Author Archives: Stephen Sizer

SIONISMO CRISTIANO. ¿Hoja de Ruta a Armagedón?

A Spanish edition of my book Christian Zionism: Roadmap to Armageddon? has been published by Bosforo Libros in Madrid, Spain.

Foreword to Spanish Translation

I am delighted that you are reading my book in Spanish – something regrettably I cannot do – at least not yet. I wrote this book for three reasons – truth, justice and reconciliation.

My first motivation is the need to speak the truth. Jesus said, “...you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32). Sadly the Christian faith has, for many centuries, become equated with colonialism and empire in many parts of the world. In the Middle East, this is largely due to the influence of European Christians who, nearly 200 years ago, believed it was their destiny to assist the Jewish people in colonising Palestine. This movement which became known as Christian Zionism, gave rise not only to Zionism and the founding of the State of Israel, but also to the Palestinian Nakba and the Arab-Israeli conflict. Many Christian Zionists see the coming of Jesus as the postponement rather than the fulfilment of the promises God made to the Hebrew people. Their emphasis on Israel and end-times prophecy, rather than upon Jesus and the gospel, is a distortion of the Bible.

My second motivation is justice. Micah asks, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8). It is too easy and convenient for Christians to blame others, especially the Arabs or Islam for the ills of the world. The Middle East conflict is being perpetuated largely by American Christians who have popularised the notion that God blesses nations that support Israel. We must be honest about our historical complicity in the conflict and commit ourselves to working for peace with justice for all, irrespective of their race or religion, and based on the rule of international law.

My third motivation is reconciliation. Jesus is described as “The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). He has commanded his followers to pursue a ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5). We are called to be peace-makers not widow-makers. Christian Zionism in its most extreme form is pathologically confrontational and apocalyptic about the future. It is in danger of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. God’s word instead tells us to “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (1 Peter 3:11). At the end of the Book of Revelation there is a beautiful image of paradise restored in which the Tree of Life bears fruit every month. We are told “And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:2). If this is God’s view of the future, then we need no greater motivation to work for reconciliation now.

I believe that when we re-examine our history and repudiate the false ways in which some of our leaders have abused the Scriptures for destructive political ends, we will be better able to contribute to justice, peace and reconciliation in the Middle East. By the grace of God, I pray that this book will motivate you to contribute to that process.

If you find it helpful, you can access further resources, text, audio and video at www.stephensizer.com as well as read my latest blog and view my photographic gallery of the Middle East. The sequel to this book is entitled, Zion’s Christian Soldiers, and addresses in more detail, the relationship between Israel and the Church in Scripture. At the moment it is only available in English but I hope a Spanish edition will be published soon.

Sinopsis

Apenas conocido en Europa, el fenómeno del sionismoⁱ cristiano en Estados Unidos vive en los últimos años un auge cuyas reales dimensiones podemos comprender con una sola cifra: los más de 65 millones de libros vendidos por los 16 volúmenes de la serie Left Behind, de Tim LaHaye y Jerry Jenkins, una ficcionalización de las doctrinas del sionismoⁱ cristiano respecto a Israel y el fin de los tiempos.

Surgido como corriente milenarista en la Inglaterra decimonónica, implantado en los Estados Unidos por el pastor John Nelson Darby y crecido al calor del fundamentalismo evangélico norteamericano, el sionismoⁱ cristiano considera que sólo cuando el pueblo elegido de Israel esté en posesión de todo el territorio comprendido entre el río Éufrates y el río Nilo (Eretz Israel, el Gran Israel, tal como lo recoge el Génesis) tendrán lugar los acontecimientos anunciados por las profecías bíblicas: el Armagedón (la batalla final) y la segunda venida de Cristo para instaurar el Reino de Dios. A falta de datos precisos, los expertos consideran que hay decenas de millones de personas en Estados Unidos que comparten estas creencias.

