By Catholics for Catholics
On January 17, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches (Eastern Orthodox) in the Holy Land released a statement denouncing Christian Zionism as a dangerous ideology:
Recent activities undertaken by local individuals who advance damaging ideologies, such as Christian Zionism, mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock. These undertakings have found favor among certain political actors in Israel and beyond who seek to push a political agenda which may harm the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the wider Middle East.
The full statement closed with a prayer asking that the “Lord, who is the Shepherd and Guardian of souls, grant wisdom for the protection of His people and the safeguarding of His witness in this sacred land.”
Catholic podcaster Michael Knowles chimed in on X noting that the Patriarchs’ statement “has always been the Catholic view,” citing a 1985 Vatican document which states the following: “The existence of the State of Israel and its political options should be envisaged not in a perspective which is in itself religious, but in their reference to the common principles of international law.”
A later document from the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity quoted that 1985 statement and further emphasized that Christ Himself “fulfils the mission and expectation of Israel in a perfect way. At the same time, however, he overcomes and transcends them in an eschatological manner.”
In the fall of 2025, podcaster and political commentator Tucker Carlson went viral for expressing disdain for Christian Zionism as a heresy.
Catholic teaching affirms that the Church is the “new Israel,” noting that Romans 9:6 explains that “not all who are of Israel are Israel.” Catholic Answers explains:
This indicates the existence of two Israels. One—”all who are of Israel”—indicates the ethnic people, not all of whom believe in Jesus. The other Israel, the context reveals, does not include those who have rejected the Messiah. This new Israel, founded by Messiah, exists in spiritual continuity with the Old Testament saints and so counts as a “spiritual Israel.” It includes Gentiles who believe in the Messiah and so through baptism are spiritually circumcised (Col. 2:11–12) and are reckoned as spiritual Jews (Rom. 2:26–29).
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