By Dr. MANFRED GERSTENFELD, ARUTZ7—
Manfred Gerstenfeld interviews Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein of the Wiesenthal Center: “They claim to support the underdog against ‘powerful and evil Israel.’”
The leadership of most American ‘mainline’ Protestant churches is top-heavy with anti-Israel agitation, especially among those on mission committees. By now, a substantial number of their members have been influenced by anti-Israel rhetoric. Furthermore, younger members, due to anti-Israel attitudes on campus, are increasingly hostile to Israel. If the Palestinians make further progress here, it will be a great blow to the self-understanding of America as ‘firmly in Israel’s camp.’
“These very liberal churches include Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, and the United Church of Christ. They presently number about 16 million. Their membership and influence in the United States continue to decline. These churches’ rhetoric is usually outdone by an even harsher one of a small group of so-called ‘peace churches,’ including the Mennonites and Quakers.”
Rabbi Yitchok Adlerstein is the Director of Interfaith Affairs at the Simon Wiesenthal Center. He is the Adjunct Chair, Jewish Law and Ethics at Loyola Law School. He is the Founding Editor of the Jewish Orthodox blog Cross-Currents.
“Mainline churches claim many members from Congress. They represent America’s heartland and have adopted a range of resolutions hostile to Israel. They include calls for boycotts plus divestment and sanctions (BDS). Some are aimed at Israel, others focus on the ‘settlements.’ Several churches supported the hateful Kairos Palestine Document published in 2009 by some Palestinian Christians. There is also tourism to Israel under Palestinian auspices.
“BDS started with the passage of a resolution in 2004 at the Presbyterian Church (USA) calling for selective divestment of shares of American companies doing business in Israel. Long before that, the World Council of Churches (WCC) founded in 1948, aligned itself with ‘third world’ countries and thinking. This is an international umbrella group of mainline churches which claims denominational membership of 590 million people. It has frequently condemned Israel, yet never protested attempts by Israel’s neighbors and by terrorists to erase it from the map.
“The churches’ salaried officials often harm Israel, without a specific mandate from a convention floor. For example, in fall 2012 just before the U.S. presidential elections, a consortium of church officials sent a letter to members of Congress questioning how U.S. military aid was being used by Israel, and calling for cutbacks in that aid.
“Several of these churches also publish extremely anti-Israel educational materials. These are often the only ones members will view. The Methodists produced a study guide a few years ago authored by an apostate Jewish pastor. He admitted to hating Judaism. It featured illustrations of Israeli soldiers reminiscent of Nazi guards at a concentration camp.
“The motives of these churches differ. Some aim to delegitimize the State of Israel as ‘a colonialist enterprise conceived in sin.’ Others desire to give Christian witness to the lack of peace in the Holy Land. These churches have discarded much of their grandparents’ beliefs and practices, retaining sympathy only for the powerless. In defending the Palestinians, they claim to support the underdog against ‘powerful and evil Israel.’
“Theology is playing an increasing role in mainline churches’ anti-Israel activity. It began with the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center and its head, Dr. Naim Ateek. Many liberal churches have partnered with Sabeel. Ateek used crucifixion imagery in his Easter message of 2001: ‘It seems to many of us that Jesus is on the cross again with thousands of crucified Palestinians around him.’
” This reintroduces the ancient murderous Christian charge of deicide against the Jews. Ateek and others deny that the Bible speaks of any covenant of land with the Jews. This is a renewal of the replacement theology and supersessionism, and is extremely dangerous for Jews around the world, especially at a time of rising anti-Semitism.
“Palestinian influences in anti-Israel hate mongering is huge. They have sent teams of Palestinian Christians around the U.S for a decade, tugging at Christian heartstrings with emotional tales of woe. They are more effective than Palestinian Muslims, who don’t come as ‘brothers.’
“Still, there are surprises. In 2012, several denominations substituted positive investment resolutions in place of divestment. In some cases, votes that looked like they were heading in the anti-Israel direction were saved by impassioned speeches by pastors who spoke about the impact such a resolution would have on Jewish-Christian friendships and partnerships in their churches.
“I frequently converse with friends in churches, pondering the sundry causes of anti-Israel sentiment. When I attribute much to the misdirection of Christian love, I am often interrupted by someone saying: ‘Rabbi, I wish it were true. There is far more old-fashioned anti-Semitism in this church than any of us would like to admit.’”
