The Political Influence of Christian Zionism

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The Political Influence of Christian Zionism

 No one knows precisely how many Christian Zionists there are in America, but the best estimates place their strength at between 20 - 40 million out of a population of 307 million.  In addition, significant numbers of Americans hold views identical with or sympathetic to Christian Zionist platforms, even if they do not identify themselves as such.  These Christian Zionist views are particularly strong in the southern United States and among evangelical, fundamentalist, and black Protestants.    The remarkable social networking and political organization among Christian Zionist groups have allowed them to exert considerable influence in Washington policymaking circles, especially in the conservative political climate of recent years.  Christian Zionists parlay their numerical strength into political muscle, working alongside the well-documented Jewish lobby to push elected representatives into more decisively pro-Israeli positions than they might normally arrive at on their own.   One former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan observed candidly that Christian Zionism “colors the environment in which [U.S. foreign policy] decisions are made.”

A number of elected officials in both the United States and Israel have recently formed caucuses in the House of Representatives and Knesset that seek to strengthen the unequivocal alliance not only between the two nations but also between Christians and Jews.   In January 2004 Knesset Member Yuri Shtern created a Christian Allies Caucus in the Knesset, with the explicit mission to nurture relationships with Christian groups who champion Israel.  In turn, following the Israel-Lebanon conflict of summer 2006, several members of the U.S. House of Representatives formed the bipartisan and interfaith Congressional Israel Allies Caucus.

Similar to hard-line Jewish settlers such as Gush Emunim, the ideological position and political power of Christian Zionists has negatively influenced prospects for a peace agreement in Palestine-Israel.  The only real prospect for peace in the Middle East, they say, is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and that will only happen when Jews are in full control of Israel and have rebuilt their temple (on the site where the Dome of the Rock, one of the holiest sites in Islam, currently stands).  When it was pointed out that some of their extreme positions on Israel’s unconditional sovereignty and the expansion of settlements may conflict with U.S. policy and interests in the region, Pastor Hagee replied, “I am a Bible scholar and a theologian, and from my perspective the law of God transcends the laws of the United States government and the U.S. State Department.)   In multiple instances Christian Zionists have helped push American foreign policy further toward an unconditional alliance with Israel than national interests alone might dictate.