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David Blewett: "When you refer to Christian supporters of Israel

as Christian Zionists, you play into this idea that we are outside
of the Church, that we're not authentic Christians."

Mainline Christian
Support For Israel

Detroit

C

hristian support for Israel in the United States is more visible than ever. The Rev. John
Hagee's Christians United For Israel (CUFI) holds events across the country and makes
innovative use of the Internet. CUFI drew 4,500 last July to its first national conference
in Washington, D.C., just a thousand fewer than the American Israel Public Affairs Committee
(AIPAC) had drawn in March.
In Michigan last January, the Rev. Keith Butler hosted Hagee at his Word of Faith International
Christian Center in Southfield, filling his 5,000-person sanctuary with evangelical fervor. In
Atlanta, last March's Israel Always event featured CUFI's executive director and a video from
Hagee.
Then there is Pastor Glenn Plummer, spritual leader of Ambassadors for Christ Church in
Plymouth and founder of the Fellowship of Israel and Black America (FIBA). Plummer has
appeared widely in the Jewish and general communities, marshalling evangelical and African-
American support for Israel and building connections with the Jewish community.
At the same time, evangelical Christian former President Jimmy Carter openly criticizes Israel
and its supporters, while esteemed Christian leader and adviser to U.S. presidents the Rev. Billy
Graham has never made support of Israel or relations with Jews a priority.
So what do we make of evangelicals and of other Christians who appear to be as Zionist as any
pro-Israel Jewish group? What motivates them? How do they see us? What concerns should we
have, and how are they addressed?
The Detroit Jewish News sought the views of an evangelical Christian Zionist, a mainline
Christian supporter of Israel and a top national Jewish professional to provide some personal
perspectives to help further our understanding.

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hat David Blewett doesn't like the term Christian Zionist
might seem odd because he is the national executive direc-
tor of the National Christian Leadership Conference for
Israel (NCLCI) and is both a Christian and a Zionist.
But Blewett, a decidedly non-evangelical Lutheran from Minnesota
who moved the NCLCI's offices from New York to suburban Detroit
in 1999, doesn't appreciate being labeled, especially in a way that can
make it easy to dismiss his ideas.
"I resent that term so much:' Blewett says, because it obscures that
his Christian commitment is what makes him a committed Zionist.
"When you refer to Christian supporters of Israel as Christian
Zionists, you play into this idea that we are outside of the Church, that
we're not authentic Christians!"
Unlike many evangelical churches, most mainline churches do not
provide strong political or theological support for Israel. This makes
the term Christian Zionist seem a lot more Zionist than Christian
— and even un-Christian.
"There is no distinct line between mainline churches and evangeli-
cals," he says. "Christian Zionists can be found in every single church
in Christianity."
Founded in 1978, NCLCI reflects the ecumenical nature of Christian
Zionism by bringing together mainline Protestants, evangelicals,
charismatics, Roman Catholics and independent Christians in a North

Mainline on page 22

September 27 2007