Showing posts with label Dr. Gary Burge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dr. Gary Burge. Show all posts

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Anti-Jewish "hate speech" coming from the Presbyterian Church?!

Dear Family and Friends of Israel,

This is a very sad and disturbing report, especially since this reported "anti-Semitic hate speech" is emanating from one of the "main-line" Christian denominations in the world today:

http://www.thejerusalemconnection.us/blog/2014/05/07/presbyterian-church-gets-in-bed-with-radical-islam.html

It was no accident that Yeshua warned His followers [and us], over and over, "Do not be deceived..." (Matt. 24:5, 11, & 24; Mark 13:6 & 22; Luke 21:8)

The world is in the midst of a battle, folks -- not a battle with "flesh and blood", but a spiritual battle against "principalities and powers, and rulers of darkness..." (Ephesians 6:12) Now, more than ever before, we Believers need to be like the Believers in the ancient city of Berea, who "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." (Acts 17:10-11)

Ahava ,
~Bill

By EARL COX, JPOST —
The US government and universities have been infiltrated and influenced by Islamists. Why should we believe mainstream Christian churches in America are exempt? What is surprising is the disturbing depth of deception being proliferated by the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America (PCUSA) via their published study guide “Zionism Unsettled.” Some Jewish groups have called its distorted facts and a historical narrative so extreme that they label it “hate” speech. Think on this: hate speech coming out of a Christian church in America–the Presbyterian Church.

American “Zionism” dates back to 1890 and in general is a national movement for returning Jews to their homeland and a resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel. After the State of Israel was formed in 1948, Zionism grew to include development of the Jewish state and its protection by supporting Israel’s Defense Forces. Instead of standing with the 70% of Americans polling in support of Jews and Israel, Presbyterians are attacking Zionism, which in turn attacks Israel and puts us all at risk at the hands of Islamic extremists.

Palestinian terrorists fired thousands of rockets towards Israeli homes, schools and businesses over the last decade. The Presbyterian study guide blatantly ignores this fact. The PCUSA vilifies Israel and Zionism, calls for the annihilation of the Jewish State and turns a blind eye away from the culpability of Arab leaders’ responsibility for the adverse plight of their own people. 

The guide calls for a rethinking of the Holocaust with the mindset of including the plight of the Palestinians and the idea that Zionism equals racism. According to the Presbyterians, Zionism is to Palestinians as centuries of Christian anti-Semitism were to the Jews. These ideas place Presbyterians sitting in pews every Sunday in the camp with radical positions on serious issues that could bring about disastrous outcomes.

With skewed facts, Presbyterians, via the chapter on “Evangelicals and Christian Zionism,” portray Christians who support Israel as dangerous and a threat to Middle East peace. Dr. Gary Burge, an evangelical Presbyterian and Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College is the author from whom much of this chapter’s content was gleaned. Burge, admitting to believe in a form of “Replacement Theology,” ignores that it was a root cause of centuries of Christian anti-Semitism.

Did God abandon the Jewish people? Has he broken His promises to them? Did he choose a new people, Christians, to take their place? The very implication that Jews have been rejected, discarded and replaced because of their sin and failures poses a dire danger. It provides an excuse for fanning flames of anti-Semitism that is already spreading across the US and abroad. Do Christians, inspired by Burge, and the Presbyterian Church, desire to be a part of that all over again?

I could go into and debate or refute the arguments that Burge and PCUSA present, such as Replacement Theology, dispensationalism and dual covenant, but the real message is that the Abrahamic Covenant is an everlasting covenant. In effect, because it was a watershed moment in God’s intent to save the world from sin, that everlasting covenant has greatly influenced the course of human history. (Galatians 3:8)

The Presbyterian church may wish they were mainstream by favoring Islam over Judaism; they may wish Christians in support of Israel and the Jewish people were a fringe group, but with 70% of us for Israel the Presbyterian church is now aligned with the most extreme of the radical groups. Sabeel, founded by Naim Ateek, propagates Palestinian Liberation Theology. 