El sionismoⁱ cristiano ha jugado un papel histórico determinante en la creación y sustento del Estado de Israel. Este rol se ha reforzado en el curso de las últimas décadas, y en la actualidad continúa desempeñándose de las más diversas formas, desde la presión política en Washington y el adoctrinamiento masivo a través de los medios (véanse los casos de Pat Robertson y del finado Jerry Falwell, o la citada saga de los Left Behind) a la financiación directa de la emigración judía a Israel y de los asentamientos de las ocupadas Cisjordania y Jerusalén Este.

Sionismoⁱ cristiano: ¿Hoja de Ruta a Armagedón?, fruto de la investigación doctoral del teólogo británico Stephen Sizer, se ha convertido en el texto de referencia para todo aquel interesado en conocer el origen y desarrollo histórico del sionismoⁱ cristiano, las razones de su identificación total con el proyecto sionistaⁱ del Estado de Israel y su decisiva influencia en el devenir cotidiano del conflicto, tanto en las altas esferas de la administración estadounidense como en su contribución sobre el terreno a las políticas de limpieza étnica y expansionismo israelíes. En definitiva, para entender en gran medida por qué la paz y la justicia parecen aún inalcanzables en Oriente Próximo.

Leer un fragmento

Introducción

Índice

Prólogo
Prólogo a la edición en español
Prefacio
Agradecimientos
Listado de figuras

Introducción
¿Qué es el sionismoⁱ?
¿Qué es el sionismoⁱ cristiano?
La importancia del movimiento sionistaⁱ cristiano
Un análisis crítico del sionismoⁱ cristiano

1. Las raíces históricas del sionismoⁱ cristiano
Los primeros indicios: el sionismoⁱ cristiano primigenio
El nacimiento del sionismoⁱ cristiano y su contexto socio-político
Los orígenes del restauracionismo premilenarista histórico en Gran Bretaña
Los orígenes del sionismoⁱ cristiano dispensacional en Gran Bretaña
Lord Shaftesbury y la influencia del restauracionismo en la política exterior de Gran Bretaña
El cristianismo británico y su apoyo político al movimiento sionistaⁱ judío
La Declaración Balfour y la implementación del sueño sionistaⁱ
El dispensacionalismo y el nacimiento del sionismoⁱ cristiano en Estados Unidos (1859-1945)
El antisemitismoⁱ y el sionismoⁱ cristiano liberal en Estados Unidos (1918-1967)
El sionismoⁱ cristiano evangélico en los Estados Unidos de hoy (1967-2002)
La proliferación y diversificación de las organizaciones sionistasⁱ cristianas
Las raíces históricas del sionismoⁱ cristiano: conclusiones

2. Los fundamentos teológicos del sionismoⁱ cristiano
La Biblia: una hermenéutica literal y futurista
Los pueblos elegidos: la relación entre Israel y la iglesia
El restauracionismo: regreso de los judíos a Sion
La Tierra de Israel: reclamando Judea, Samaria y más allá
Jerusalén: la capital eterna y exclusiva del pueblo judío
El templo: reconstrucción y profanación
El futuro: la escatología del sionismoⁱ cristiano
La singular teología del sionismoⁱ cristiano: conclusiones

3. Las implicaciones políticas del sionismoⁱ cristiano
El pueblo elegido: apoyar el colonialismo israelí
El restauracionismo: facilitar la emigración de los judíos de Rusia y Europa oriental
La Tierra de Israel: apoyar los asentamientos de Cisjordania
Jerusalén: los grupos de presión y el reconocimiento internacional
El templo: identificarse con el sionismoⁱ religioso
El futuro: rechazar los procesos de paz y precipitar el Armagedón
Las implicaciones políticas del sionismoⁱ cristiano: conclusiones

4. Conclusiones
Observaciones acerca de la evolución del sionismoⁱ cristiano
Variantes del sionismoⁱ cristiano
Aspectos constructivos y destructivos del sionismoⁱ cristiano
Evaluación crítica del sionismoⁱ cristiano
El sionismoⁱ bíblico y su alternativa en la teología de la Alianza

Glosario
Apéndice
Bibliografía
Índice de personas
Índice de temas
Índice de referencias bíblicas

El autor

Stephen Sizer (1953, Lowestoft) es doctor en Teología, miembro y antiguo director de la International Bible Society y miembro fundador del Instituto para el Estudio del Sionismoⁱ Cristiano (www.christianzionism.org). En la actualidad ejerce como vicario en la parroquia de Christ Church, Virginia Water (Surrey, Inglaterra).

