This is the twelfth part of a series on Christianity and the history of antisemitism. While we are often reminded to “Never forget,” many of us were never taught this history.

Introduction

Dispensationalism and Christian Zionism have played a major role in shaping American evangelical theology, Jewish-Christian relations, and U.S. foreign policy. While Christian Zionists present themselves as allies of Israel, their support is conditional, theologically driven, and often rooted in antisemitic narratives. Dispensationalist theology reduces Jewish identity to a prophetic tool for Christian eschatology, reinforcing supersessionist ideas, conversionism, and apocalyptic expectations that undermine Jewish autonomy.

Beyond theology, Christian Zionists and dispensationalists have influenced American policies that prioritize biblical prophecy over Jewish self-determination, including:

• Promoting antisemitic stereotypes within American Christian communities.
• Encouraging Jewish migration to Israel while rejecting Jewish inclusion in the U.S.
• Influencing U.S. foreign policy through dispensationalist policymakers.
• Funding extremist settler movements that fuel conflict in Israel.

Many Jews have mixed feelings about Christian Zionists because, while they played a key role in the creation of Israel, they also have deeply antisemitic theological motivations. Some Jewish leaders believe that, when the world seems against Israel, the nation should accept support from Christian Zionists despite their problematic views. Others, however, argue that aligning with Christian Zionists is dangerous in the long run, as their true goal is Jewish conversion rather than Jewish survival.

Here we explore how dispensationalism and Christian Zionism contribute to antisemitism in the United States, including their impact on Jewish-Christian relations, U.S. domestic attitudes toward Jews, and foreign policy decisions.

1. The Origins and Spread of Dispensationalism

A. What Is Dispensationalism?

Dispensationalism is a Protestant theological framework that divides human history into distinct periods (“dispensations”) in which God interacts with humanity differently. It originated in the 19th century with John Nelson Darby, a British theologian associated with the Plymouth Brethren movement, and later gained prominence through the Scofield Reference Bible (1909).

B. How Dispensationalism Spread in the U.S.

The Scofield Reference Bible played a crucial role in spreading dispensationalist theology among American evangelicals, particularly in fundamentalist and Southern Baptist circles. The Bible’s footnotes emphasized a literalist interpretation of prophecy, shaping generations of pastors and theologians.

By the mid-20th century, dispensationalism had spread through:

• Evangelical revivals and televangelists (Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson).
• Bible colleges and seminaries (Dallas Theological Seminary).
• Books like The Late Great Planet Earth (Hal Lindsey, 1970), which made apocalyptic prophecy mainstream.

2. The Theological Foundations of Christian Zionist Antisemitism

A. How Dispensationalism Constructs a Theological Narrative About Jews

Dispensationalism presents Jews as central to Christian prophecy, but in a way that strips them of agency. Instead of recognizing Judaism as an independent faith, it portrays Jews as mere participants in God’s divine plan for Christianity.

Key beliefs that reinforce antisemitic attitudes include:

• Jews as instruments of prophecy – Their return to Israel is necessary only to set the stage for the Second Coming of Christ.
• The Great Tribulation and Jewish suffering – Dispensationalists believe that Jews will endure immense suffering before ultimately recognizing Jesus as the Messiah.
• Judaism as an incomplete religion – While rejecting traditional supersessionism, dispensationalists still believe that Jewish identity is ultimately obsolete without Christ.

These views reinforce long-standing antisemitic ideas that Jews are spiritually misguided and must ultimately convert.

B. The Role of Christian Zionism in Supersessionist Thinking

Christian Zionism, a movement within dispensationalism, claims to support Jewish nationalism but fundamentally denies the legitimacy of Judaism as a lasting faith. It promotes the idea that Jews must gather in Israel to fulfill end-times prophecy, but eventually, they must either convert or perish in the final judgment.

Christian Zionists:

• Reject Judaism as a legitimate faith while still advocating for Jewish political power in Israel.
• Encourage Jewish immigration to Israel but do not necessarily support Jewish inclusion in American society.
• Fund missionary efforts targeting Jews, reinforcing a centuries-old pattern of forced or coerced conversion efforts.

This reinforces antisemitic stereotypes that cast Jews as spiritually misguided or incomplete, positioning them as merely players in a Christian eschatological narrative rather than a people with their own destiny.

3. Christian Zionists and the Creation of Israel in 1948

A. British Christian Leaders and the Balfour Declaration (1917)

Although Israel’s formal recognition occurred in 1948, British policies laid the foundation decades earlier, particularly through the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which expressed British support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

B. American Christian Leaders Who Pushed for Israel’s Recognition

In the 1940s, as World War II ended and the Holocaust revealed the depth of Jewish suffering, American political leaders—many influenced by Christian Zionist theology—advocated for the U.S. to support Israel’s creation.

Although some of these figures were motivated by humanitarian concerns, many saw Jewish restoration as necessary to fulfill biblical prophecy, reinforcing a long-standing Christian Zionist agenda.

Conclusion: The Paradox of Christian Zionism

Christian Zionism presents a paradox: it outwardly supports Israel, yet reinforces antisemitic narratives by viewing Jews as mere instruments of prophecy rather than an autonomous people. Many Jewish leaders have mixed feelings about Christian Zionist support, recognizing that while it played a role in Israel’s creation, it ultimately seeks Jewish conversion and fulfillment of Christian eschatology.

As Christian Zionist influence continues to shape U.S. policy, it is crucial to expose the theological motivations behind this support—and the potential dangers it poses to Jewish sovereignty, Middle East diplomacy, and American democracy.