Church (archive image)
Church (archive image)iStock

The Presbyterian Church USA voted during its biennial meeting on Monday to reject all forms of "Christian Zionism," Religion News Service reported.

The resolution, which expands on a 2004 resolution condemning Christian Zionism, calls on the Church to "reject Christian Zionism in all its forms," issue a report on the spread of Christian Zionism over the last 20 years, and to confront the spread of Christian Zionism.

The resolution also drew distinctions between the "Biblical Israel" and the modern state of Israel and rejected attempts to use Biblical promises to the people of Israel to justify the existence of the modern Jewish State, instead insisting on "a biblical theology based on the Ten Commandments" in which the commandment not to covet that which is one's neighbor's would justify the rejection of Zionism.

A second resolution passed on Monday calls for the church to divest from Israel bonds as part of a campaign of divestment from Israel over its alleged occupation of "Palestinian territories," Turkey for its occupation of northern Cyprus, and Morocco for its occupation of Western Sahara. It also called for divestment from the General Electric and Palantir Technologies companies for allegedly profiting from the Israeli "occupation."

The resolution condemned Israel for its response to the Hamas massacre of October 7.

The Presbyterian Church USA has long been extremely critical of Israel. At its 2022 meeting, the church voted to declare Israel and Apartheid state and has previously supported BDS and divestment from Israel. At its 2018 meeting, it adopted 11 resolutions critical of Israel.

Leaders of the Presbyterian church have met with members of the Hezbollah terrorist organization. In 2004, Ronald H. Stone, John Witherspoon Professor of Christian Ethics at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, said following a meeting with Hezbollah officials, "We treasure the precious words of Hezbollah and your expression of goodwill toward the American people. Also we praise your initiative for dialogue and mutual understanding. We cherish these statements that bring us closer to you. As an elder of our church, I'd like to say that according to my recent experience, relations and conversations with Islamic leaders are a lot easier than dealings and dialogue with Jewish leaders."