DaysofPal – Christian leaders in Jerusalem have issued a warning that the future of Christianity in the Holy Land and throughout the Middle East is seriously threatened by “damaging ideologies,” especially Christian Zionism.
The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem said in a statement released on Saturday that the increasing propagation of ideologies promoted by political actors with ties to Israel runs the risk of deceiving the public, creating confusion, and weakening the unity of Jerusalem’s Christian community, which is the oldest continuously existing Christian community in the world.
The church leaders voiced grave concern over the growing acceptance of Christian Zionists at local and international levels, which gives them influence that ignores Jerusalem’s churches’ historical and spiritual leadership. They warned that the ideology, which promotes the belief that blessing Israel brings personal and financial reward, constitutes a direct interference in the internal life of the churches and a dismissal of long-established Christian authority in the city.
Jerusalem’s Christian leadership has long raised alarms over the influence of Evangelical Christianity on United States policy toward Israel, noting that it has played a significant role in strengthening political and financial support for Tel Aviv while marginalizing the voices of indigenous Christian communities.
The warning comes amid escalating Israeli policies, including land confiscation and illegal settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, which church leaders say are placing growing pressure on Christian communities in the city.
A recent report by the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem found that settlement expansion, along with the “unjustified taxation,” is threatening the very existence of Christian communities and institutions throughout the West Bank and Gaza, with the most severe impact felt in East Jerusalem.
The report stressed an urgent need to protect Christian communities and places of worship, particularly in areas where settler attacks increasingly target churches, clergy, and Christian-owned property.
These concerns were echoed earlier this week when the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine condemned Israeli restrictions on work permits for teachers from the West Bank, a policy that has disrupted the education sector and disproportionately affected Christian schools and institutions.
In response, Christian schools in Jerusalem announced the suspension of classes and the launch of a mass strike, saying the restrictions are part of a broader effort to undermine Palestinian education and accelerate the erosion of Jerusalem’s Christian presence.
Church leaders warned that unless these trends are reversed, Jerusalem risks losing its historic Christian character, with far-reaching consequences for religious coexistence and the city’s unique spiritual heritage.
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