Author: Stephen Spector
File Type: pdf
From Publishers WeeklySpector, a professor of English at Stony Brook University and a Jew, argues that evangelical Christian support for Israel is a good thing for Jews. To make this argument, in light of considerable distrust of evangelicals by American Jews and others, he offers impressively thorough research. Evangelicals motives are complex, and include identification with Israel as an ally against terrorism as well as biblically-based conviction that God truly has favored Israel. His counterintuitive argument is likely to be questioned by those skeptical of his tendency to take statements at their face value in analyzing, for example, whether George W. Bushs Mideast policy is affected by Christian Zionism, he credits sources supportive of Bush who tell him no, its not. While some may find him naive, the depth of his work provides credibility for his view. (Dec.) Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. ReviewStephen Spectors Evangelicals and Israel is a significant accomplishment that advances our understanding of an important subject. Subtle, balanced and thoughtful, this book is required reading for anyone wanting to understand the relationship between American politics and our Middle Eastern policies today. --Walter Russell Mead, Henry A. Kissinger Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of God and Gold Britain, America, and the Making of the Modern WorldSpector, no stranger to scripture, sheds light on the variety of true believers who inhabit the world of Christian Zionism. Without polemic or caricature, he deploys his own Biblical expertise, scholarship, and journalistic skills to investigate a complex, multi-layered, and sometimes paradoxical community in which theology and politics mix with a passionate belief in Israels prophetic mission. Whether you agree or disagree, no one seriously interested in the fate of the Jewish homeland can afford to ignore his close reading and rich analysis. --Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League and author of The Deadliest Lies The Israel Lobby and the Myth of Jewish ControlFor this definitive work on Christian Zionism and how evangelicalism shapes American foreign policy, Stephen Spector moves beyond assumptions or anecdotes. Instead, he bases his conclusions on extensive research, including interviews conducted directly with leaders - both inside and outside the evangelical world - who have influenced attitudes regarding the Middle East and policy toward Israel in recent decades. The results capture the variety and complexity of Christian Zionists motives and convictions regarding not only Israel and the Jewish community, but also Muslims and the Arab world. He examines the intersection of politics and theology in a narrative that is both nuanced and compelling. --D. Michael Lindsay, author of Faith in the Halls of Power How Evangelicals Joined the American EliteFrom his intensive researches, Stephen Spector shows that Evangelical attitudes are very nuanced, varied and individual, even among traditional conservatives. ...Those interested in the role of lobbies, whether they are Jewish or Evangelical, had better read the book.--Times Literary Supplement An excellent analysis of evangelical support for Zion. . . [an] accessible and lively narrative.--Christian Century