Asiduo visitante de Oriente Próximo y máxima autoridad internacional en cuestiones vinculadas al sionismoⁱ cristiano y sus implicaciones teológicas y políticas en el conflicto palestino-israelí, Stephen Sizer ha expuesto sus argumentos en buen número de artículos y conferencias –en Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow, Chicago, Yakarta, El Cairo o Teherán–, cuya culminación es el presente volumen, que sintetiza para el gran público siete largos años de trabajo doctoral en instituciones académicas.

Stephen Sizer es además autor de otros libros: A Panorama of the Holy Land (Eagle, 1998), A Panorama of the Bible Lands (Eagle, 2002), In the Footsteps of Jesus and the Apostles (Eagle, 2004) y Zion’s Christian Soldiers: The Bible, Israel and the Church (IVP, 2007).

Reseñas

Reseñas sobre el libro (en inglés)

The Gary Demar Show

The Gary DeMar Show on American Vision is your 15 minutes of sanity each weekday. Four out of five doctors surveyed recommend this show along with a large dose of commonsense to help combat the insanity served up by the mainstream media.

Gary DeMar serves your daily recommended allowance of rationality. Gary’s Show is where you will hear current events, pop culture, politics, religion, and bunches of other stuff examined through the lense of a biblical worldview.

Gary DeMar and Stephen Sizer discuss Christian Zionism and its impact on the Middle East in a series of 15 minute audio/video interviews recorded in April 2009.

Christian Zionism and the Middle East Conflict

An Overview of the History of Christian Zionism

Christian Zionism and the Middle East

The Rise of Christian Zionism

Culture Wars of Middle Eastern Civilizations

American Vision’s (AV’s) mission has been to Restore America to its Biblical Foundation—from Genesis to Revelation since 1978. AV realizes that this task requires a strategy to “Make disciples (not just converts) of all nations and teach them to obey and apply the Bible to all of life” (Matt. 28:18-20). So AV developed a method to accomplish this in our lives by way of illustration to understand all that encompasses God’s plan for spiritual growth. In doing so, it also became the way in which we now recognize the ministry with our new trademark (see the top left of the website).

To follow our train of thought, the structure (on the left) is a bottom up approach to developing a fruitful Christian life. By way of a Biblical Education—knowing what the Bible has to say—we study the four essential parts of knowledge: history, apologetics, ethics, and eschatology. Once we gather a solid understanding of the Bible and gain knowledge in these four essential areas of life, Christian worldview and character sinks in to personally develop maturity and wisdom. By way of Christian maturity, we can exercise “Servanthood Dominion” over all God’s world as He has commanded us to do. This is what American Vision is all about.

A Palestinian Litany for Jerusalem

A responsive reading with Scripture and song

Reading from Psalm 85

Almighty and eternal God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we glorify and praise you. You are our only refuge in this troubled world.
We glorify and praise you, our God.

Merciful God, in the birth of your Son Jesus Christ in Bethlehem you became one of us, sharing and understanding our humanity, our suffering and problems.
We glorify and praise you, our God.

We thank you that you took refuge to Egypt, identifying yourself with all who are refugees and victims of political power.
We thank you, our God.

We thank you that you grew up in Nazareth and ministered to the people in Galilee, and spread your kingdom in a new way.
We thank you, our God.

We thank you that you were crucified in Jerusalem, identifying yourself with every person who suffers and lives under occupation and injustice. On the cross you carried the sin and the suffering of all human beings and reconciled us with you and with our fellow human beings.
We thank you, our God.

