EPF PIN member Cliff Cutler, Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, reflects on Trump’s decision declaring Jerusalem Israel’s capital.
Just one month after a resolution to educate about peace in Israel/Palestine was not permitted to reach the Convention floor of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and announced plans to relocate the US embassy there, reversing seven decades of US foreign policy. This is not to say that a resolution to learn about the call for justice in that place would have had any effect upon the President’s decision, but is merely another instance of the silence of the Episcopal Church on matters of Bible and theology that impacts Israel/Palestine.
This silence has allowed theology in Palestine to be defined by Christian Zionism and Biblical dispensationalism. Dispensationalism interprets scripture as having seven dispensations, the final one being the Millennial Reign of Christ. According to most Christian Zionists this final dispensation began with Israel returning to the land (1948), the return of Jerusalem to the State of Israel (1967), and continues with the recognition by the U.S. of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital (2017). All of this for Christian Zionism heralds the second Coming.
Christian Zionists look for a blockbuster end-time when the church will be raptured, the dreadful war of Armageddon fought, and Christ will return to rule for 1000 years as a victorious God whose reign resembles empire. With this goal in mind, ethical guidance and moral call take a back seat. What do they matter when it is all going to end soon? Hence the support for increasing settlements, exposure of Palestinian school children to high levels of tear gas shot into schools, 45 Palestinian schools facing Israeli demolition orders, olive trees uprooted on Palestinian land, and 206 companies from around the world doing business linked to Israeli settlements built in the occupied West Bank in violation of international law. These things are accepted because after all they yield a “blessing” to Israel.
Christian Zionists see in Genesis 12: 3 a divine mandate to support the modern state of Israel, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.” The Episcopal Church would see Gen. 12: 3 as God’s promise of protection to Abraham in his situation (not to a secular state in the 20th and 21st centuries). Scholars interpret the meaning of Genesis 12: 3 to assert the faith of Abraham as an ideal to be sought by all nations, and that his privileges would be extended to other nations, such as Palestine. We cannot let our Christian faith be hijacked through our silence.
The Episcopal Church when it finds a voice has a hopeful understanding of life. We believe in partnering with God to transform the world. We participate in society and are invested in the world to make it better. In 2008 I had dinner with a Palestinian Muslim family in Ramallah on the West Bank. Afterwards some of their friends joined us. They knew I was a Christian priest, and asked: “Do Christians believe that the Temple must be rebuilt in Jerusalem?” No, I replied. Jesus’ Second Coming is not about a rebuilt Temple but a rebuilt world. The Christian hope is that Christ will come at the completion of God’s purpose for the world that is the well-being of all, when all things will be made new, truly alive, compassionate, just, at peace. Rebuilding the Temple and the discord that would result seems hardly congruent with that.
Still, Christian Zionists are organized in this country under the leadership of John Hagee as Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Of themselves they say: “With more than 3.8 million members, Christians United for Israel is the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States and one of the leading Christian grassroots movements in the world.” This organization is a significant portion of President Trump’s base, and explains why he would recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital when his predecessors would not. Dr. Juergen Buehler leads the global Christian Zionist organization, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.
As an Episcopal Church our voice, Biblical understanding, and theology need to be heard in the Middle East. They are what give rise to ethical stances and efforts to respond to the moral call that is issued by Palestinians, 4 million of whom (some Christian) are under occupation.
Thank you, Fr Cutler, for a concise presentation of the situation. I was appalled at Pres. Trump's action in declaring Jerusalem Israel's capital, playing to his base of Christian Zionists, as you note. It grieves me that so many Americans support Zionism, which has created an apartheid state in the Middle East that treats Palestinians in a discriminatory manner, as South Africa did its native Africans. Even Jimmy Carter, a Southern Baptist, was candid enough to point out that parallel years ago. My parish, St James in Roanoke, Virginia, sells olive oil from a Palestinian farmer's co-op in a small measure to recognize and support Palestinians. I wish our ECUSA would do more in making a stand for justice for the occupied and oppressed Palestinian people.
