In a joint declaration released on Saturday, Jan. 17, the leaders of Jerusalem’s historic Christian communities warned once again against “harmful ideologies” such as “Christian Zionism.
Speaking collectively on behalf of Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches, the signatories reminded believers and political authorities that “the flock of Christ in this land is entrusted to the churches that have lived, served and suffered there continuously since the earliest days of Christianity.”
But today, “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. These undertakings have found favor among certain political actors in Israel and beyond who seek to push a political agenda which may harm the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the wider Middle East.”
Although not named explicitly, church officials appear to be alluding to a high-profile event organized by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in December 2025, when a delegation of around 1,000 U.S. Protestant pastors gathered in Jerusalem to reinforce the Judeo-Christian alliance and U.S.–Israel relations.
Christian Zionism is well funded and has operated, since 1980, through the “International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.” Each year thousands of adherents travel to the city during the Jewish festival of Sukkot. The political corollary of this theology is unqualified support for the Israeli state, viewed as a necessary step toward the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and the eventual coming of the Kingdom of God.
