For well over one hundred years Christianity has been on life support in England. A Puritan influence and even a premillennial/dispensational influence sustained for a while. It has been estimated that around fifty percent of English clergymen were greatly influenced by dispensationalism and even were of this persuasion for a period of time. But this began to change dramatically just before the beginning of the twentieth century.
The most active people spiritually in that nation today may be the conservative dispensationalists. While they are a small group they appear to be healthy when it comes to propagating the gospel and teaching Scripture. But otherwise, Christianity is on life support there. With such a large spiritual vacuum it is no wonder that there is a hatred of Christian thought. And too, there is no wonder that the country opened wide its doors to accept Muslim influence.
In the April 18 edition of the Jerusalem Post Professor Robert Wistrich of the Hebrew University analyzed correctly what is happening in Britain. He put his finger on the fact that England lost its premillennial faith and its Christian connection, and from this, there is now a growing anti-Semitism in that nation. Here is a summary of what Wistrich said:
With a growing Muslim population, and a rising anti-Semitism, the increased spiritual confusion can be seen coming from the nation’s “detachment of the British from THEIR CHRISTIAN ROOTS.” For almost a thousand years Great Britain suffered from a large dose of Jewish hatred. In 1290, King Edward I, following years of anti-Semitism, gave the edict for the first violent major expulsion of the Jews, even more terrible than the expulsions of other Jewish communities anywhere in Europe. The Jews were banned from England until 1656, when Oliver Cromwell, a Puritan PREMILLENNIALIST authorized their return.
Then historian Wistrich makes a statement that I am sure he would fail to realize its full implications for those of us who are today premillennial and dispensational! He said “the straying of the British from their CHRISTIAN ROOTS has also created a changed reality in the Anglo-Israeli relationship with NO BIBLE-BASED reasons or raison de’tre for a Jewish presence in THE HOLY LAND.”
He cited the recent support of the archbishop of Canterbury for the adoption of parts of Shari’a, or Islamic law, in Britian—the same country which, he noted, was once the birthplace of the US EVANGELICAL MOVEMENT.
Finally he noted, “The loss of Christian identity in what was the MOST BIBLE-BELIEVING CULTURE in its day is one of the deeper layers of what has happened here in England.” He noted some of the biblical remarks of prominent British leaders of the past such as Lord Balfour and David Lloyd George would be viewed today as anathema. Both men after World War I supported the establishment of the Jewish people back to their ancient home in the Holy Land. There is no question about the personal faith of Balfour. He believed in the fulfillment of prophecy as premillennialists and dispensationalists do today!
Wistrich concluded with a most interesting statement: “You cannot speak or act [supportive for Israel] in that way today, or you would be considered the ‘BIGGEST THREAT TO CIVILIZATION’ as AMERICAN EVANGELICALS ARE.” A correction: That would be American premillennial Evangelicals not replacement theologians or the allegorical Reformed Covenant guys!
Dr. Mal Couch
