Whose Land? Whose Promise?: What Christians Are Not Being Told about Israel and the Palestinians [Hardcover]

Gary M. Burge (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 286 pages
• Publisher: Pilgrim Press (May 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0829815457
• ISBN-13: 978-0829815450
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,092,218 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

When Lebanon's tragic civil war broke out in the early 1970s, I was a student at the American University of Beirut studying politics and Islam. I never realized what an indelible mark this year would put on me as this dangerous national tragedy unfolded before our eyes. Since the university witnessed sporadic closures, I began studying at Beirut's Near East School of Theology (an Arab-Armenian seminary) and there for the first time was exposed to the technical study of the New Testament (under the guidance of Middle Eastern Christian scholars). It seemed that from here my life found its twin navigational markers: the New Testament and the world of the Middle East.

Following graduation from Fuller Seminary in 1978, I completed a Ph.D. in New Testament at King's College, Aberdeen University, Scotland, where I worked under Professor I. Howard Marshall. In 1987 my research was published as The Anointed Community, The Holy Spirit in the Johannine Tradition (Eerdmans) and this launched a long-standing interest in the literature of John which continues to this day in books and articles.

But in addition, I have also retained my passion for the Middle East and travel there regularly. Here too there has been evolution and specialization. Teaching the historical geography of Israel and working at dig sites has today become a specialized interest in first century Galilee. I have also had the good fortune of being befriended by many Palestinian Christian pastors and learning with dismay about the suffering of the Palestinian church in modern Israel.

In 1993 I wrote a study of this dilemma entitled, Who Are God's People in the Middle East? (Zondervan). I have also become active in an evangelical advocacy groups, Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding and Middle East Fellowship, which work to facilitate dialogue between Arab and western church leaders. In 2003 I wrote a second, more thorough volume on Israel/Palestine entitled, Whose Land? Whose Promise? What Christians Are Not Being Told About Israel and the Palestinians (Pilgrim Press). And in 2010 I will publish Jesus and the Land. How the New Testament Challenges Holy Land Theology (Baker Academic). This last book studies how the New Testament views the Holy Land and raises difficult questions for many who invest too heavily in prophesy and the modern Middle East.

As I teach New Testament at Wheaton, I want my students to grasp how knowing the unique world of the Middle East in antiquity shapes how we read the New Testament today. This is the purpose of the small illustrated books The Bible and the Land (2009), Jesus the Middle Eastern Story Teller (2009), and Encounters with Jesus (2010). These books retell well-known stories with an eye to ancient culture. (Scholars will recognize this as a popular treatment of contextual exegesis. For more details, go to: http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Authors/Author.htm?ContributorID=BurgeG&QueryStringSite=Zondervan.)

Jesus' cultural reflexes were different than ours and unless we understand him in his world, we risk misrepresenting his story. The setting of first century Palestine must be the lens through which we read the gospels. This has been the passion of my career since the 1970s and I want my students to inherit it.

Gary M. Burge, Ph.D.
Wheaton College & Graduate School

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bold, from within Evangelicalism..., October 9, 2003

By 

"sammymountjoy" (Belfast, Northern Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Whose Land? Whose Promise?: What Christians Are Not Being Told about Israel and the Palestinians (Hardcover)

Gary Burge has written a book that fills a void that is existent in Evangelical publishing circles.

The book is rightly described as 'bold' because it seeks to challenge many ingrained assumptions Evangelicals hold in regard to the State of Israel. Still, it should be noted that Burge is relatively conservative on the subject when compared to publications of other secular (or non-American Christian) organisations. On a wider spectrum, Burge is far from radical; yet he is a bold voice within the Evangelical arena.

Burge is not an undiscriminating supporter of Palestinian actions, he wishes to place those actions in a context - not an attempt to justify, but an effort to understand. Thus, his conclusions are not based on a parochial interpretation of particular biblical texts; instead, it is an informed theological, missiological, and even pastoral exploration of the realties present in the conflict.

In a roundabout way, the negative reviews of this book can be considered an endorsement - because Burge hopes to challenge assumptions, those who are unwilling to confront their own biases (nor admit that their exegesis of particular biblical texts are merely one interpretation among many, not canon) will retrogress to previously unchallenged premises. Some reviews merely set forth an opinion about the State of Israel rather than an actual rejoinder to the arguments proposed in 'Whose Land, Whose Promise?'. If Burge successfully took an unbiased and non-dehumanising view of both sides of the conflict, his work would inevitably cause discomfort.

This book is well worth reading. This is not to say that one must agree with all of the author's conclusions (Burge is not looking for undifferentiating disciples); 'Whose Land, Whose Promise?' is a welcome partner to the largely one-sided debate existent within Evangelicalism.

For those interested in a Palestinian Christian perspective, the authors Naim Ateek ('Justice and Only Justice') and Mitri Raheb ('I am a Palestinian Christian') are worth a look.