Reading from Isaiah 40:28-31

Our Heavenly Father, we come before you with all the troubles and pains experienced by your people in the Middle East.
Lord, have mercy on us.

We pray for all the victims of injustice and violence in the present situation. We pray also for those who are responsible for injustices and all forms of violence.
Lord, have mercy on us.

We pray for laborers who cannot enter to their places of work. We pray for youth who are losing their hope for the future.
Lord, have mercy on us.

We pray for mothers who are fed up with bloodshed, killing, and the use of arms. We pray for the bereaved families, who lost their dear ones. We pray for the quick recovery of the injured. We especially pray for those who live with permanent disability.
Lord, have mercy on us.

We lift up to you the names of children whose lives were cut short by violence: Ahmed Ismail Khatib, Yasser ‘Adnan al-Ashqar, Noor Faris Njem, Odai Tantawi and the hundreds of other Palestinian and Israeli children who remain unnamed.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Jesus, our Savior, our eyes look to you, our only help in these troubled times.
Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray, that you open the eyes of the world, and of Israelis and Palestinians, for justice and reconciliation. Help us all to see that the security and freedom of the one people is depending on the security and freedom of the other.
Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for the politicians, that they may realize that the security and peace we all long for will not come by the use of arms and force, but by having justice done so that the two peoples can reconcile and together work out an equitable coexistence for the future.
Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for leaders around the world who have power to work for peace: Benjamin Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Barak Obama, Gordon Brown, leaders of the European Union, and leaders of other Arab countries.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, you have called us to be your followers. Give us your love for our fellow human beings. Free us, and our children, from hatred, bitterness, and the denying of the rights of others; and fill us with love, truth, and justice, so that we can recognize and respect the dignity and the rights of one another.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, you have shown us that forgiveness is not forgetting one’s rights but asserting them. We know that forgiving is to see Christ in our enemies, and to love them as our neighbors. Help the Palestinians to see you in the Israelis, and help the Israelis to see you in the Palestinians. Help all of us to see you in one another. Lead us all to affirm and respect that our humanity is a gift from you, as we are all created in your image, and give us courage to mutually recognize one another’s human, religious, civil, and political rights.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Reading from Ephesians 2:11-22

Holy Spirit, giver of life and new beginnings, help us to faithfully respond to God’s call to be ministers of reconciliation.
Come, Holy Spirit, renew us all.

Help your people everywhere find ways of encouraging people to open their hearts and confess their part in the past injustices and find ways to build a just and secure future for our children. Give us wisdom and courage in this difficult task. When the pressures of the situation make us despair, come with your Holy Spirit and renew our strength and hope.
Come, Holy Spirit, renew us all.

Sustain with your power those who in the midst of all difficulties are quietly building the culture of reconciliation, justice, and peace. They may not be many right now, but we remember that the work for God’s kingdom among us started with only a handful of faithful and committed people.
Come, Holy Spirit, renew us all.

We pray for those who people and organizations in the Holy Land who are committed to building peace: Naim Ateek, Sabeel, Mitri Raheb, International Center of Bethlehem, Michael McGarry, Rabbi Ron Kronish, Elias Jabbour, Bishop Suheil Dawani, Arik Ascherman, Rabbis for Human Rights, Bishop Munib Younan, Douglas Dicks, Catholic Relief Services, Givat Haviva, Joudeh Majaj, Suhaila Tarazi, B’tselem, and others whose steps toward peace are overlooked.
Come, Holy Spirit, renew us all.

Come, Healing Spirit, and change us and open ways for us to change others. Remove all injustice and fill our land with just peace. Remove all hatred and fill us all with true love.
Come, Holy Spirit, renew us all.

Remove all insecurity and bring in real security. Remove all occupation and bring in freedom for all.
Come, Holy Spirit, renew us all.

Merciful God, accept our prayer and yearning. You are the only strength we have. No one can take the power of prayer away from us. In the name of Jesus – our Liberator and Redeemer – we pray.
Amen

Written by Munib A. Younan, the Lutheran Bishop in Jerusalem. Also used at the Triennial Clergy Conference of Guildford Diocese, May 2009.

