Four days after Hamas’ brutal, barbaric attack on the nation of Israel, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention released an “Evangelical Statement in Support of Israel.”
The statement includes a long list of signatories that includes notable Baptist leaders past and present, as well as other notable Christians, from pastors to commentators to authors and university presidents.
Even two months later, the statement is the first thing visitors see when they go to the ERLC’s home page, denoting its significance to the organization and by extension, its importance for politically and socially engaged believers in the United States.
Sadly, too many visible Christian organizations haven’t taken the stand that there is a biblically clear response to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In the statement, the ERLC ably navigates both bright moral lines and nuance, acknowledging within the church differences in theological interpretation while also leaving no room for confusion on right and wrong. They state clearly that God’s people have been under attack and subject to different “rules” geopolitically for millennia, and that this conflict and the ensuing protest movement in support of Hamas is no exception.
Next, the statement points out the suffering of all the innocents who have been affected by this war, both in Israel and in Gaza. They also acknowledge the difficulties for Christians who are trying to minister to both Israelis and Palestinians under the strain of war.
As is proper, they entrust them to God, thus encouraging us to also petition Him on their behalf.
Finally, the statement calls out Hamas, designating them not as “resistance fighters” or “soldiers,” but as a terrorist group. It also references Augustine’s Just War Theory, which is rooted in Scripture. This concept is crucial to an intelligent, truthful, productive conversation around the Israel/Hamas war, not only as a justification for Israel’s actions but also as an endorsement of the Israeli Defense Forces’ efforts at protecting as many civilians as it can.
Especially in the days of critical theory, which reduces parties to mere oppressors/oppressed groups, we are in dire need of a proper, biblical understanding of war.
Even many evangelicals have begun to believe cultural lies about Israel, internalizing critical theory, which has now poisoned nearly every aspect of our society.
A lack of wisdom and moral clarity from Christian leaders and, sadly, many pastors, combined with a dearth of historical knowledge, means many American Christians are having their opinions about Israel’s war formed by mass and social media, not the truth.
Public positions rooted in history and biblical truth are essential today, and for this, we applaud the ERLC for its clear statement on the situation in Israel. You can join in signing the statement here.
