Part 3 :Theological Stances on Zionism: Perspectives from Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant Churches

Part 1: Can Muslims Impact US Elections?

Part 2: How Evangelical Christians Shape U.S. Support for Israel?

'The Eastern Orthodox Church upheld a historical lack of emphasis on pilgrimage, insisting that the land of promise was not Palestine but the Kingdom of God. Thus, Patriarch Ignatius IV, head of the Church in the Middle East, reiterated that the people were his concern in Jerusalem, not the stones.'

Catholic Church

It has generally protested against the prospect of Jewish governance over Holy Places in Palestine, which it deems of importance to Christianity. Theodor Herzl, the secular Jewish founder of modern political Zionism, had an audience in the Vatican with Pope Pius X in 1904, arranged by the Austrian Count Berthold Dominik Lippay, seeking out the position of the Catholic Church on Herzl's prospective project for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine.

Pope Pius X stated, 'We cannot prevent the Jews from going to Jerusalem-but we could never sanction it. The soil of Jerusalem, if it was not always sacred, has been sanctified by the life of Jesus Christ. As the head of the Church, I cannot tell you anything different. The Jews have not recognized our Lord. Therefore, we cannot recognize the Jewish people.'

After Herzl explained that his reasoning behind the project for the creation of a Jewish state was not a religious statement but an interest in secular land for national independence, Pope Pius X replied, 'Does it have to be Gerusalemme?'

Protestantism

Political Zionism and Christian Zionism are biblically anathema to the Christian faith. [...] [T]rue Israel today is neither Jews nor Israelis, but believers in the Messiah, even if they are Gentiles. (John Stott)

In the United States, the General Assembly of the National Council of Churches in November 2007 approved a resolution for further study which stated that the theological stance of Christian Zionism adversely affects:

• Justice and peace in the Middle East, delaying the day when Israelis and Palestinians can live within secure borders
• Relationships with Middle Eastern Christians (see the Jerusalem Declaration on Christian Zionism)
• Relationships with Jews since Jews are seen as mere pawns in an eschatological scheme
• Relationships with Muslims since it treats the rights of Muslims as subordinate to the rights of Jews
• Interfaith dialogue, since it views the world in starkly dichotomous terms

The Mennonite Central Committee devoted an issue of its newsletter to Christian Zionism, describing the ongoing seizure of additional Palestinian lands by Israeli militants as illegal, noting that in some churches under the influence of Christian Zionism, the 'congregations 'adopt' illegal Israeli settlements, sending funds to bolster the defense of these armed colonies.'

The United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United Church of Christ are among the US churches that have criticized Christian Zionism.

The film With God On Our Side, by Porter Speakman Jr. and Kevin Miller (the latter of whom also co-created the film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed), criticizes the underlying theology behind Christian Zionism and its negative influence on the Church.