In Theory:

The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, which oversees more than 100,000 churches and 45 million churchgoers, has created a brochure titled “Why We Should Be Concerned About Christian Zionism,” which argues that the Christian Zionist movement “fosters fear and hatred of Muslims and non-Western Christians” and “can lead to the dehumanization of Israelis and Palestinians.” Some in the Christian Zionist community have come out against the brochure, saying it promotes stereotypes about their movement and unfairly paints Christian Zionists as being opposed to the Middle East peace process. Is the National Council right to push such a political message to its congregations?

In a word, yes. While not all evangelical Christians wish to be included in the Christian Zionist movement, those Christians who support the Zionist position (and my denomination and I certainly do not) think that the end of the world is coming soon.

And they think that it is their duty to bring about that end because of what I believe is a misreading or misunderstanding of the New Testament book of Revelation. The word “Armageddon” is often mentioned, and Christian Zionists and others think it’s God’s will that that final battle between good and evil will be fought on the plains of Megiddo in Palestine. Progressive Christian thinking doesn’t buy that interpretation.

Progressive Christians do not believe that it is God’s will for the world to end in a fiery conflagration, such as a nuclear conflict.

Progressive Christians, including the National Council of Churches, realize that the face of Jesus is in every human being, including Muslims and Jews and other non-Christians. Very soon, we will be celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace. In my view, anyone claiming to be a follower of the Prince of Peace must also pursue peace. Oh, yeah — and love one’s enemies, too.

THE REV. C. L. “SKIP” LINDEMAN

La Cañada Congregational Church

United Church of Christ

This brochure from the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA seems to ignore significant realities in the Middle East. In my view, its biased and unjust message should not be disseminated.