Language:
German
Year of publication:
2013
Titel der Quelle:
Kirche und Israel; Neukirchener theologische Zeitschrift
Angaben zur Quelle:
28,2 (2013) 99-118
Keywords:
World Council of Churches
;
Christianity and other religions Judaism 1945-
;
History
;
Judaism Relations 1945-
;
Christianity
;
Christianity and antisemitism History 1945-
;
Arab-Israeli conflict Religious aspects
;
Christianity
;
Christianity and politics
Abstract:
Shows that the World Council of Churches (WCC), which was founded in 1948 and represents 550 million Christians belonging to mainstream Protestant Churches, has been ambivalent, if not openly hostile, towards Israel. Although it initially declared that it rejects antisemitism, the organization has taken an increasingly one-sided, pro-Arab and pro-Palestinian stand in the Middle East conflict. Ascribes the WCC's anti-Zionist position to the fact that a number of Middle Eastern Christian Churches are represented in its various organs, while Jewish and Israeli voices are not heard. Many of its leaders also reject Jewish-Christian interfaith dialogue as a form of Jewish blackmail, the Jews supposedly agreeing to "forgive" the Christians for their former sins on condition that they now refrain from criticizing Israel. Contends that the WCC, due to its organizational structure which builds on delegation, lacks the political mandate to make statements and take action on behalf of its members. Nevertheless, it keeps on making extremely anti-Israel declarations, such as the Beirut Declaration of 2013, which demonizes Israel. Argues that the WCC is guilty of double standards, delegitimization, and demonization of Israel, going so far as to demonize, also, Christians who defend Israel's right to exist.
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