Now the U.S. ambassador to Isreal is pushing back.
The elders, which call themselves the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, called out in their letter Christian Zionists among "certain political actors in Israel and beyond."
Even though they didn't call them out by name, the patriarchs were referring to evangelical Christians in the U.S., Jenna Ellis said on her American Family Radio program Friday morning.
“They said that recent activities undertaken by local individuals who advance damaging ideologies such as Christian Zionism mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock.”
Ellis had U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee (shown with President Donald Trump above and shown again at right) on the program. He said the Patriarchs were overstepping their authority.
“They said that no one has a right to speak but us on the issue, really the authority of the Holy Land,” he said.
“The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches further note with concern that these individuals have been welcomed at official levels both locally and internationally. Such actions constitute interference in the internal life of the churches and disregard the pastoral responsibility vested in the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem.
“The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem reiterate that they alone represent the Churches and their flock in matters pertaining to Christian religious, communal, and pastoral life in the Holy Land,” the letter states.
Huckabee says the Patriarchs represent churches that believe that God's covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12, that He "will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you," had been transferred to the Christian church.
But he says…
“If God would break his covenant with the Jewish people, then what on the Earth would make me think that he wouldn't break his covenant with me?”
Huckabee says Christian Zionists, by his understanding, are Christians – those who claim the name of Christ – who also support the state of Israel and the Jewish people.
“A Zionist means I believe that the Jewish people have a right to be in the homeland that God gave them when he first told Abraham, this is your place.”
