The Origins of Christian Zionism
Lord Shaftesbury and Evangelical Support for a Jewish Homeland

The Origins of Christian Zionism, a study of Lord Shaftesbury, examines why British evangelicals became fascinated with the Jews and the effects this had.

Donald M. Lewis (Author)

9781107631960, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 2 January 2014

380 pages, 25 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.2 cm, 0.56 kg

"Lewis's book is a very important contribution to the study of British Christian Zionism. One suspects that it will remain the authoritative text on that subject for many years to come." --H-Review Digest

In this study of Lord Shaftesbury - Victorian England's greatest humanitarian and most prominent Christian Zionist - Donald M. Lewis examines why British evangelicals became fascinated with the Jews and how they promoted a 'teaching of esteem' that countered a 'teaching of contempt'. Evangelicals militated for the restoration of Jews to Palestine by lobbying the British cabinet on foreign policy decisions. Professing their love for the Jews, they effectively reshaped the image of the Jew in conversionist literature, gave sacrificially to convert them to Christianity, and worked with German Pietists to create a joint Anglican-Lutheran bishopric in Jerusalem, the center (in their minds) of world Jewry. Evangelical identity evolved during this process and had an impact on Jewish identity, transforming Jewish-Christian relations. It also changed the course of world history by creating a climate of opinion in the United Kingdom in favor of the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which pledged British support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

Introduction
Part I. The Rise of British Evangelical Interest in the Jews: 1. The restoration of the Jews in Protestant thought
2. Pietism, Clapham, and the Jews
3. Evangelicalism, prophecy and the Jews
Part II. 'Shaftesbury and the Jews': 4. Shaftesbury the new recruit
5. 'Christian Europe' in the House of Islam: political, cultural and religious factors leading to European interest in the Middle East in the first half of the nineteenth century
6. Shaftesbury's attitude to the Jews and to Palestine
7. Protecting 'God's ancient people' and preparing for their restoration
Part III. Evangelicals and Pietists Together: The Mission to Jews and Palestine: 8. British Evangelical and German Pietist missions in Palestine in the 1820s
9. A British consul in Jerusalem
10. An Anglican church in Jerusalem for the 'unwelcome intruders in the Home of Islam'
11. The Jerusalem Bishopric
12. Prussia's turn: the Episcopate of Samuel Gobat
Part IV. Shaftesbury's Final Years: 13. Toward the Balfour Declaration.

Subject Areas: Jewish studies [JFSR1], Church history [HRCC2], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], British & Irish history [HBJD1], European history [HBJD]