This is a 10-episode limited series on Christian Zionism hosted by Daniel Bannoura. The series includes conversations with historians, theologians, and pastors exploring the history, theologies, and political activism of Christian Zionism.

In the inaugural episode of our series on Christian Zionism, Daniel Bannoura has a conversation with Robert O. Smith about the roots of Christian Zionism. Robert traces it back to the Reformation in the 16th century and explores its expansion throughout Europe, Britain, and the United States. In their extended conversation for our Patreon supporters, Daniel and Robert explore the relevance of this history of Christian Zionism to us today and how much that history repeats itself today. To access this extended conversation and previous ones, consider ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠. Robert O. Smith is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and assistant professor of history at the University of North Texas, and an advisor on Jerusalem affairs to the Royal Court of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He is also the author of the book ⁠"More Desired than Our Owne Salvation: The Roots of Christian Zionism⁠."

In the second episode of our series on Christian Zionism, Daniel Bannoura has a conversation with Rev. Stephen Sizer about the history of dispensationalism and the rise of Christian Zionism in England in the 19th and 20th century and the role they played in shaping British and American attitudes toward the Jewish people and Israel. Stephen also shares some theological insights about the ways Zionist Christians misappropriate the biblical text about the land and people to support their Zionist interpretations. In their extended conversation for our Patreon supporters, Daniel and Stephen try to explain how Christian Zionism is a main driving force for the Christian support for Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza. To access this extended conversation and previous ones, consider ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠. Rev. Dr. Stephen Sizer is the founder and director of ⁠Peacemaker Trust⁠, a charity dedicated to peacemaking, especially where minorities are persecuted, justice is denied, human rights are suppressed, or reconciliation is needed. He served for 35 years as an Anglican priest, and is coordinator for the 2024 ⁠Sabeel⁠ International Conference on Religious Extremism, and is also a member of the ⁠Kairos for Global Justice Theology Group⁠. He is the author of three books, ⁠In the Footsteps of Jesus and the Apostles⁠, ⁠Christian Zionism: Roadmap to Armageddon⁠ and ⁠Zion’s Christian Soldiers: The Bible, Israel and the Church⁠.

In episode 3 of our series on Christian Zionism, Daniel Bannoura has a conversation with Daniel Hummel about the history of dispensationalism, its waning influence over Christian Zionism, and the general contours of theological developments and political activism of Christian Zionism since 1948 and until today. For our Patreon supporters they have an extended conversation about the absence of Palestinians and Palestinian Christians in the thinking and activism of Christian Zionists.To access this extended conversation and previous ones, consider supporting us on Patreon. Daniel G. Hummel is the director of The Lumen Center in Madison, WI and a research fellow in the History Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of two books Covenant Brothers: Evangelicals, Jews, and U.S.-Israeli Relations and most recently The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle Over the End Times Shaped a Nation. Learn more about Dan here: https://www.danielghummel.com/about

In this episode, Daniel has a conversation with educator and New Testament scholar Gary Burge. They unpack the theology of Christian Zionism and the misinterpretation and misuse of the Bible as it relates to the land of Palestine-Israel. Throughout their conversation, they take a close look at biblical stories that present theologies of the land, both in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. In their extended conversation for our Patreon supporters, Daniel and Gary discuss rapture theology and unpack some of the biblical passages that have been interpreted to shape what have become harmful understandings of "the end times." To access this extended conversation and others, consider⁠ ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠⁠. Gary Burge is originally from Southern California and was an undergraduate at the University of California, Riverside, and The American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He attended Fuller Theological Seminary and King’s College, The University of Aberdeen, Scotland. In Scotland he studied with I. Howard Marshall earning a Ph.D. in New Testament. He has served on the faculties of King College, North Park University, Wheaton College, and currently teaches at Calvin Theological Seminary. Gary speaks widely in churches and conferences both in the United States and in various countries. He has traveled extensively, particularly in the Middle East. He is ordained in the Presbyterian Church, USA, and served as a military chaplain. For over 15 years he was a regular teacher at Willow Creek Community Church in S. Barrington, IL.

In episode 5 of our series on Christian Zionism, Daniel Bannoura has a conversation Don Wagner about his journey out of Christian Zionism. Don explains the two kinds of zionisms that he has encountered in his work and discusses theological and biblical critiques of Christian Zionism, primarily through the lenses of settler colonialism and liberation theology. In their extended conversation for our Patreon supporters, Don offers pastoral advice to Christians who feel isolated in how to respond this moment we’re in. To access this extended conversation and others, consider⁠ ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠⁠ at: ⁠ / acrossthedivide⁠ Rev. Dr. Don Wagner recently retired as the National Program Director for Friends of Sabeel–North America. He was a Professor of Middle East Studies and Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at North Park University in Chicago. He has written several books on Palestinian human rights, Christians in the Middle East, and Christian Zionism, and most recently his memoirs in 2022 “⁠Glory to God in the Lowest: Journeys to an Unholy Land”⁠

In Daniel's conversation with Crystal Silva-McCormick, they discuss the spread of CZ throughout Latin America and the Global South. Crystal helps us make sense of the reasons for that interest and expansion in poor environments, and how the prosperity gospel often goes hand in hand with Christian Zionism. They then discuss how Latina/o theology and local expressions of faith in Latin American can give us some insights about the ways we can respond to Christian Zionism. In their extended conversation for our Patreon supporters, Daniel and Crystal discuss her work through Christians for a Free Palestine. To access this extended conversation and others, consider⁠ ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠⁠. Rev. Dr. Crystal Silva-McCormick is Visiting Assistant Professor of Evangelism and Mission at Austin Presbyterian Seminary. Her teaching focuses on the intersection of Christianity with imperialism and colonialism, particularly as it relates to Euro-American Christian missions. She also researches, which is a main topic of our conversation here, the growing influence of Christian Zionism in Christian communities in Latin America, and especially Guatemala.

In this conversation, episode seven of the Christian Zionism series, Daniel talks with scholar Brooke Baker about contemporary discursive shifts in Christian Zionism. In their extended conversation for our Patreon supporters, Daniel and Brooke discuss the role that Christian Zionism has played in the last year of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza. To access this extended conversation and others, consider⁠ ⁠supporting us on Patreon⁠⁠. Brooke Baker is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in Islamic Studies at UCLA. Her research interests include Christian-Muslim relations, Islam in the West, and discursive trends surrounding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, especially as they relate to narrative, identity, and Christian Zionism.