Seattle Pacific University hosts lecture on Christian Zionism

Stephen Sizer expands on the roots of Christian Zionism and its political implications during his lecture on Wednesday in Demaray Hall.

By BETH DOUGLASS, News Writer

Published: April 29 2009

The United States’ support of Israel is built on faulty principles and is hurting the country’s foreign policy, evangelical Anglican pastor and London author Stephen Sizer said.

Yesterday afternoon, Sizer spoke in Demaray Hall 150 at an event called “Christian Zionism: What is it? Its history, theology and political impact on the world today.”

Throughout the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the United States has offered unwavering support to Israel, Sizer said. Much of this is due to the prevalence of Christian Zionism, or Christians who support the modern political state of Israel, established in 1948, he said.

There is an antipathy toward the Arabs and Palestinians within Christian Zionism, Sizer said. He countered that the Bible calls us to reconciliation and tells us to love our enemies, he said.

“This theology is impacting attitudes and opinions in the Middle East,” he said. There is a view that God is blessing America because the nation is helping Israel, he said, resulting in the demonizing of Islam and the characterization of Arabs as dogs and liars.

Giving Israel a geographic homeland in Palestine may not be the correct fulfillment of God’s Old Testament promise to Israel, he said.

Palestine was turned into a secular state for Israel after World War II, according to the Rooftop Productions film “With God on Our Side.” From then on, Israel continued to take over Palestinian land, leaving many refugees.

Israelis then engaged in what some call an “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians, the film stated.

Growing up in the church and hearing many Old Testament Bible stories, U.S. Christians tend to idealize and romanticize Israel and Israeli culture, the film said.

When Americans hear about a conflict involving Israel, it seems obvious whose side they are on, the film said.

SPU is a very social justice-minded campus, yet there is little conversation about the situation in Palestine, said junior Kristin McCarthy, who helped plan the event.

“I think it is so sad how few people actually know about what is happening in Israel and Palestine,” she said.

Twenty to 40 million Americans support the Christian Zionism movement, according to the Pew Forum on Religion.

“I argue that it is shaping your foreign policy in the Middle East,” Sizer said.

Pro-Israeli groups are probably the most powerful lobbyists on Capitol Hill, Sizer said. Many of these lobbyists are Christian organizations.

Two-thirds of U.S. foreign aid goes to either Egypt or Israel, said John Berg, director of ministry advancement and development for a nonprofit organization called the Middle East Fellowship. The U.S. gives $10 billion per year to Israel, consisting of both official and unofficial foreign aid, he said.

“So much of our taxpayer money does go to the state of Israel,” said Professor of English Doug Thorpe. This makes U.S. Christians deeply invested in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, he said, and people are suffering because of how American foreign policy supports Israel.

No U.S. senator will speak against Israel, Sizer said, because to criticize Israel would be political suicide.

Some people have said Sizer’s viewpoint is anti-Semitic. However, he firmly upholds that this is not the case.

“I repudiate anti-Semitism unequivocally. Anti-Semitism is a form of racism,” Sizer said.

Fear of being anti-Semitic should not keep us from thinking critically about Christian Zionist ideas, Berg said.

There is a difference between Jewish ethnicity, Jewish religion and the modern country of Israel, Berg said. Historic anti-Semitism was against the Jewish ethnicity, he said, and Christian Zionism has redefined anti-Semitism.

The purpose of having Sizer speak on campus was not to advocate one particular viewpoint, but to start a conversation about the issue, McCarthy said.

“I think this is a really important conversation for the Christian community to be having,” she said.

Source: The Falcon Online

Peacemaking in Washington DC

World Vision’s executive director for international relations until March 1, 2009, Thomas Getman managed World Vision’s liaison activities with the UN and the World Council of Churches and was responsible for diplomatic relations with UN government member missions in Geneva and with countries on sensitive negotiations.

