"Jerusalem, Jerusalem"

The recent announcement that the President is going to officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and thus move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the City of David has created a mixed reaction, both positive and negative.

Though I personally don’t believe it was a politically wise move we all will have to live with the political fallout nonetheless. Let’s pray that the fallout will be minimal although there are already signs of unrest among Palestinians.

What concerns me more than the political fallout, however, is the pressure asserted on the Trump Administration to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital fueled by a minority (and minor) theological point of view. By minority I mean that this view is largely contained within the Evangelical tribe, and more specifically within Evangelical Fundamentalism. 

I will now address the theological motivations that may have been responsible for this decision.

It is no secret that Evangelical Fundamentalism is the fuel that animates some of the current Administration’s policies—the Middle East policy being one of the most obvious.

Many prominent leaders within the Evangelical Fundamentalist camp are avowed believers in a relatively recent theology known as Dispensationalism. For many it is the only theological position they have ever known.

Those who embrace this Dispensational point of view believe that Jesus will secretly return a second time and launch a worldwide global crisis known as the “Great Tribulation.” For seven years the world will be cast into utter chaos as millions will die in what will become the worse global conflict the world has yet to see.

At the end of this horrible time Jesus will visibly return and put an end to this global horror and launch his literal one thousand year reign on earth, headquartered out of Jerusalem. Those Christians who would have been miraculously raptured seven years earlier will return with Jesus and rule with him—out of Jerusalem of course.

Additionally, believers in the theological system of Dispensationalism believe that the creation of the modern Nation State of Israel in 1947 was a clear sign of Jesus’ soon return and only serves to hasten the coming of his earthly kingdom. So Jerusalem holds a place of prominence in their End Time theology.

In a nutshell this very violent depiction of how God is going to bring human history to an end and usher in his thousand year kingdom has attracted the imaginations of countless American Christians, including many of those who support the current Administration. 

Many of Trump’s supporters are praising his decision without a clear understanding of the theology that just may stand behind his recent decision. 

I should also point out that there is a huge difference between what is known as Biblical Israel and the Modern State of Israel. Biblical Israel was founded initially upon the covenant God made with Abraham (Genesis 12, 15). It was an unconditional covenant including the promise of land (thus the so-called, “Promise Land”). But the promise of land, though unconditional, was conditional in terms of their keeping the land as their own. 

This is a point often missed by many Dispensationalists. 

The modern State of Israel, in contrast to Biblical Israel, was not founded on a Divine covenant but rather on a secular ideology known as Zionism. Modern day Israel is not a theocracy. Many modern day Israelis do not practice their Jewish faith, to the chagrin of the more Orthodox among them. It is a Nation State like any other Nation State and cannot claim Divine privilege anymore than can the United States of America or Germany or Iran.

Additionally Dispensational theology is lacking any historical continuity with the past, especially a past that extends back much beyond the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is the original brainchild of an Irish Anglican priest whose theological ideas never took root in the British Isles, but found fertile soil in the United States. I’ve always been puzzled by this.

Be that as it may, those who think this Administration’s position on the capital of modern day Israel should be aware that there is absolutely no theological or Biblical justification for such a move. It is purely a dangerous political move driven by an Evangelical Fundamentalism that quite frankly has been elevated to positions of influence within the current Administration.  

As the old saying goes: “Might does not make right.”

If you embrace Dispensational theology then perhaps this recent presidential move makes perfectly good sense to you. For one who no longer embraces Dispensationalism it simply is baffling top me with regards to its possible benefits.

I pray that it will not escalate into further violence in the Middle East or even here at home. But please don’t attribute this decision to any kind of credible theology. 

It may be religiously fueled but it is indeed motivated by political interests.