Rethinking Christian Zionism, faith and justice

By Walter Hesford | FāVS News Columnist

In her Aug. 24 column, Cassy Benefield offered a probing, heart-felt critique of Christian Zionism. Benefield, like many evangelicals, has supported Israel based on her reading of the Bible.

Like her, I was once an ardent supporter of the state of Israel. I remember singing with my Jewish high school buddies the stirring theme song of the 1963 movie “Exodus”: “This land is mine, God gave this land to me … ”

Only much later did I learn, as did Benefield, that the establishment of this state in 1948 through military force celebrated in this movie and song came at the expense of the Palestinians, who had been living on this land for centuries, and who were driven out. 

She now concludes that the blind support Christian Zionists give the current government of Israel as it destroys Palestine and starves its people is unwarranted. 

I would add that Christian Zionism is self-serving. Based on obscure and debated readings of some biblical passages, it uses the Jewish people who dwell in Israel as pawns in an apocalyptic drama that necessitates their conversion to Christianity. 

The Bible does not call us to blindly support the government of Israel or any government. Nationalisms of any sort — be they Indian, Israeli, German, Christian or American — are dangerous and heretical. They ask us to worship what should not be worshiped.

“Zionism” is not biblical, but “Zion” is. The prophets of the Bible speak often, and often critically, of Zion. Originally a word that referred to a hill with a fortress outside of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7), Zion evolved to signify Jerusalem, then Israel as a whole.

The first prophet to develop this significance was Amos, an 8th century BCE shepherd from Tekoa, a small village in Judea. (Amos 1:1) On behalf of the “LORD,” Amos dares to speak truth to power: “The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem.” (Amos 1:2 RSV)

At first the roaring is directed at the nations that surround Zion, but then the warning zeros in on Israel, where the rich are oppressing the poor. (Amos 2:6-8)

“Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,” cries Amos, to those who think they are superior to other nations. They will be punished, he warns. (Amos 6:1-8)

No nation, no government is above judgment in the prophetic tradition. 

Isaiah has more references to Zion as Jerusalem/Israel than any other prophetic book. At first, like Amos, Isaiah critiques those who dwell in Zion for their oppressive practices. (Isaiah 3:13-13) At the end of the book, however, Zion is celebrated as the “City of the LORD,” an inclusive community that welcomes all who have been in exile. (Isaiah 60:8-14) 

As Benefield pointed out to me when she read a draft of this column, Christian scripture also teaches that Zion/Israel is envisioned as welcoming all nations — all tribes someday.

Probably the best known biblical reference to Zion is in Psalm 137, voiced by Israelites in Babylonian exile during the 6th century BCE: “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.” They are taunted by their captors to “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” “How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land?,” they ask. (Psalm 137:1-4)

Paradoxically, this song of exile, of remembering Zion, is a powerful song of Zion, sung worldwide to lament exile and oppression and to call for return and liberation. 

I’ll never forget hearing the reggae version of Psalm 137 while travelling between Nanjing and Wuhan shortly after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. “Now we Chinese are exiles and captives in our own land,” the fellow who sang it told me. 

I mourned with him, and I mourn with the millions of Israelis as well as Palestinians who are captive to their government’s war machine fueled by the United States. I mourn as well those held captive by Hamas, Palestinians as well as Israelis. Hamas and the right-wing government of Israel conspire together to make impossible an inclusive, peaceful Zion.

What can we do but weep when we remember Zion? Weep and protest.

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.