The Six Dangers of Christian Palestinianism

[1LoverofGod]

There has been a shift in Christian theology as it pertains to the Church’s relationship with Israel and/or Palestinian Christians. Loyalties once rooted in biblical principles are quickly changing. For followers of Yeshua (Jesus), it should not be much of a struggle to recognize Israel’s right to exist as well as the desperate need of the Jewish people for their Messiah.

Nevertheless, there is a real crisis facing Evangelicals today. A growing number of Bible believers appear to have made it their personal duty to act as theological referees between Jews and Palestinians. One of the key words heard over and over is “reconciliation,” and it often punctuates the various programs and projects aimed at bringing both Jews and Palestinians to Yeshua. It seems to be the ultimate goal of Evangelicals involved in such programs. But is it really? For any reconciliation to work, it must be a two-way street. Reconciliation needs to include forgiveness, mutual acceptance and a desire to press on together towards a common goal. The new trend in question is known as Christian Palestinianism.

Christian Palestinianism is a new way to look at the Middle East. It is almost like a new worldview. It has ramifications politically, historically geographically, archeologically, culturally and even spiritually. In his book For Zion’s Sake, Dr. Paul Wilkinson defines Christian Palestinianism by opposing it to Christian Zionism. He writes: “Christian Palestinianism is an inverted mirror image of Christian Zionism. All the basic elements of a Christian Zionist eschatology are reversed, so that the Bible is seen to be Christian, not Jewish, the land of the Bible is Palestine not Israel, the son of God is a Palestinian not a Jew, the Holocaust is resented not remembered, 1948 is a catastrophe not a miracle, the Jewish people are illegal occupiers not rightful owners, and biblical prophecy is a moral manifesto and not a signpost to the Second Coming.”[1].
I believe that Christian Palestinianism is a distorted view of God’s Word hiding a political agenda behind a reformed theology, resulting in a presentation of Christian Zionism as heretical. The Bible is slowly getting “de-judaized,” paving the way for Islam’s influence to overtake Judeo/ Christian history. This shift from Israel to Palestine in the Christian psyche really is a slap in God’s face and a grave altering of His Word. Postmodernism’s thirst for social justice and tolerance has positioned many Evangelicals on the other side of the spectrum from Christian Zionism to Christian Palestinianism. It could be argued that Christian Palestinianism is Replacement Theology amplified. It presents six dangers as follows:
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The Six Dangers of Christian Palestinianism

From the blog of Olivier Jack Melnick at The Times of Israel

blogs.timesofisrael.com

 

[1LoverofGod]

These Palestinians who believe they are followers of Jesus need prayer to come to the accurate knowledge of Truth.

I think what's happened is that some Christian missionaries in the reformed theology of the belief that God has abandoned Israel as His people and The Church has "replaced" Israel and this teaching is being spread in places like the Middle East and many are being deceived.

May God's Grace and Long suffering extend to those who have been misled and have taken The Bible out of context and draw these lost sheep to The Real Yeshua and be saved

 

[Andy C]

These Palestinians who believe they are followers of Jesus need prayer to come to the accurate knowledge of Truth.

Praying many will do so before its too late this side of the tribulation.

 

[spartan sprinter]

So is this sort of like the christian equivalent of the black hebrews movement ?

 

[Margery]

So is this sort of like the christian equivalent of the black hebrews movement ?

Sort of. Only WAY WAY bigger. This affects a LOT of protestant theology now.

Black Hebrew movement is another one of many groups that claim to replace Israel or that they are the "true" Israel. Christian Palis claim the church replaced Israel or that Israel & the Jews have zero right to the land of Israel.

Some question if the Jews are really Jewish or some European tribe who decided to be Jews shortly after the Romans kicked out the Jews. Often that is spotted by people claiming they are Khazars (don't know if I spelled that right). EASILY refuted by modern genetics which can detect Jewish DNA-- so precisely that even the descendants of Aaron and the priestly groups within the Levites can be determined. But these people still spread that lie. Also easily refuted by the many prophecies about the Jews returning to the land a second time-- which they did in 48. But these groups don't jive with the Bible much so if it disagrees with them they just tell you that part of the Bible is misinterpreted etc.

The more extreme ones claim that Jesus was a Palestinian and that all Jews were Palestinians and the Palestinians are the descendants of the owners of the land. Easily disproved with Jewish DNA results above and History but they don't seem to want to listen to history either unless it was recently re written by a Woke professor whose thesis is pro Palestinian, anti Jew.

It's actually gained a LOT of traction in the past 25 years.

Christ At The Checkpoint has been the main driving force in the early years but then

Lynn Hybels (wife of Bill Hybels -Willow Creek and with Rick Warren founders of the Church Growth Movement) got to one of their conferences and became a devout evangelist of those ideas. Because she and her husband along with the Warrens were immensely influential in that Church Growth movement (such books as The Purpose Driven Life etc) and that was affecting nearly ALL of evangelical churches during the 2000- today period this idea spread like wildfire.

Other big Eva (evangelical) movers and shakers got involved like Tony Campolo and others who were part of the Dominionist and Reconstructionist movements (which included a lot of the NAR-- New Apostolic Reformation infection) found common ground because all of them want to get away from a pre Trib Rapture and literal prophecy.

They are largely into an A-Millennial theology or like the Dominionists as an example, they believe that the Millennium can't happen till they bring the world under their domination and control and hand it over to Jesus who can't or won't return until the church is triumphant in enforcing His reign here on earth. They view the Millennium as allegorical, or we are in it and the church finally wins and hands the world to Jesus on His return to keep things going from that time forward.

I think it was David Reagan who quips-- if we are in the millennium now then the devil's on an awfully long leash!

 

[Margery]

I couldn't agree more with Olivier Melnick. I've watched him a fair bit in recent years as he speaks at various online conferences or being interviewed by Tom Hughes, Jan Markell and others, and he is a wonderful teacher. This form of heresy that he is outlining is the way Laodicea is morphing into something vehemently anti Semitic and the people spreading it are smart. They target the young historically illiterate youth.

It's finding common ground with a lot of the other heresies of the past and many of the same leaders are espousing it. Babylon is taking shape and her hatred of God and Jerusalem and the Jews is finally showing up.

 

[spartan sprinter]

I couldn't agree more with Olivier Melnick. I've watched him a fair bit in recent years as he speaks at various online conferences or being interviewed by Tom Hughes, Jan Markell and others, and he is a wonderful teacher. This form of heresy that he is outlining is the way Laodicea is morphing into something vehemently anti Semitic and the people spreading it are smart. They target the young historically illiterate youth.

It's finding common ground with a lot of the other heresies of the past and many of the same leaders are espousing it. Babylon is taking shape and her hatred of God and Jerusalem and the Jews is finally showing up.

Yeah Oliver has a good ministry in exposing antisemitism, i also like the sense of humor that he presents his sermons and videos