In her book Allies for Armageddon: The Rise of Christian Zionism, Victoria Clark chronicles the historical development and societal impact of the Christian Zionist movement.

 

Clark is Moscow bureau chief for the Observer and has written several other books. She’s not out to argue over Biblical exegesis. For theology, she draws from the influential work of Stephen Sizer and Timothy Weber. As a seasoned journalist, Clark understands that Christian Zionism plays a key role in today’s world events, and she sets out to describe its historical background, theological beliefs, and ongoing evolution since its beginnings in seventeenth century England.

 

Clark recognizes the difficulty of defining what Christian Zionism precisely is. Zionism as a concept has changed over the years. It carries religious, political, and ethnic connotations depending upon the era and audience. Today in the West, it tends to connote: “Those unwilling to relinquish Israeli rule over the territories, despite the fact that the position represents a major obstacle to any lasting peace settlement with the Palestinians” (p.2).

 

As a political movement, today’s version of Christian Zionism finds expression primarily with people holding the theology of Premillennial Dispensationalism. This stance asserts—among other things—that God decreed the creation of the modern nation-state of Israel and that any nation not offering unqualified support of Israel will suffer God’s wrath in a world war that will occur on the plains of Megiddo.

 

Dispensationalism believes that we’re living in the last days and that Christ will return to the city of Jerusalem to rule the world sometime in the near future. The political wing of Dispensationalism, Christian Zionism, offers unwavering support of Israel and even criticizes Israeli leaders for being too accommodating to Palestinians. Ironically, Dispensationalism envisions two-thirds of all Jews who fail to convert to Christianity being slaughtered in the battle of Armageddon.

 

While today’s Christian Zionism is most closely associated with Dispensationalism, Clark points out that Christian Zionism predates its current theological ally. In the first half of her book, Clark traces the historical beginnings of Christian Zionism to seventeenth century English Calvinism. Ridden with religious strife, England found itself filled with apocalyptic anxiety. Puritan millenarianism eagerly awaited the Second Coming and a thousand years of peace. Accompanying this belief, writers such as Thomas Draxe began predicting a mass conversion of Jews and the rebuilding of a Jewish kingdom based in Jerusalem.

 

Puritans leaving England came to America with their belief that God would judge England for its theological laxness Clark observes that the Puritans identified with the sufferings of Israel under the rule of Pharaoh. When they came to America, the Puritans eagerly anticipate the Second Coming of Christ. In this milieu, leading Puritans such as John Cotton and Increase Mather predicted that Israel must be restored and the millennium would begin in Jerusalem. For most of his life, Cotton Mather followed the tradition of his grandfather and father and taught that that the millennium would begin in the early 1700s. However, by the end of his life, he jettisoned these beliefs and began seeing passages such as Romans 11 as “prophecy already fulfilled, as long ago as AD 70” (p.49).

 

Clark describes the fast and furious development of Christian Zionism through the nineteenth century. Key people and events such as John Darby, the Crimean War, and Lord Shaftesbury contributed to the reshaping and resurgence of Christian Zionism. Part One ends with a description of Christian Zionism in the first half of the twentieth century and the formation of the nation-state of Israel.

 

One of the key contributions Clark makes in part one of Allies for Armageddon is detailing the connection between early Christian Zionism and the political situation in Britain. This is a unique contribution to that will help readers understand the dynamics of the movement.

 

The second half of the book portrays Christian Zionism since 1948. It mentions significant players like Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye, Jerry Falwell, and John Hagee. Also, it shows how Christian Zionist political groups have worked to shape public policy on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition, Clark portrays the odd and uneasy alliance between Christian Zionists and Jewish leaders.

 

Besides providing an historical accounting of Christian Zionism, Clark spent much time visiting with Christian Zionists. She traveled with Chuck Missler on a tour of Israel, attended Christian Zionist religious services, and visited with a successful real estate broker in Colorado Springs. She shows that Christian Zionism is a political agenda held by ordinary people, not strange eccentrics. While not sympathetic to the political movement or its theological underpinnings, Clark is sensitive to the individuals. She never ridicules them. Instead she paints a balanced picture that will help people of all political and theological views to understand Christian Zionism.

 

Allies for Armageddon is an enlightening book that will allow you to see that ideas do matter. They shape people and the world we live in. Even if Christian Zionism has impacted society unfavorably, Clark helps readers to see that people dedicated to their ideas—any ideas—can change the world. Christian Zionists are not insane is not destined to bring about world conflict. Other ideas, more peaceful ones grounded in common humanity and mutual respect, can win the day if we want them to.

 

Regardless of one’s theological beliefs or political positions, it is important to understand Christian Zionism and its impact in our world. This is why I highly recommend Allies for Armageddon.

 

 

 

 

 

URL: http://www.presence.tv/cms/soc_review-Allies-for-Armageddon.php

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