He served until recently on the board of principals for the UN Deputy Secretary General for Emergency Relief and as chair of the premier NGO consortium International Council of Voluntary Agencies.

From 1997 to 2001, Getman served as director of World Vision’s programs in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip where he was responsible for $5-8 million a year in relief and development projects in Palestine and Israel and advocacy for peace with justice.

Previously, Getman served for 12 years as director of government relations and special assistant to the president of World Vision United States at which time he founded WV’s office in DC. Getman interpreted U.S. government policy, pressed for needed foreign assistance, and advanced human rights, relief and development concerns.

From 1976 to 1985, as a Congressional staff member, Getman helped negotiate protocols with the presidents of Uganda and Zambia and encouraged warring factions to move forward with peace negotiations. In the mid-1980s, Getman played a central role to persuade the South African Foreign Ministry to cease support for the Mozambican rebel group Resistencia National Mocambicana (Renamo). He also was an adjunct speech writer for other national political figures, including President Gerald R. Ford.

Before joining World Vision, Getman served as legislative director and senior speech collaborator to U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield. In the US Senate, his primary assignments were African foreign policy and social justice, human rights and welfare issues. His most notable legislative contribution was to participate in the drafting team for the Anti-Apartheid Act of 1985. Getman also served as a regional director for Young Life for nine years in New England.

I caught up with Tom at St Mark’s Church on Capitol Hill in Washington and asked him about the role of Christian Zionism, his hopes for the new US administration and the changes needed in US policy in the Middle East.

I also inteviewed Joan Drake of Partners for Peace, Jim Vitarello of Sharing Jerualem

Christian Minorities Living Under Muslim Rule: Fuller Seminary

A paper delivered at the third evangelical Christian-Muslim Conference sponsored by North Park University in Chicago, Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena and the World Islamic Call Society of Tripoli.

“Clearly the status of Christians living under Muslim rule is a controversial subject. Some might even call it a ‘minefield’. It has evoked strong opinions on both sides. There are some within the Islamic community who seem to be in denial as to the contemporary difficulties faced by Christian minorities. And there are some within the Christian (and Jewish) community who exaggerate and exacerbate these tensions for their own purposes.

I will begin with a brief history of the development of dhimmi status for Christian minorities; I will present two contrasting interpretations, give an assessment of the status of Christian minorities today, and then offer a (middle) way forward that neither ignores the anxieties of Christian minorities nor demonises Muslim majorities for the tensions that still exist between our two faith communities.”

You can read the full paper here or download a pdf here.

Read Tim Morgan’s Christianity Today blog of the conference here.

Meet some of the participants here.

A Common Word Between Us and You

I am at Fuller Theological Seminary participating in the third Evangelical Christian Muslim Conference. The theme is “A Common Word between us and you“. The conference has brought together evangelical and Muslim scholars from many educational institutions, mission agencies and countries to enhance the work of justice and peace.

Among the evangelicals here are: Donald Wagner, Leith Anderson, Gary Burge, Len Rogers, Colin Chapman, Dudley Woodbury, and Martin Accad. Muslim leaders include: Mahmoud Ayoub, Assad Busool, Asma Afsaruddin, Muhammad Sammak, Jamal Badawi, Sayid Sayeed, Abed Ismail.

Several present were signators of the Common Word declaration and the Christian Response initiaited by Yale. The two previous conferences in Chicago (November 2006) and Tripoli (January 2008) were formative and educational meetings with important friendships gained and fruitful dialogue exchanged. Sponsors include North Park University in Chicago, Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena and the World Islamic Call Society of Tripoli.

During the conference I delivered a paper entitled “Christian Minorities living under Muslim rule” You can read it here or as a pdf here.

Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans: South East Regional Meeting in Virginia Water on Friday 15th May

The launch in the UK and Ireland of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA), the orthodox Anglican movement for mission at global and local level, is to take place on July 6 in London. The Fellowship is the outworking of last year’s GAFCON conference in Jerusalem, at which 1200 delegates signed up to the Jerusalem Statement. Those attending Gafcon 2008 represented some 40 million Anglicans world-wide, 70% of the total active membership of 55 million.