Sabeel’s theology disregards any portion of scripture that disagrees with his anti-Semitic views. Liberation theology started in South America because the Communists knew they couldn’t infiltrate the Roman Catholic Church. So, they branded Liberation Theology to do the trick. Maybe the Presbyterian’s would be wise to research before they publish, because their study guide calls for churches to stop using hymns and liturgy that use the Biblical terms: exodus, covenant, return, blossoming of the desert, Zion and Israel.

Who is walking away from whom? It is the people in the pews of mainstream churches, such as the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American (ELCA) whose members are walking away. Maybe you should do some soul searching and some investigating as to the background of your hierarchal leaders. Most Americans recognize a rat when they see one, hear one, or feel one. They certainly recognize “hate speech” when they see it. 

Holding radical and anti-Semitic positions as in black and white in this disturbing Presbyterian study guide will guarantee more losses. Or, perhaps the infiltration of radicals from Islam and Progressives is so complete, that losses of the faithful and a watered down Bible and belief system is the goal.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Christian Support for 'Palestinian Cause' Ascendant

Christian Support for 'Palestinian Cause' Ascendant

Wednesday, October 30, 2013 |  Israel Today Staff  
An interview with an American Christian commentator published by Israeli media this week reveals just how far the Evangelical Church has moved into the "Palestinian camp" when it comes to the Middle East conflict.
For decades, Israel's most stalwart supporters were to be found among Evangelical Christians, the bulk of whom saw the rebirth of the Jewish state as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy and evidence of God's faithfulness.
But a new generation of Evangelical leaders are "committed to spreading the Palestinian version of the conflict," said Jim Fletcher, a long-time Christian publisher, in an interview published to Israel National News. "These pro-Palestinian leaders currently control the narrative within the Church."
According to Fletcher, there is a "massive effort...in the heart of the American Evangelical Church to lure its members to the Palestinian side." As a result of that effort, it is now "severely mistaken to think that all Evangelicals are pro-Israel."
Among those Evangelical leaders one should be wary of are Willow Creek Pastor Lynne Hybels, Saddleback Community Church Pastor Rick Warren, Dr. Gary Burge of Wheaton College and Christian publisher Cameron Strang.
Hybels and Burge were speakers at last year's Christ at the Checkpoint conference in Bethlehem, where local and foreign Evangelical leaders painted modern Israel as a nation wholly disconnected from its biblical roots and prophecies pertaining to it.
Furthermore, this movement interprets Yeshua's own teachings in a more humanistic light in order to use them against Israel.
"In the Palestinian narrative, emotion is predominant. The emphasis is on ‘land confiscations, checkpoints, detentions, beatings.’ What they call the ‘apartheid wall’ is also mentioned frequently," explained Fletcher.
But, perhaps most disconcerting, is the lack of a strong response from those who still love Israel and see her for what she truly is, warts and all.
"To my knowledge, there are no broad-based Evangelical leaders in the U.S. who will speak out about this problem, which is developing into an epidemic," said Fletcher, warning in conclusion that "the way things are going, support will completely flip from Israel to the Palestinians in the next generation."
For those of us sitting in Israel, there is another worrying effect: more and more Israelis are starting to feel that, once again, they cannot trust or rely on Christians.
The mere fact that this interview was published on a religious Israeli media website demonstrates that Israeli Jews see the strong wall of Christian support eroding, and as a result the bonds that were built up over the past century are beginning to unravel.
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A BIG note from me, the Editor:
Thank you ISRAEL TODAY and Aviel Schneider for continuing to share these words. Keep up the good work!
I will FOREVER stand with my Jewish believing friends who live in Israel. The Lord God of Israel gave them the Land. For eternity.
Steve Martin
Love For His People





Editor's Note: I met Aviel Schneider in his Jerusalem office in October, 2010. Having long been a subscriber to Israel Today it was a joy to sit in his office and just get to know him a little better. I truly appreciate his work, especially as he shares about the Messianic Jews in His Land. Thank you Aviel! Steve Martin