32 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Eye-opener about the Middle East, August 6, 2007

By 

E. Johnson (El Cajon, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Whose Land? Whose Promise?: What Christians Are Not Being Told about Israel and the Palestinians (Paperback)

This is a book that you will either love or hate depending on your view of Dispensationalism v. Covenant Theology. Here, Burge--a professor at Wheaton College--shows why Zionism is not biblical, as he utilizes history and the Bible to show his point. The Tim LaHayes of the world will wrench their hands in disgust and say that Burge is missing clear evidnece in the Bible regarding the place for the Jews in the end times. Yet many of these hyper-Dispensationalists need to not take their peripheral view of eschatology so seriously. Yes, end times are important, and yes, I think compasion on the Jews is needed. But as Burge points out, what about human rights for everyone? I just finished reading through Isaiah and Jeremiah, and boy, they sure were tough on "God's people" for their sins. I think it is important to show how a person's heritage should not matter since all people are created equal in God's sight, as Paul mentioned in Galatians that there is neither male nor female and neither Jew nor Greek. To classify an entire people as above the moral law and allow their government to persecute another people in the name of biblical presuppositions is immoral and should be condemned. And Burge explains this side very well.

The book does have some weak points. First, I read it in the summer of 2007, and with so much that has taken place over the course of these last four years, is in bad need of an update. This is especially true with Hussein no longer an issue and Iraq's future much different than when this book was first written. Another criticism is that Burge really does make it look like the Palestinians are completely innocent and have not caused many of their own problems. I was in Israel/Egypt 17 years ago during the Infitada and believe that much of the Palestinian strategy was misguided, which only infuriated the general Israeli public against the Palestinians. And what about all of the bombings of innocent people done in Israel by Palestininans? No mention of this is made by Burge.

As far as the "rocks" he mentions being thrown by Palestinian youth, he makes it sound so innocent. Yet I can attest that the rock throwing can be lethal. Driving through Jerusalem, our tour bus was the target of slingshots, shattering windows as we hit the deck to avoid the shattering glass. Walking through the Old Jersualem streets, we had to dodge slingshotted stones and bb's because, obviously, we were American tourists. Gladly, none of the 40 of us--mostly elderly--were ever hurt during the trip, but I think that attempting to hurt other people (was it for retaliation? how would taking out somebody's eye or going through their arm help the cause?) is not the best strategy. Instead of making the Palestinians into saints, I wish Burge would have been a little less biased in his reporting and reported some of the abuses on the other side.

Overall, though, there is good information here that those with a Premil, Pretrib view ought to consider. Every Christian ought to consider these things before pledging allegiance to the nation of Israel, which is not necessarily the friend of human rights or Christianity, for that matter.

41 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stronger than the Israeli Bullets, December 19, 2005

By 

Y. Katanacho (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Whose Land? Whose Promise?: What Christians Are Not Being Told about Israel and the Palestinians (Paperback)

The words of Gary Burge, a professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, are as strong as the Israeli bullets, if not stronger. Unlike many Evangelical Americans, Gary is well informed of the situation in Israel/Palestine. He addresses one of the toughest questions in the Middle East i.e. whose Land and whose Promise?

With a sharp mind, and a passionate heart, Gary tackles these questions seeking the mind and heart of God as revealed in the Bible. Gladly, Gary combines a great spirit of humility, an ability to see the big picture, and an outstanding documented description of the details. Thus, the reader will not only be exposed to eschatological conceptual frameworks but will also experience, through powerful stories, an intimate fellowship with the Palestinian Church and an unmasked understanding of the intentions of the Zionist movement and many of its leaders.

In his preface, Gary steps forward as an honest seeker and pursuer of truth. He says, "As an Evangelical I have a theological interest in Israel's history and future. As a Christian I recognize the ancestral connection between Jews today and Abraham, Moses, and David. And yet I am confused and troubled when I try to interpret the meaning of this small country and I learn about one more village story one more set of keys to a lost home, one more house being bulldozed, and more refugees being pushed away from their homeland" (xii).

He seeks to resolve one of the questions that Palestinians struggled with for so long: how would the Modern State of Israel be the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies if they are committing many injustices against the Palestinians? He explains for his audience the background of the problem and then moves into an exciting study through the pages of Bible. In the Old Testament part, he highlights that God owns the land and that he welcomed non-Israelite "aliens" to live alongside Israel and granted them religious, social, and legal privileges. Furthermore, he seeks to understand the relationship of Justice to the land via several OT texts such as the story of King David who purchased the land of the temple-mount from Ornan the Jebusite or the story of King Ahab who stole the land of Naboth (pp. 90-92). After spelling out the teaching of the OT, Gary compares Biblical Israel to Modern Israel and probes the latter according to the principles (Justice and treatment of aliens) revealed in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament part, Gary studies the teachings of Jesus and the early Christians concerning the land. He believes that the land is "Christified" in the NT. He studies different texts in the Gospels and concludes:

" (1) land is rejected as the aim of faith; (2) land is spiritualized as meaning something else;(3) the promise is historicized in Jesus, a man who lives in the land; (4) the promise is sacramentalized" (p. 177).

