ERLC-released statement in support of Israel being well received
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to show that more than 1,300 people have signed the ERLC statement.
NASHVILLE (BP) – The statement released by the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission calling for support of Israel is gaining traction as signatures are being added. The Evangelical Statement in Support of Israel was released on Oct. 11.
The statement was signed by a wide range of evangelical leaders upon release Wednesday. The ERLC says it is being received very well.
“More than 1,300 people have added their names in less than 24 hours, signaling that people are eager to demonstrate solidarity with Israel and see meaningful action in the wake of the atrocities committed by Hamas,” said Miles Mullin, ERLC chief of staff.
Mullins said the ERLC will “continue to support Israel’s right to defend itself and pray for all of the people in the region – for their safety, for their peace, and for their salvation through Jesus Christ.”
The statement calls on evangelicals to pray for Israel and urge policy leaders to take appropriate action in response to the war that began as a result of Hamas attacks in Israel Oct. 7.
The statement can be viewed at the ERLC website. It is open for anyone to add their signature.
Southern Seminary hosts panel discussion on recent Israeli attacks
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – Four leading biblical thinkers took the platform for a panel discussion at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary to consider how Christians should think upon the recent attacks in Israel. The panel, hosted by Andrew Walker, included Albert Mohler, Ayman Ibrahim and Thomas Schreiner.
Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7. The attacks have led to daily battles between Israeli forces and Hamas. So far, 1,300 Israelis have been killed, according to Israeli officials. More than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed, according to officials in Gaza.
“Israel has had to fight for its existence from the very beginning. It has to fight for its existence every day,” said Mohler, president of SBTS.
“This is a test they’re going to have to win or they will not survive.”
Ibrahim spoke about the historical significance of the attacks by Hamas and the Israeli response.
“Israel never declared a state of war for the last 50 years until now. So, this is a big event, and I don’t think this war will be a two-day war. It’ll continue for some time,” he said.
Ibrahim is a professor of Islamic studies and the director of the Jenkins Center for the Christian Understanding of Islam at SBTS.
“For Hamas, Islam is not only a religion but a political power,” Ibrahim said. “That’s why they want the political part.”
The discussion featured a dialogue between Schreiner and Mohler on the eschatological weight of the current events in Israel.
The scholars discussed differing viewpoints across the evangelical landscape and admitted there are various views of the significance of events within Southern Baptist theological circles when it comes to eschatology.
In the end, Mohler believes Christians should view the conflict with a discerning eye.
“I believe that it’s [Israel] a providential nation in the sense of the preservation of the Jewish people for God’s redemptive purposes in the age to come. And so is there a permanent distinction? Not in terms of grace, but I still believe that there is a privileged position and understanding the priority and sequence of God’s redemptive purposes when we talk about the book of Hebrews, Moses and Abraham and Jacob,” Mohler said.
The chapel service can be viewed here.
