Is biblical prophecy influencing how American politicians talk about Israel and the Middle East?
Antisemitism is rising around the world. That is dangerous and irrational.
Hatred directed at a vulnerable minority is never the answer. If we are going to understand this issue honestly, we need to understand the forces shaping it.
Much of the public anger over support for Israel is being directed broadly at Jews rather than at political movements such as Christian Zionism, which plays a significant role in shaping pro-Israel rhetoric in the United States.
Christian Zionism is a political and religious movement driven by the belief that the modern State of Israel fulfills biblical prophecy and should therefore receive strong political support.
Jewish people make up roughly 0.2 per cent of the global population, or about 15.7 million people. By comparison, tens of millions of evangelical Christians in the United States are believed to hold Christian Zionist views.
And because evangelical Christians represent a major voting bloc in American politics, their views can influence how some American politicians talk about Israel and the Middle East.
The beliefs of some of the movement’s most influential figures help explain why.
Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, former Republican presidential candidate and American ambassador to Israel, has frequently framed support for Israel in explicitly biblical terms.
Another influential figure is John Hagee, founder and chairman of Christians United for Israel (CUFI). The organization says it has millions of members and describes itself as the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States.
In a March sermon discussing the conflict with Iran, Hagee praised the American military operation and spoke about an apocalyptic confrontation involving Russia, Iran and Turkey. He spoke of “fire and brimstone” being sent from heaven to destroy invading forces.
Within parts of the Christian Zionist movement, conflict in the Middle East is often viewed through the lens of biblical prophecy and the belief that turmoil in the region will precede the second coming of Jesus.
The obvious question is how much these beliefs influence political rhetoric surrounding Israel and the Middle East.
For Christians from the Middle East, these arguments are not abstract.
As a Middle Eastern Christian, my family spoke the language of Jesus, Aramaic, and my name means “minor Church official.” I see Christian Zionism as deeply troubling because it uses a religion born in the Middle East to justify more violence in the region.
As Canadians, we have a right to ask whether some political leaders who strongly “stand with Israel” also share theological views similar to those promoted by figures such as Huckabee and Hagee.
Criticizing governments, military actions or political ideologies is legitimate in a democracy. Blaming Jews collectively is not.
Gerry Chidiac specializes in languages and genocide studies and works with at-risk students. He received an award from the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre for excellence in teaching about the Holocaust.
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