The Jews, Modern Israel and the New Supercessionism

New Book on Supercessionism:

King’s Evangelical Divinity School Principal Calvin L. Smith has edited a new book entitled The Jews, Modern Israel and the New Supercessionism: Resources for Christians, which is due out imminently. Additional contributions include Andy Cheung, Tony Pearce, Jacob Prasch, Howard Taylor, Stephen Vantassel and Paul Wilkinson. There is also a foreword by Mitch Glaser (formerly Jews for Jesus and now President, Chosen People Ministries, New York) and a preface by Mark S. Sweetnam, Research Fellow at Trinity College, Dublin. The book has been endorsed by leading Evangelical scholars such as Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Darrell Bock, Robert L. Thomas and Amos Yong, among others. King’s Talks With Scholars has an interview with Calvin on the main college site, where you can find out further information about the new book. There is also a new website for the book, which is www.thechurchandisrael.com


Book Introduction

By Calvin L. Smith

There are, of course, many Christians who regard Israel as a peripheral issue, even an irritating distraction, not least because getting to theological grips with this complex topic is costly both in time and the effort needed to reach a well-informed and biblically sustainable conclusion. I would agree Israel is not a test of orthodoxy; after all, we are saved through faith in Christ, not because we believe the Jews are God’s chosen people. But as the above Scriptures indicate, neither is Israel a peripheral issue. It already divides the church along hermeneutical (biblical interpretation), systematic theology and practical theology lines. Moreover, as the current debate, which is beginning to trickle down to the church level, becomes increasingly polarised and bitter, inevitably this will push Israel up the theological ladder. For example, recently I came across anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian pamphlets being widely disseminated across a well-known, historic and traditionally conservative denomination.

Much more significant (and ominous) is how the issue of Israel has become a touch paper – how it is symptomatic – of a wider ideological conflict which appears to be brewing within Evangelicalism, certainly here in the United Kingdom but elsewhere too. It mirrors the debate currently being played out in British society concerning how to respond to Islam. Arguably, several of the more vocal and polemical supercessionists have crossed that line which separates legitimate criticism of Israel from an irrational, pathological hatred of the country. Such demonisation of the Jewish state, which comes perilously close to anti-Semitism, goes hand in hand with efforts by such to engage not only in Muslim-Christian dialogue, but also to promote a less confrontational and more sympathetic approach to Islam. In some cases, such an approach includes visits to Islamic centres, attending and speaking at meetings organised by Palestinian solidarity groups, and even visits to rogue Islamic states such as Iran, where these platforms are used to criticise Christians who support Israel and believe the Jews remain God’s chosen people. Even Christians who do not openly support Israel but are nonetheless critical of Islam and what they perceive as an Islamist threat to Britain and the West are being singled out for criticism. A case in point is the recent situation involving Patrick Sookhdeo, a former Muslim convert to Christianity who leads the Barnabas Fund, a charity which speaks out on behalf of persecuted Christians worldwide, including those in Muslim lands. It appears he was recently criticised by some Christians who advocate a gentler, less confrontational approach to Islam, the result of which drew Sookhdeo to the attention of extremist Islamist bloggers. The issue has since been widely reported in the press, several blogs, and on the Barnabas Fund website.(1) Significantly, at least one of the Christians present at the meeting which allegedly criticised Sookhdeo’s frank assessment of Islam is a well-known supercessionist who is highly critical of Israel and Christian Zionism. Thus we see how the Israel issue is increasingly symptomatic of a wider ideological struggle within British Evangelicalism. As such, it cannot be relegated to the periphery as an insignificant theological topic...Continue reading


Another great resource is Dr Renald Showers' The Coming Apocalypse: A study of Replacement Theology vs. God's Faithfulness in the End-Times

Here's a review by Gary Gilley:

In the Western world at least, in which racism is one of the few forbidden sins, the recent rise in anti-Semitism is perplexing. How can civilized, educated, tolerant and pluralistic people despise a race of people solely because of their ethical lineage? But for those who understand the biblical teaching concerning Israel there is no surprise. Unfortunately due to myriad of reasons from biblical illiteracy, to the popularity of Replacement Theology, to lack of interest in prophetic teaching, to an unwillingness to wade through massive tomes on the subject, the average Christian has little understanding of Israel’s past, present or future...Continue Reading


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