1. So you may have heard VP Mike Pence keeps rescheduling his trip to the Middle East.
Why?
Well, seems partly bc Middle Eastern Christians—who U.S. evangelicals/Pence often claim to support—appear to be pretty miffed about Trump’s Jerusalem decision. religionnews.com/2018/01/08/is-…
Why?
Well, seems partly bc Middle Eastern Christians—who U.S. evangelicals/Pence often claim to support—appear to be pretty miffed about Trump’s Jerusalem decision. religionnews.com/2018/01/08/is-…
2. Context: The trip was originally set for Dec, but then the Coptic Christian Pope in Egypt canceled his meeting with the VP after the Jerusalem decision.
Jerusalem Christians also protested, as did folks in Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Ramallah—some turned off Christmas lights.
Jerusalem Christians also protested, as did folks in Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Ramallah—some turned off Christmas lights.
3. Why is this important?
Because in addition to hardline stances supporting Israel, American evangelicals aligned w/Pence and others have spent years drawing attention to Middle Eastern Christians—including those in occupied Palestinian territories—who face very real threats.
Because in addition to hardline stances supporting Israel, American evangelicals aligned w/Pence and others have spent years drawing attention to Middle Eastern Christians—including those in occupied Palestinian territories—who face very real threats.
4. Exhibit A: Here’s Pence declaring in October that part of the POINT of his Middle East trip is to speak out about the persecution of Christians in the region.
5. As you can imagine, this makes the blowback to the decision among Middle Eastern Christians a bit…awkward for Pence and other evangelicals.
NOTE: Trump adviser and longtime advocate for persecuted Christians Johnnie Moore argues the bluster doesn’t tell the whole story.
NOTE: Trump adviser and longtime advocate for persecuted Christians Johnnie Moore argues the bluster doesn’t tell the whole story.
6. But Christians in the region and their advocates are still pretty vocal about their frustrations.
In fact, an advisers to the Catholic Church in the region told me evangelical support for Middle Eastern Christians is often interpreted as “crocodile tears.”
In fact, an advisers to the Catholic Church in the region told me evangelical support for Middle Eastern Christians is often interpreted as “crocodile tears.”
7. This isn’t even the first time this tension has flared up—especially over Israel.
Remember in 2014 when Ted Cruz spoke to a group of Middle Eastern Christians and got booed off stage for his Israel remarks? Because that was a Real Thing That Happened.
Remember in 2014 when Ted Cruz spoke to a group of Middle Eastern Christians and got booed off stage for his Israel remarks? Because that was a Real Thing That Happened.
8. Cruz, like Pence in that October speech, was addressing a gathering organized by the group “In Defense of Christians.”
For their part, IDC’s ED was quick to acknowledge that the Jerusalem decision could “set back” the Trump administration’s image among Palestinian Christians.
For their part, IDC’s ED was quick to acknowledge that the Jerusalem decision could “set back” the Trump administration’s image among Palestinian Christians.
9. And all this AFTER the mayor of Bethlehem penned a scathing op-ed last year deeply critical of how evangelicals support Israel.
It was not-so-subtly entitled “Why Are U.S. Christians Celebrating Israeli Policies Strangling Jesus' Birthplace?” haaretz.com
It was not-so-subtly entitled “Why Are U.S. Christians Celebrating Israeli Policies Strangling Jesus' Birthplace?” haaretz.com
10. Meanwhile, Pence announced new dates for his twice-delayed trip yesterday.
It made no reference to his previously-planned trip to Bethlehem or meeting with the Coptic pope. whitehouse.gov/briefings-stat…
It made no reference to his previously-planned trip to Bethlehem or meeting with the Coptic pope. whitehouse.gov/briefings-stat…
11. To be sure, the IDC director said the Jerusalem decision actually sparked LESS ire than expected, and argued proxy wars in the region between Iran and Saudi Arabia are ultimately a more pressing issue for Middle Eastern Christians than this.
HOWEVER…
HOWEVER…
12. …Tensions between U.S. evangelicals and Middle Eastern Christians over Israel don’t appear to be going away any time soon, at least when it comes to public statements.
READ MORE HERE: religionnews.com/2018/01/08/is-…
READ MORE HERE: religionnews.com/2018/01/08/is-…
*Oops here’s the Haaretz link that didn’t work: haaretz.com/opinion/.premi…
