Archive for the ‘The Church and Israel’ Category

Posted on November 3, 2010 - by Calvin L. Smith

Press Release: Israel and the Church (8 – 9 Oct 2010)

PRESS RELEASE
Israel and the Church: A Common Heritage and an Uncertain Future
(London, 8 – 9 October 2010)

The aim of this two-day conference, held at the London School of Theology, was to raise awareness within the Church of an alternative to the often polarised debate between supporters of Israel and the Arab population in Israel and the disputed territories. Speakers were Drs Darrell Bock (Dallas Theological Seminary), Mitch Glaser (Chosen People Ministries), Jules Gomes (Liverpool Cathedral), Richard Harvey (All Nations Christian College), Barry Horner and Calvin Smith (King’s Evangelical Divinity School). The event culminated with a concert by Nashville Messianic artist Marty Goetz. Jointly organised by Chosen People Ministries and King’s Evangelical Divinity School, the conference eventually involved most of the evangelistic works among the Jewish people in the United Kingdom. The conference hall was packed, and the presentations were at once direct and conciliatory in tone. The final session, modelled on the BBC’s Question Time programme, permitted delegates to raise questions with a panel comprising the various speakers.

During the conference, responses among speakers to the current Middle East conflict (including issues such as the land) were varied and nuanced. Yet all speakers were united in their challenge to supersessionism, affirming instead God’s continued plan and purpose for the Jewish people. The speakers also highlighted and eschewed the highly polarised and divisive nature of the current debate between supporters of both Israel and the Palestinian people, calling for greater objectivity and Christian charity towards fellow brothers and sisters in Christ holding opposing viewpoints. The conference also explored the detrimental impact caused by the unnecessarily pejorative language of the current debate, including how polarisation of opinion is causing Church disunity, how polemical anti-Israel and anti-Christian Zionist rhetoric is impacting Messianic Jewish identity and its relations with the Church, and the effects upon Jewish evangelism. All speakers also affirmed the need to share the gospel with both Jews and Muslims.

A conference volume is planned and additional papers to complement those delivered at the conference have been commissioned. Audio and video recordings and further details of the event are available through the websites of both host organisations (see below). It is our hope that as people become aware of this conference the tone of the debate will change somewhat, while replacement theology will give way to a greater appreciation of God’s continued plan and purpose for the Jewish people.

www.chosenpeople.org.uk
www.kingsdivinity.org

Posted on September 13, 2010 - by Calvin L. Smith

KEDS Question Time

I’ve previously posted here concerning a joint King’s-CPM conference, to be held at London School of Theology on 8-9 October, entitled Israel and the Church: A Common Heritage and Uncertain Future. Recently, myself and Mitch Glaser were discussing how we might encourage those attending to raise some thoughtful and probing questions so that all of us – speakers, attendees and several attending members of the Christian press – get the very most out of this aspect of the conference. I, for one, genuinely believe this conference, which seeks to take a somewhat fresh approach to the whole Israel-Church-Middle East issue, will raise all manner of questions, and therefore we want to maximise the time and importance given to the Question/Answer aspect of the event.

As such, we’re adjusting the timetable slightly so that an extra session will be added at the very end of the second day (Saturday 9th October), so that we have a panel of all the speakers to answer questions fielded by those attending the conference. The aim is to make this aspect of the conference very similar to the BBC’s Question Time in order to encourage wider debate and offer something not always found at similar academic conferences. I will chair the event (though I admit, after attending several Question Time events and meeting David Dimbleby, I can’t promise to be quite as slim, elegant and fluid as he), while speakers will take turns responding to questions fielded by those attending the conference (we’ll even have introductory music to make it feel like the real thing, composed by our very own Chris Lazenby, B.Th. worship modules tutor!).

Cards will be issued at Registration for people to write their questions down, and we will try to get through as many questions as possible (panel members will not see questions beforehand). Questions which are brief, to the point and interesting (regardless of the ideological/theological stance they take) will likely go to the top of the pile, and each panel member will be asked to respond in turn. Where relevant, we will come back to panel members and the person asking the question to widen the debate. This will be a great way to end the paper aspect of the conference.

It’s not too late to book for the event. Full details can be found here, and we really hope you can join us. (For King’s students, so far I can confirm Andy Cheung, Chris Lazenby and myself will be there throughout the entire event and we’d love to catch up with you.)

Posted on August 27, 2010 - by King's Evangelical Divinity School

Israel and the Church: A Common Heritage and Uncertain Future (8-9 Oct, London)

King’s Evangelical Divinity School and Chosen People Ministries are jointly hosting the above conference at the London School of Theology on 8-9 October 2010. Speakers are Darrell Bock (Dallas Theological Seminary), Mitch Glaser (Chosen People Ministries), Jules Gomes (London School of Theology), Richard Harvey (All Nations College), Barry Horner (author of Future Israel) and Calvin Smith (King’s Evangelical Divinity School). Full details of the conference, including programme, paper titles, speaker details and booking options, are available on the King’s website. The conference also includes a meal on the Friday night and a concert scheduled for Saturday evening.

