Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #260076 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Customer Reviews

Clear summary of the case for Christian Zionism
This book was written in response to a book by Stephen Sizer against Christian Zionism which contained a short sermon by John Stott. In 'Defending Christian Zionism' David Pawson seeks to refute some of the statements that Sizer makes and state his own case for non-dispensationalist pre-millennial Christian Zionism.

Overall the book is successful. Not, for this reader, in convincing me of his position, but in the way in which he explained the different views, putting some quite complex ideas into readable language. I also appreciated the fact that he commended Stephen Sizer for some of his views, agreeing with him in many aspects, but when disagreeing doing so graciously and showing his own reasoning through biblical examples. Pawson occasionally lapsed into some rather odd examples of anecdotes which he thought proved his case, many of which I found entirely unconvincing, but the overall book was a clear and helpful read, even for someone who does not agree with his views. Despite being a response to another book, this would be a worthwhile introduction to this confusing and often emotive subject.

A very patchy defense of Christian Zionism.
I have long appreciated David Pawson's (DP) work, have read most of his books, attended his lectures and met him a couple of times. I appreciate his rigorous way of examining the scriptures and the issues and, in many areas of controversy, have a large measure of agreement with him. However, in this controversy, I suspect he would regard me as somewhere in his Replacement/Fulfillment categories of Christian anti-Zionists although I don't fit his criteria for either.

His book serves a valuable purpose in removing the dispensational element from the discussion. Stephen Sizer's (SS) book right targets the dispensationalists but as DP points out there is a brand of Christian Zionism which utterly rejects the dispensationalism of Darby, Lindsay and LaHaye. It is useful to clear that ground and to see that in terms of the Mosaic Covenant David Pawson himself is a `Replacement Theologian'. However it was the Mosaic Covenant which established Israel as a nation with a destiny and the Commandments and Judgements served partly as a tenancy agreement for the land. Where does this leave a right to the land for those who whose constitutional covenant giving them the lease, never the right, to the land was `replaced' by the New Covenant?

Clearly DP feels strongly about these issues but I think this book does not maintain his usual standards of patient reason and fairness. I was saddened to note one or two places where he adopted the `guilty by association' brand of reasoning and surprised at his association of several UK politicians with `Christian Zionsim'. I would scarcely regard Churchill or some of his other `Christian Zionists' as `Christian' in any sense.

DP's book is only the beginning of a response to SS's position. His handling of the topic was inevitably reactive but it suffers as a result of this. It left me with more questions than solutions. I still think that in agreeing with Stephen Sizer's demolition of dispensationalism DP has served his readers well, now we can get onto the real issues of interpretation.

Mixed feelings ...
While the book is a helpful addition to the debate on the subject of Zionism I found it at times (especially early on) rather an irritating read!

Not because of disagreements with what Pawson says (that is a separate issue) but because of the way he says it - he repeatedly inserts rather snide comments that are unnecessary & rather unworthy.

Given that the subject is so emotive, a less inflammatory response would have been more helpful... better to let our theologising & exegesis promote constructive dialogue, than being critical of a 'target' (Pawson's own word) who is a fellow believer?

That said, much of what he writes is clear & concise even if rather 'sweeping' at times.

Worth buying? Yes.