Title
Inverting the Eagle to Embrace the Star of David: The Nationalist Roots of German Christian Zionism
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Source
Annual Meeting, American Academy of Religion
Location
Chicago, IL
Publication Date
11-2012
Department
Religion and Philosophy
Abstract
It is no secret that Christian Zionism in the U.S. has long been paired with American patriotism. Since at least as far back as William Blackstone’s 1891 “Memorial,” American Christian Zionists have proclaimed that their support of a Jewish homeland as bolstering their own country’s perceived privileged relationship with God. Less obvious is the link between German nationalism and Christian Zionism in that country in the period following World War II. Whereas American Christian Zionism has been marked by militarism and triumphalism, the German variant has been understandably penitential in the aftermath of the Holocaust. Nonetheless, this paper will demonstrate that nationalist understandings of national identity provided a foundation for Christian Zionism in Germany, as exemplified by the Ecumenical Sisterhood of Mary.
~Presentation excerpt~