Don’t miss this opportunity to attend a conference exploring an increasingly polarising issue within Evangelical circles, together with its theological and missional impact, by speakers who between them have written and spoken widely on various aspects of the issue. Bookings are on a strictly first-come-first-serve basis, so book quickly to avoid disappointment.

Posted on April 24, 2009 - by King's Evangelical Divinity School

Calvin L. Smith’s New Book on the Church and Israel

King’s Evangelical Divinity School Principal Calvin L. Smith has edited a new book entitled The Jews, Modern Israel and the New Supercessionism: Resources for Christians, which is due out imminently. Additional contributions include Andy Cheung, Tony Pearce, Jacob Prasch, Howard Taylor, Stephen Vantassel and Paul Wilkinson. There is also a foreword by Mitch Glaser (formerly Jews for Jesus and now President, Chosen People Ministries, New York) and a preface by Mark S. Sweetnam, Research Fellow at Trinity College, Dublin. The book has been endorsed by leading Evangelical scholars such as Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Darrell Bock, Robert L. Thomas and Amos Yong, among others. King’s Talks With Scholars has an interview with Calvin on the main college site, where you can find out further information about the new book. There is also a new website for the book, which is www.thechurchandisrael.com

Posted on January 8, 2009 - by Calvin L. Smith

Thoughts on the World Media and the Gaza War

Throughout a severe bout of flu for a week (real flu, you understand, not just a cold or so-called “man flu”), lying in bed or on the sofa under 25 blankets shivering and wallowing in self-pity, cough syrup and co-codamol, I’ve had the luxury of being able to follow the present Gaza war via numerous news networks and websites. Many of you kow I’m a news-junkie anyway. Every morning I read the websites of a dozen or so UK and international newspapers before, to the utter misery of my children, coming downstairs and rapidly but continually flicking like a machine-gun through BBC, Sky, CNN (occasionally), Fox (even more occasionally), Euro News, Al-Jazeera and others (even Russia Today, France 24, CCTV and the Indian NDTV network are not immune from my attention from time to time). I admit I’m a sad news anorak who goes cold turkey without a constant diet of news, and sometimes I even slip out for a drive to listen to BBC Five Live in the car when I am trying to give up the hard stuff. I’ve tried the medical, prescriptive stuff (free local newspapers) designed to wean me off the habit, but to no avail. This past week I’ve expanded my diet to include Press TV (coming out of Teheran, the heroine or crystal-meth of news channels) and websites such as Al Arabiya. (more…)

Posted on January 5, 2009 - by Calvin L. Smith

Hamas’ (and the World’s) Anti-Semitism

The Times tonight reports how a senior Hamas leader has declared Israel’s actions in Gaza mean Jewish children throughout the world are now legitimate targets. Not Israeli children, mind you, but rather in response to an Israeli attack on Gaza they single out all Jewish children. Never mind that diaspora Jews are not Israeli, or that many Jews (including our own Foreign Secretary and the comedian Alexei Sayle) have condemned strongly Israel’s actions in Gaza in recent days. No, Hamas has demonstrated its anti-Semitic hatred, which is well-known but so conveniently forgotten, just like that of Hezbollah’s. And I doubt this is an empty threat (consider Hezbollah’s similar attacks on Jewish interests in the 1990s, notably in Argentina). But of course, tonight’s Hamas statement will not change extreme anti-Israeli opinion which crosses over into anti-Semitism one iota, ironically even though the Hard Left is obsessed with rooting out all forms of racism. Clearly, anti-Semitism is an “understandable” form of racism when it comes to Israel’s actions. (more…)

Posted on December 29, 2008 - by Calvin L. Smith

Let’s Talk About Proportionality

The current Israeli operations in Gaza once again bring to the fore the oft-recited mantra so favoured by the Western media and Arab world. I’m talking, of course, of Israeli “proportionality”, a phrase used ad nauseam. “Israel’s operations have killed [at the time of writing] 300 people compared with Hamas rockets which have killed two”. Thus goes the argument, which time again serves as the basis for condemning Israel. (more…)

Posted on November 9, 2008 - by Calvin L. Smith

It’s All Happening in Israel Right Now

Hello, haven’t posted for a while but it is all happening in Israel right now, where I am at the moment, so I thought I’d post a brief comment about events so far. As always with Israel (regardless of how many times one has visited before) it has been an eye-opener. Whatever your theological views this is a quite amazing place, full of history, contradictions, polemics and passion (oh, and excellent food, hotheads, crazy drivers, lovely weather, and just how many recipes include chick peas . It has also been a pleasure to meet so many Christians from so many different walks of life, together with godly people who have devoted their lives to sharing the Gospel here. (more…)