The Mystery of Israel
The central fact, which has its deepest meaning for the philosophy of history and for human destiny—and which no one seems to take into account—is that the passion of Israel today is taking on more and more distinctly the form of the Cross.
Why Israel Matters: The Biblical Roots of Catholic Zionism
The horrific Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023 and the ensuing war in Gaza have raised many questions among Catholics: Should they support Israel? Does modern Israel still benefit from any kind of special status today as God’s chosen nation, or should we view it as a purely secular political entity like every other state? This article will consider these questions...
Zionist vs Palestinian Debate on Israel/Hamas Conflict
Watch three intense debates between a Zionist Christian (Dr. André Villeneuve) and a Palestinian Christian (Daniel Bannoura) as they discuss the ongoing Israel/Hamas conflict in 2024. Gain insights into the different perspectives on this controversial issue and witness a clash of opinions on the politi...
Did Israel Steal Land from the Palestinians?
Michael Lofton interviews Dr. Andre Villeneuve and former IDF soldier Ariel Birnbaum about the war in Gaza and explores a wide range of questions - including whether Israel stole land from the Palestinians.
The Pope and the Cheshire Cat
When we meet cats who grin, that is, people who are naturally nice and warm, we tend to think that they are good people. A grin of the sort gives itself out as an implicit promise of support in time of need. Somebody whom we identify as empathic will be most likely to help. What is very curious is realizing that certain people's cordial grin amounts to n...
Catholic Zionism
The unconditional gift of the election of the Jewish people is the theological foundation of Catholic Zionism. Many New Testament texts support the notion that Catholics should endorse Zionism. Jesus himself was a Jewish Christian Zionist. Catholics accept that the Jewish people still have a providen...
A New Christian Zionism
Critics of Christian Zionism usually dismiss it for one of three reasons: (1) They say it contradicts the New Testament, which replaces the Old Testament focus on a particular land by the vision of a whole world; (2) They think it is the exclusive concern of premillennial dispensationalists; (3) It is said to be more political than theological, attac...
The Holy Mass that I Did not Celebrate
On the one hand, there is the Christian message of unconditional love and its emphasis on self-sacrifice at the hands of those who hate you unjustly: "No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends." On the other hand, there is the logic of war: you want to liquidate those who hate you to the point of mu...
Why the Land Promises Belong to Ethnic Israel
Gerald McDermott explores the notion of supersessionism in Christian theology, which suggests the promises made to the Jewish people in the Old Testament, including the land promise, have been superseded by the Christian church. This view has dominated Christian interpretation since the fourth century, leading to the marginalizatio...
Dr. André Villeneuve on Israel and the Church
Dr. André Villeneuve discusses the role of Israel in the age of the Church on Michael Lofton's "Reason and Theology" podcast. Topics include God's covenant with Israel, supersessionism, the idea of the Church as "new Israel", Israel's role in the age of the Church, the modern state of Israel, Zionism...