“The actions of these mainline churches have poisoned the well of Christian-Jewish dialogue. Jews entered the dialogue, which has been fruitful at times, on the basis of assurances that Christian partners left contempt for Jews and Judaism behind, and had made serious attempts to understand what was important to Jews. The way in which these churches treat Israel shows that neither is true.”
By their fruits shall you know them. Any Church that is against Israel is against God, and has been blinded to the truth. As a Gentile I pray for the peace of Israel. Just remember that just because someone attends a Church, that does not make them Christian.
As a faithful and lifelong Roman Catholic, I will absolutely withhold any future donations to any cause of my Church, if the designation of “Catholic” is added this list. The amount of these donations I will ascribe to a Jewish foundation, probably CUFI.
As a Christian and supporter of Israel, I find it difficult to understand how “Christians” can misread the Bible and hate Israel and the Jewish people.
Some of the information in this article shook me…to find out the denomination I work for is anti-Semitic further supports my desire to find new employment. This particular church allowed me to give a talk about Israel several months ago, so I know it isn’t all of the churches but probably the denomination itself.
The Bible says that “those who bless Israel will be blessed, those who curse Israel will be cursed”, how do they get around that??????
Truly we live in the very last of the last days!! When churches can ignore what God said to Abraham about a curse and a blessing to those who support Israel. That has NOT been rescended!!!!
Most “Christians” in this liberal camp of “churches” do not read the Bible, so they can never understand the role of Israel and the Jewish People in the text. These are they who blindly follow spiritual “leaders” while the Bible sits a home collecting dust on a dark shelf or up in the attic
There is also no shortage of liberal Jews in America who display anti-Israel hostility as well.
As a Christian I can not begin to fathom not supporting Israel . It is an elementary but fundamental premis to grasp—they are Gods chosen people in his Holy Land. We are most certainly living in the last days–Come Lord Jesus Come!
Ichabod, Ichabod, the blessings have left America. If it is “the rhetoric of the Liberal media”, then, at this point, I could not “stand” with the anti-Israel crowd. Can anybody recall what had
occurred when our past presidents went against Israel. I think, that those “incidents” are no coincidence either. Can anyone recall “hurricane Katrina” and what had happened afterwards? Talk about losing our blessings corporately as a Nation. 7/12/13
I for one attend a Presbyterian church that preaches the gospel and accepts that The Jewish people are Gods chosen.” Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”
Support for Israel is one of the great privileges we have of living in these days. We are of that generation that has seen a great miracle of God take place: The re-formation of the nation of Israel, just as the prophets said would occur before the return of Jesus in power and great glory. To not see this is to be blind indeed. We have opportunity to bless Israel in ways that our ancestors could not – because for centuries Israel didn’t exist.
It is time for Israel to arise and shine for your light has come. Ezekiel 36 & 37 and Deuteronomy 30 are manifesting, and Jeremiah 31 will be embraced. Believers, let’s heed the call of Isaiah 62, and give God no rest until He make Jerusalem a praise in all the earth. And heed the warning of Romans 11. Israel’s gifts and callings remain today as ever. Let’s not despise the natural branches. Remember, we’re grafted in, and we don’t support the root…the root supports us.
GOD’S WORD STANDS ON ITS OWN, AND WE THAT BELIEVE AND ARE BLESSED TO UNDERSTAND IT, TO KNOW THAT HE KEEPS HIS WORD. THE JEWISH PEOPLE ARE HIS PEOPLE, AND WE ARE TO HELP THEM WITH PRAYER AND OTHER WAYS AVAILABLE TO US. TO WORK AGAINST HIM, HIS LAND AND HIS PEOPLE IS ‘POKING A FINGER IN GOD’S EYE’. WHO DOES MAN THINK HE IS BY CLAIMING CHRIST AND DENYING GOD’S WORD.
STAND FAST ISRAEL, LOOK TO THE ONLY TRUE GOD, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB AND HE WILL PROTECT YOU….LOOK TO YOUR MESSIAH. AND, FORGIVE THE UNITED STATES AND THE CHURCH FOR STANDING AGAINS HIM! AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL HONOR GOD’S WORD, HIS TRUTH AND PROCLAIM HIS SON, THE MESSIAH.
