News

DC thinktanks offer program on Christian Zionism and Islamophobia

On Wednesday, October 24, 2012, the International Council for Middle East Studies, a three-year-old Washington think tank, will co-host a session on the seldom discussed, often misunderstood issue of Christian Zionism and its relationship to Islamophobia, at the House of Representatives Visitors Center on Capitol Hill. 

In coordination with the Council for the National Interest, the event, entitled “Christian Zionism Views Islam: Cultural, Theological, and Political Perspectives,” will offer three intersecting perspectives on the role, function, and meaning of U.S. Christian support for Zionism and the pro-Israel Lobby.

Fuad Sha’ban, Vice President of Yarmouk Private University in Jbab, Syria, and Professor of Literature and Translation in the Department of English at the University of Petra in Amman, Jordon, will begin the session with an analysis of the cultural-historical background of American concepts of Islam, with emphasis on the theme of Christian Zionist views of Islam in the United States.

Jon Utley, Associate Publisher of The American Conservative, will follow with a discussion of what he refers to as the “Armageddonites.”

ICMES President Norton Mezvinsky, Professor Emeritus of History at Central Connecticut State University and co-author of Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel, will then pinpoint the theology of Christian Zionism, specify the Christian Zionist view of Islam, and suggest the political impact of all of this.

In addition to these three critical analyses, Lt. Col. Lorraine Bartlett, JA, USAR (Ret.), formerly of the U.S. Army JAG Corps (most recently as a Defense Attorney with the Office of Military Commissions, where she represented Guantanamo Bay prisoners), will offer a personal anecdote about attending a Christian Zionist church service. The session will be moderated by Dr. Philip Giraldi, CNI Executive Director and former CIA counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer.

4 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Finally the role of Christian Zionism in the Middle East is being paid attention too!

anyone who has a chance to listen to Norton Mezvinsky speak should take it. he understands jewish fundamentalism inside and out.

Wow wow wow!

I’m finding myself repeatedly saying here that this issue is as big as the Israel lobby in influencing US foreign policy. This isn’t a fringe cult in US Christianity. The majority of evangelical Christians are influenced to some degree by the Scofield Bible and Christian Zionism and this desperately needs to be challenged.