You are simply parroting the views of anti-Semite racists and nazis. While israel is by no means innocent it is not apartheid and those who see it as such have been mislead by anti-semites even if they are not anti-Semites themselves. Zionism has its good and bad parts like any ideology, and if mamy americans support it and it makes you grieve you seriously have to question yourself if you are a bigoted anti-semite yourself( not saying you are). P.S for the author genesis can also be interpreted the way evangelical interpret it and many scholars have admitted the prophecy is in regards to Israel( though that is the state today is debated) but nonetheless can be applied to Israel. Please make sure not to fall into nazi level anti-semitism just so that you don’t like the embassy move. You could have made your point in a more nuanced way without parroting the rhetoric of vicious racist anti-semitism which is contrary to the christian spirit.
Dear Cliff -- Thanks for your words. They sobered me. The forces arrayed against us seem so powerful, so brazen and our own churches so distracted and muted. Still, it's good to meet a brother in arms -- a rector, too! and a Philadelphian! (I'm from Md. suburbs of DC, with a dear daughter in Philly (Port Richmond).)
But I believe we may be at a rare moment of opportunity for church-based resistance to the violent madness of Israel. Pumped up by President Trump's crude efforts to support their worst visions of brutal, benighted domination, the more extreme elements in Israel are gaining the upper hand and tearing away the veil of pretended fairness and respect for human rights and international law and opinion that bamboozles sleepy, sentimental Christians who so wish to see the State of Israel as a worthy expression of Jewish needs just trying to survive in a "tough neighborhood" of unsavory Arab Muslims.
This opens the way for us to evoke concern and action in the pews and among clergy by emphasizing strongly that the Trump-triggered Israeli assault on Jerusalem's Christians and Muslims, and churches and mosques, is a direct challenge to our churches and to our faith -- i.e., our conviction that Jerusalem, the symbol of redemption and resurrection, is about peace, love of neighbor (including Jews, Muslims and seculars) and commitment to justice. The attack on Jerusalem embodies everything we try to stand nonviolently and lovingly against. So this is a new moment of truth for each church and each follower of Christ.
In opposing Israel's attack, we are not denying Israel's right to exist as a putative necessary refuge and haven in a threatening world; we are opposing an arrogant assertion of political power over a unique city that is holy to the three Abrahamic faiths. We are not just standing for Christian rights and interests, but also for those of Muslims and all Jews of goodwill and good sense -- and for that matter, also for secular folk of all origins who have no desire for religion-based conflict.
I think this is a message we have a right and duty to voice forcefully in out churches, at GC. And I believe it should be joined to a call for boycotts and other economic steps against Israel and its corporate partners linked to the Jerusalem outrages.
Steve France
Cabin John, MD
Thats your prerogative, others might have a different view but you are entitled to your opinion. For me personally i think you made a sensible point but i am afraid since those who promote boycotts and sanctions against Israel are usually vicious racist anti-Semites, i don’t have good view on those who promote those sort of stuff.
Thank you , Rev. Cutler, for saying exactly what needs to be said. I hope that your peers will be empowered to "break the silence" that is allowing Zionist-Fascism to rise in power at an alarming rate. I served as Convener for EPF here in Maine for more than several years and recently left the church essentially because of its silence about Zionism and the suffering of the Palestinians at the hands of Zionist-Israelis, and its silencing of the few voices like yours that are sorely needed. The church must end its silence and hear the Kairos call. The bishops have thrown their weigh into increasing responsibility at the checkpoint of gun sales and violence, but have yet to allow BDS resolutions in support of Palestinian human rights to get to the deputies for voting. Hopefully the bishops and delegates for the triennial national General Convention to be held this July will be aware of what is at stake, will not be clueless and silent. Silence now fuels the rise of Zionist-Fascism, and the "end-times" of the "Christian" Zionists (CZs) will not be long in coming. The wars that Zionism demands for its continued position of power over others threatens to destroy life on earth. The time to raise the Voice of the Church, and to affirm all the voices of those who are oppressed and cry out for Justice is here now. PS Thank you EPF/EPF-PIN ! Although outside the church now, my spiritual heart is with you, still Christian, still respecting Archbishop Desmond Tutu, maybe an Anglican/Episcopalian untethered, or "at large" in my own small way. Peace to you all !