"Christian Zionism"

Jamin Hubner has posted a reading list on the “Palestinian” conflict. A list like his is, itself, a way of framing the issue in terms of what he thinks is relevant. I’d draw attention to some obvious deficiencies in his list:

i) It’s important to distinguish between scholars and popularizers. On the one hand, popularizers are more influential than scholars, so popularizers are fair game.

Nevertheless, if you’re assessing the truth or falsity of a position, you need to judge it by the most astute spokesmen for that position.

ii) In terms of theological works, you can’t artificially limit yourself to a specific defense of modern Israel. Rather, you have to analyze the hermeneutical approach that leads to that specific application.

If, for instance, you’re evaluating the dispensational case for modern Israel, you can’t confine yourself to a book specifically defending the modern state of Israel from a dispensational standpoint.

Rather, you have to go back a step and consider dispensational hermeneutics generally. You have to distinguish different schools of dispensationalism, and interact with the best representatives of each school.

iii) You must also interact with exegetical literature that isn’t specifically “Zionist,” but interprets passages of Scripture in a way that’s open to “Zionism.” Take commentators who think Rom 11 predicts an end-time restoration of Israel. Or the restoration motif in Luke-Acts.

That doesn’t single out “Zionism.”  That may fall short of “Zionism.” But in a cumulative case for “Zionism,” that’s relevant.

iv) You can’t artificially isolate the “Palestinian” question from broader geostrategic considerations.  

v) Likewise, you have to consider the “Palestinian” question in relation to the history and the future of jihad, dhimmitude, and counterterrorism. How does appeasing the “Palestinians” strengthen the hand of Islam? Islam has always been the mortal enemy of Christianity.

vi) You have to consider the standard by which you’re judging Jews and Muslims. For instance, what’s the tradition of human rights in Islam? Is it incumbent on outsiders (“infidels”) to treat Muslims better than Muslims treat each other? Should we judge the “cause” of the “Palestinians” by Christian ethics, UN resolutions, or Sharia law?

Likewise, what standard should we be holding Israeli gov’t officials to? Do we expect them to act like Christians in the way they treat the enemy? What if they favor the utilitarian approach of someone like Richard Posner?

vii) If we judge the parties to this dispute by Christian ethics, what version of Christian ethics are we using? What’s the frame of reference in international relations or the laws of war? Rousas Rushdoony? John Frame? John Murray, John Feinberg? John Yoder? John Jefferson Davis? J. Daryl Charles? David VanDrunen? Stanley Hauerwas? Michael Walzer? Robert George? J. Budziszewski?