This website provides educational information on the Alternative Voice to Christian Zionism resolution sponsored by the First Congregational Church of Naperville, IL at the 2003 Illinois Conference Annual Meeting and the 2003 General Synod 24 of the United Church of Christ.

Background

The United Church of Christ has adopted a resolution expressing the concern that Christian Zionist political positions on the Israeli/Palestinian situation do not reflect the teachings of the Biblical prophets or of Jesus Christ. Christian Zionists unequivocally support policies of the government of Israel that are in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and articles of the Geneva Convention. In addition, Christian Zionists support the even more extreme position of transferring all Arabs out of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in essence an ethnic cleansing.

While Christian Zionist political positions are aligned with the minority Jewish rightwing Zionist positions, most Jews do not support Christian Zionist positions as part of an ultimate Israeli/Palestinian solution. Many Jews, from Israeli solders to prominent U.S. Jews, actively oppose positions taken by Christian Zionists and the current Israeli Government on the Palestinian issue.

The United Church of Christ has passed resolutions supporting a secure state of Israel. It has passed two resolutions opposing various forms of anti-Semitism. The United Church of Christ resolution on Christian Zionism also expresses opposition to Palestinian suicide bombings which target innocent civilians and are a clear violation of Geneva Conventions.

We stand with the majority of Jews and the majority of Palestinians who support the Road Map to Peace, and who believe that both Israel and the Palestinian Authority must come into compliance with UN Security Council resolutions and Articles of the Geneva Conventions. The Israeli government use of the lack of a peace treaty and the on-going hostilities as an excuse/opportunity to continue and extend violations of international law is in opposition to the teachings of the Biblical prophets and Jesus Christ.

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United Church of Christ Resolutions

In the United Church of Christ, individual congregations can bring forth resolutions asking their local conference (the Illinois Conference in our case) and/or the national church to take a position of witness on particular issues. At its annual meeting in January 2003, this church approved a resolution, “An Alternative Voice to Christian Zionism.” Two versions of the resolution were submitted, one to the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ, and one to the biennial synod of the United Church of Christ, representing all UCC congregations in the U.S. The study material on this site is in response to these two resolutions.

At the July 2003 General Synod 24 meeting of the United Church of Christ, the Synod adopted a somewhat different version of the resolution Alternative Voice to Christian Zionism, reflecting the influence and reach of the national church.

At the June 2003 annual meeting of the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ, the Conference voted to adopt for study, with a final vote taken in June 2004. This resolution was shaped to make it appropriate for the Illinois Conference. Click here to see the revised resolution adopted in June 2004.

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Study of the Issue

Listed below are three approaches to study of this issue

A Few Links

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