‘simply said’
wyn harter
Israel has always been God’s chosen earthly people. If it wasn’t for the Jewish nation, there will be no salvation for anyone. If you call yourself a christian and you reject the heritage of a Jewish nation like Israel, then you don’t know your bible. Remember our Lord Jesus Christ is from the blood line of this great nation Israel. King David was a Jew. Plus at the end times, God still has a plan for this Jewish nation. I think it’s time for all to open the word of God and find out for yourselves what the bible really teaches!!! You can not call yourself christian and reject Israel, it’s like rejecting the bible and Jesus Christ. Read the Bible!!!
This made me very sad. It was confirmation of the compass I see of so many who call themselves Christians and Pastors. In some ways it shocks me but I also know God’s word said such would come about…
“Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.” 1 Timothy 4:1-2
But Glory to God! “For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.” Job 28:24
“poisoned the well of Christian-Jewish dialogue” — not as much as you would think. Too many lib Jews worship at the alter of interfaith dialogue, and are too wussified to object to Israel vilification.
These are truly the times that test men’s souls and we can see Yahweh is shaking out the wheat from the tares. I thank God that even though the apostate church is showing it’s hand there are true Christians who are standing with & will continue to stand with Israel. They (the apostates) have forgotten that Yeshua (Jesus) was Jewish, born of a Jewish mother and not a Palestinian as some claim today. Because of His life and death we were grafted in to the Olive tree of Israel. They also forget that the apostles and early church fathers were also Jewish. Without the Jewish people there would be no church, although I am sure in His mercy God would have found a way.. Because of these Jewish men and women of God we and all those who lived in darkness came to know The God of our Salvation & when the former pagans came to control the church we paid them back with violence, brutality and death and tried to steal their inheritance. Remember, we may be The Bride of Christ, But the Jews are the wife of God Himself & God will not be mocked.
I’m constantly seeing replies these days about the ‘evil Zionists’ they call them, and how it’s the Jews that are behind all the calamity in the world. Ok for one, even if the elitist of the world were Jews, I would still only hold the elitist accountable, not all of Israel, and not all of the Jews. I’ve looked into this stuff (referred to as conspiracy theories by the useful idiots) for a lot of years and NEVER have I come across anything that points to the Jews specifically as being responsible. The closets I’ve come is holly wood. Secondly, I ask them if they are as ani-YHWH/Christ as they are anti-semetic. I had one guy tell me that Jesus wasn’t a ‘Zionist’. The definition of a ‘Zionist’ btw is someone who is pro Israel. I am just dumbfounded at how easily people can be led to completely misdirected or undirected hatred towards a certain people. This who Zimmerman trial garbage/distraction is a great example. “justice for Treyvon” ya right. The kid was a creep, yet for some reason he isn’t guilty of anything in the eyes of those filled with hatred.
God’s word is clear. He said He would gather all the nations to come against Israel so that He could judge them.
Does any follower of Jesus really believe this now cursed and reprobate land was immune when it is the USA which is at the forefront in dividing Israel and Jerusalem ?
I will also gather all nations,
And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
And I will enter into judgment with them there
On account of My people, My heritage Israel,
Whom they have scattered among the nations;
They have also divided up My land.
Joel 3
Israel is a mad dog that needs to be killed once and forever….
I am sad that once again we give Israel a reason to distrust us. There are many ppl calling themselves Christians that aren’t, wether Palistians or American. We aren’t all like that. There is a growing number of us that truly loves you Israel. Many of us have repented of idolatry and sun worship that sabotaged the christian faith.
You nailed it, MA Steiner. Most of these so-called liberal Christian church people have not really read the Bible…just hear a few passages read, some out of context, on Sunday mornings. I am sorry about the demonization of the word “liberal”, however. Some “liberal” politicians have been Christian and even read the Bible. So there is a hate-mongering going on against “liberals” too.
I came from a liberal family but I’m more conservative now, especially in the area of Bible reading.
I do belong to one of these so-called liberal churches, and I am not in favor of some of their official positions. I am really sick of their ignorance, because that is what it is…dire ignorance.
Amen, to many of the opinions expressed about this article. The wrath of God will be felt by all of those who do not fear God as His word tells us. Those that know the faith of our Lord and Master will reap the benefits of an eternal life with our Creator, and there is no greater reward in Heaven or on earth. My heart goes out to those whose hearts are cast in stone and will not listen or learn.