to build up and grow Israel as it is today.