CHRISTIAN ZI*NISM IN AFRICA

Why do Christians in Africa strongly support the settler-colonial ideology of Zi*nism, despite living on a continent still reckoning with the legacy of colonialism?

To understand this phenomenon, we spoke to an Anglican minister who is no stranger to the subject: Stephen Sizer. He is an author and scholar with extensive research and publications on the interconnection between Christianity and Zionism, including his influential work, 'Christian Zionism: Road-map to Armageddon?' 

In this interview, he unravelled the complex relationship between African churches and Christian Zionist benefactors from the 'Bible Belt,' a region of the southern United States where socially conservative Protestantism reigns, influencing elections and cultural values. Slavery and racism were and still are entrenched in this area.

Sizer explained how foreign funding forces African churches to align their doctrines with these Christian Zionist patrons. As a result, many African Christians defend Israel, wrongly believing they are supporting 'God's chosen people.'

Since 7 October 2023, Africa's position on Israel's occupation and ongoing military onslaught in Gaza has split the continent. Kenya, Zambia, Ghana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo came out in support of Israel. Meanwhile, South Africa and Algeria are among the states that have expressed full solidarity with Palestinians.

Our position as African Stream has been to expose imperialism in all its forms, especially against Africans and people of African descent wherever they are. We also stand in solidarity with Palestinians in their struggle against Israel's apartheid and racism. Our clear stand has earned us the wrath of US imperialists, who have used tech giants to silence us by deleting four of our social media accounts: Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube. TikTok has also de-platformed us.

We think a return to the authentic faith initiated by the anti-imperialist Jesus Christ—that of being peacemakers, not widow-makers—could go a long way in healing the world. A faith that embraces all regardless of race, tribe, social status or other criteria.

Subscribe to our X handle @african_stream for more liberating and anti-imperialist content. You can also find us on Patreon, Rumble, Telegram and Blue Sky.Sources;https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/02/12/black-zionists-israel/

https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/03/1114702

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https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2018/3/29/black-lives-do-not-matter-in-israel

https://thepanafrikanist.com/leaving-christian-zionism-i-was-blind-but-now-i-can-see/

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/10/14/israel-hamas-war-why-is-africa-divided-on-supporting-palestine

https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/19/world-court-finds-israel-responsible-apartheid#:~:text=%22In%20a%20historic%20ruling%20the,finding%20Israel%20responsible%20for%20apartheid.

https://www.christianitytoday.com/1992/01/why-christians-supported-slavery/