Click here for a larger PDF poster

Visit the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans

Book a place on Friday 15th May here

Be Faithful: The Launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans – May 15th in Virginia Water & July 6th at Westminster Central Hall

The launch in the UK and Ireland of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA), the orthodox Anglican movement for mission at global and local level, is to take place on July 6 in London.

The Fellowship is the outworking of last year’s GAFCON conference in Jerusalem, at which 1200 delegates signed up to the Jerusalem Statement. Those attending Gafcon 2008 represented some 40 million Anglicans world-wide, 70% of the total active membership of 55 million.

The launch event, entitled ‘Be Faithful! – Confessing Anglicans in Global and Local Mission’ will be held at Westminster Central Hall from 10.30am-5.30pm. The aim is to encourage and envision Anglicans who are committed to the orthodox teachings of the Anglican Church and who are passionate about global and local mission. It will be the first of regular ‘fellowship’ events both in the UK and across the world.

Speakers at the July 6 gathering, where around 2,300 bishops, clergy and laity are expected, will include contributors from across the Anglican Communion, including Bishops Keith Ackerman (President of Forward in Faith International), Wallace Benn (Bishop of Lewes), John Broadhurst (Chairman of Forward in Faith UK) and Michael Nazir-Ali, Dr Chik Kaw Tan plus Archbishop Peter Jensen (secretary of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans www.fca.net). They, and others yet to be announced, will also lead gatherings in London churches on Sunday July 5th. the day before the launch.

Regional meetings, in the run up to the London event will also be held on:-

* May 14, St Batholomew’s, Bath
May 15, Christ Church, Virginia Water
* May 18, Holy Trinity, Platt, Manchester
* May 19, St Andrew’s, Newcastle-under-Lyme
* May 20, Christ Church, Fulwood, Sheffield

The Revd Paul Perkin, , vicar of St Mark’s Battersea Rise, London, and Chairman of the event planning team, said: “The fellowship is just that, a spiritual movement of brothers and sisters across the nation and the world. It is not a separatist party, nor is it an organisation, but a spiritual fellowship issuing from a concern for truth and unity. It is a renewal of our confessing Anglican roots and convictions, and will be forward-looking in gospel mission locally, and in solidarity globally with Anglicans throughout the world, especially those suffering through poverty or discrimination”.

For further information about the event, email befaithfulanglicans@gmail.com, or book on-line on www.anglican-mainstream.net

For further information:

Revd Paul Perkin, Be Faithful, Event Chairman: 020 7326 9412
Canon Dr Chris Sugden (Anglican Mainstream): 01865 883388

Beyond Gates of Splendor: Good Friday

On Good Friday, after our 12:00noon “Hour at the Cross” Service we are offering a simple meal of home-made soup and rolls. At 1:30pm we will be showing the film, “Beyond Gates of Splendor”. It chronicles the events leading up to and following Operation Auca, an attempt to contact the Huaorani tribe of Ecuador in which five American missionaries were killed.

The title of the film references Elisabeth Elliot’s 1957 bestseller, Through Gates of Splendor. First published in 1957, the book told the original story of the five martyred missionaries. A low budget documentary film was also produced with the same name in 1967. One year after Gates was published, the first successful peaceful contact with the Huaorani tribe was made. In the years that followed, many Huaos were converted to Christianity and changed their lifestyle. Therefore, Beyond the Gates recounts the unfolding story up unto the present day. The film also included new information that has since come out about the Palm Beach Massacre through communication with the Indians.

Beyond the Gates was very influential in the production of the drama film End of the Spear, which was released four years later. Many of the same events recounted by the Huaorani interviewees in Beyond the Gates were depicted dramatically in End of the Spear. The movie won the Crystal Heart Award at the Heartland Film Festival in 2002. It also won the Audience Award at the Palm Beach International Film Festival in 2004 for Best Documentary Feature.

Read more at Christian Films and Christianity Today.