Christian Attitudes Towards the State of Israel

When the United Nations debated the future of the Mandate of Palestine in 1947, world opinion was powerfully affected by news of the Holocaust and the plight of Jewish refugees. This momentary humanitarian advantage aided Christian Zionists in mobilizing public opinion on behalf of Israel. Almost as soon as it became clear that the Jews had won their war for independence, however, anti-Zionist elements within Christianity reasserted themselves. At the World Council of Churches - established only a few weeks after the State of Israel was formed - a pro-Arab bloc of Western missionaries echoed the anti-Zionism that has always characterized Eastern churches and the Roman Catholic Church, which had never been friendly to Zionism, championed the cause of "internationalization" of the city of Jerusalem in order to diminish Jewish presence in the heart of the Holy Land.

About the author

Paul Charles Merkley is professor emeritus, history, Carleton University, and the author of The Politics of Christian Zionism, 1891-1948.

Product details

• Authors: Paul Charles Merkley
• Publisher: Mcgill-Queen's University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 14.06.2001
• EAN: 9780773521889
• ISBN: 978-0-7735-2188-9
• No. of pages: 284
• Dimensions: 161 mm x 237 mm x 26 mm
• Weight: 522 g
• Series: McGill-Queen's Studies in the; McGill-Queen's Studies in the; McGill-Queen's Studies in the Hist of Religion; McGill-Queen's Studies in the Hist of Re
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; Christentum, Judentum, Zweite Hälfte 20. Jahrhundert (1950 bis 1999 n. Chr.), Bezug zu Juden und jüdischen Gruppen, Geschichte allgemein und Weltgeschichte, Interreligiöse Beziehungen