Category Archives: Evangelicalism

Church at the Crossroads:  Our Response to the Public Calls of Palestinian Christians

Christians gathering at the Church at the Crossroads conference in Glen Ellyn, Illinois in September, issued a vital and timely declaration. In it, they sought to respond to two public calls from our Christian siblings in Palestine and the Middle East: “An Open Letter from Palestinian Christians to Western Church Leaders and Theologians” (October 2023) and “A Collective Call to the Global Church from Middle East Evangelical Leaders” (August 2024). 

Unable to attend personally, I nevertheless wholeheartedly endorse the declaration and urge you not only to sign it, but pledge to share it and endeavour, with God’s help, to make it a reality.

Read and endorse the Declaration here

View resources and recordings from the conference here

Church at the Crossroads was held on September 11-13 in Glen Ellyn, IL.

It is a gathering of Christians who recognize that the church stands at a defining moment–Jesus is urgently calling us back to the narrow way of the cross. As violence escalates in Israel and Palestine, and some in the Church use Scripture to justify war, occupation, or silence, we must ask: Have we traded the gospel of peace for the false promises of security and comfort? 

At this crossroads, the Church must choose. Will we follow the political idols of our day—or Jesus, who disarmed the powers and made peace through His blood?

Rooted in Scripture and led by Palestinian Christian leaders—alongside pastors and peacemakers from across North America—this conference invites American Christians to engage in honest reckoning, prophetic reflection, and faithful action. Through worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship, we are called to repentance, renewal, and courageous discipleship. This is a space to confront harmful theologies, rediscover the gospel of the Kingdom, and stand with all who seek justice in the land.

Jesus is calling the Church—not to comfort, but to faithfulness, peace, and costly love. 

Will we follow?

Pure Joy in Trials of Many Kinds

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” (James 1:2)

“The central message arising from the tribunal is that the well-documented accusations of repeated antisemitic behaviour made over more than a decade have been dismissed! Only one allegation of antisemitism has been found to have substance – but that was dealt with quickly and effectively [in 2015] at the time by the Bishop of Guildford (as Jonathan Arkush accepts), Stephen apologising for his actions, recognising the deep hurt his actions had caused and stating publicly that his sharing of the material was ill-considered and misguided and that he “never believed Israel, or any other country was complicity in the terrorist atrocity of 9/11.”

“It is significant that not one word or statement from Dr Sizer has been shown to be antisemitic. There are none.” Stephen Hofmeyr KC

If you wish to read my witness statement, the expert witness report, the statements of witnesses, please follow the hyperlinks below: 

My Witness Statement

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Christian Support for the State of Israel: Is it Biblical?

For Christians who believe that all are created in the image of God, with equal worth and dignity, what are we called to do for the people of the Holy Land? How can we be faithful and faith-filled peacemakers and justice-seekers? A presentation given during a recent webinar hosted by Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA).

In this conference, we considered how we can respond to Christian Zionist theology and bring love-inspired, biblically based teaching and action to our congregations and communities.

A summary of my presentation is accessible here

7-Biblical-Answers-outside-1Download
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Remembering David Pawson with thankfulness

As a young Christian and student at Sussex university, I was enthralled by David Pawson’s biblically-based teaching in the 1970’s and coveted his weekly teaching recordings, especially on controversial theological and political subjects. He taught me to root my faith in scripture and apply it to every aspect of life. Forty years on, I remember David with respect and admiration. View his website here.

Although we agreed to disagree on some subjects, David kindly wrote this about my book Zion’s Christian Soldiers.

“my fellow Zionists… will be disturbed by my agreement with much of Sizer’s criticism of this position… I am grateful to Stephen Sizer for drawing attention to the legitimate criticisms of dispensational Zionism. He has rendered a service to the cause of Zionism which was needed.” David Pawson

In May 2008, David and I held a conversation about Christian Zionism on Premier Radio. Listen here.

Sixty Academics Endorse Christian Zionism: Roadmap to Armageddon?

“I wanted to congratulate you on your book … Like yourself in one regard, I have a long history of what I call “prediction addiction” — and its obvious flaws and failures. Your book seems to be a careful and much needed analysis of the destructive wake left by pre-millennial dispensationalism. Thank you! My particular version of dispensationalism was informed by a potent and lethal mixture of sabbatarianism and British Israelism as championed by Herbert W. Armstrong… God rescued me (and many others, thank God) from these heretical notions… What Dr. Sizer addresses is absolutely critical for Christians in North America to understand. Greg Albrecht, President of Plain Truth Ministries, and Editor-in-Chief, The Plain Truth magazine (author of Revelation Revolution & Bad News Religion).  

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Leave Well Alone: Prospects for War and Peace in the Middle East

In today’s Guardian newspaper, an editorial reports on a speech given by US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo on the new US strategy of “Real Deterrence”

“Pompeo says killing of Suleimani is part of ‘bigger strategy’ to deter US foes… His speech, The Restoration of Deterrence: The Iranian Example, focused on what he called a Trump administration strategy to establish “real deterrence” against Iran…”[1]

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Christian Jihad: A Biblical Basis for Proactive Peacemaking

36358230131_5a101fa520_kThe term Jihad tends to be associated with Islam – indeed for some, the two words are synonymous. But the fact is violent extremism is found in all religions. I could easily quote Islamic or Jewish leaders who justify the use of violence in the name of God, but I will give you one example from a well-known Christian. Following the tragedy of 9/11 and destruction of the World Trade Centre in New York, multi-bestselling author and Christian journalist Anne Coulter, wrote,

“We don’t need long investigations of the forensic evidence to determine with scientific accuracy the person or persons who ordered this specific attack. We don’t need an “international coalition.” We don’t need a study on “terrorism.” … We know who the homicidal maniacs are. They are the ones cheering and dancing right now.  We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren’t punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That’s war. And this is war.”[1]

In my opinion, too many evangelical leaders have also been quick to endorse Mr Donald Trump’s threat to “totally destroy North Korea.” Thankfully, many Christians in the USA as well as Europe and Asia repudiate views such as these as a gross distortion of Christianity and grave insult to the teachings of Jesus the Christ.

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Renewing the Church of England

DSC_5735This year’s ReNew conference was organised by Anglican Mission in England, Church Society, and Reform and held in Leeds under the title Gospel Advance. The major theological theme of the conference explored the Atonement. Contributors included Christopher Ash, Sam Allberry, George Crowder, Matthew Mason, Vaughan Roberts, Rob Scott, Glen Scrivener, William Taylor, Rico Tice, Robin Weekes, and Paul Williams.

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