Then Gary moves to the next logical question: what about fallen Israel? Three points are important to note. First, Gary states that the believing Remnant is the true Israel (p. 178). Second, after studying Acts, Hebrews, and some Pauline epistles, he adds that it would be wrong to argue that Christians can make a territorial claim (p. 184). Third, fallen Israel is still unique, honored, and beloved (p. 188). Gary concludes by subscribing to a double commitment: Christians are the heirs of Abraham yet fallen Israel is still unique honored, and beloved. On this later point, Gary says, "Israel's obstinacy did not end God's affection for his people. The same is true today" (p. 188).

Gary discusses these important theological concepts, but he does not stop there. He furthers his discussion by presenting a clear picture of the Palestinian Church and the intentions of Zionism. He meets Palestinian Christians who come from a wide range of denominations such as Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, etc. He also meets some Zionist leaders and tries to understand their perspective.

After discussing the contents of Gary's book and praising many of its aspects. I like to add that I am still hoping for further work in the following areas:

1) Gary's methodology in his book is different than many evangelicals. Gladly, his theology integrates the Bible, history, and culture. He rightly discusses eschatology within ecclesiology. Indeed, the church is the center of God's plan and design. And in order to understand God's heart for the Middle East in the 21st century we must involve the Palestinian Church. Gary does a great job in accomplishing this task. However, further work must be done in ecclesiology in order to clarify the role of Messianic Jews within the Church. It might be helpful to add a couple of positive stories about faithful messianic Jews who serve God with a spirit of divine justice and biblical love. Furthermore, it would be helpful to answer the following questions: Are Messianic Jews "unique, honored, and beloved" differently than any other member of the global church? Why or why not? Last, Gary should work more on justifying his biblical choices. He chooses several narrative passages but overlooked some important pertinent pericopae such as Ezekiel 33 and the book of the covenant in Jeremiah.

2) Gary's description of the relationship between the OT and the NT is troubling. He rightly makes Jesus Christ the center of the NT; however he looks at the OT only through the eyes of the NT. This approach does not appreciate the complexities of the OT and it minimizes the role of the OT as God's word. Gary rightly describes how the NT interprets the OT; however, is this interpretation the only interpretation of the OT? If the answer is yes then what about the OT believers who did not have the NT, how did they understand the Hebrew Scriptures?

3) Most of all, I am troubled with Gary's interpretation of Romans 9-11 and his conclusion that fallen Israel is unique, honored, and beloved. What does this mean? Unfortunately, Gary does not spell this out. However, few comments are appropriate. First, Gary uses the words: Israel, Judaism, Modern Israel, and Jews without sufficiently defining these terms or clarifying their differences. Second, he assumes some kind of continuity between Biblical Israel and Modern Israel without verifying this assumption or clarifying what kind of continuity. Many western evangelicals have not paid enough attention to the diachronic meaning of the word "Israel". Instead, they use it synchronically and thus fall into the trap of anachronism and equivocation. I think that we should pay attention to the following: A) there are differences between the following terms: Judaism, Jews, Israel, and Hebrews. These differences must be spelled out in order to produce a more accurate eschatology. B) There are challenges in defining these pertinent terms. For example, Esther 8: 17 tells us that many nations became Jews. Do these nations hold the same uniqueness of those who are related to Jacob genealogically? Do the promises belong to Judaism or to the seed of Jacob? Furthermore, would the children of mixed marriages be part of the genealogical seed of Jacob and would they be part of the promise? It is interesting that the Jews in Modern Israel today consider the mother as the determining factor for recognizing a person as a Jew. This is interesting because this definition does not square with the list of the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1 where we find four gentile women. C) Assuming an unquestioned continuity in the history of Judaism leads to many problems. The Judaism of the 1st century is not identical with the Judaism of the 21st century. Furthermore the Jews of the 1st century are not necessarily the forefathers of the Jews in the 21st century. It is wiser academically to establish this continuity between the Jews of the 1st and the 21st centuries before building and eschatological framework that assumes this continuity as a foundational fact. It is good to remember that there are many converts to Judaism through out history (For example: Esther 8: 17, Ruth). And there are many Jews who became either Muslims or Christians (for example Acts 2). What about them?

4) Gary did a great Job in pointing out the importance of Justice especially in the OT. However, he, in my opinion, did not define justice in the framework of election and Biblical love. It seems to me that we need not only to uphold Biblical Justice but we also need to defend Biblical election and Christ-like love even towards the enemies. How are these foundational elements related in the Scriptures? Clarifying this relationship is indispensable for formulating a firm biblical foundation. Understandably, Gary spent most of his time on Biblical Justice. However, further work is needed on the relationship between Justice and election and agape-love. Is God's election just and loving? Does God's love for the Palestinians violate God's plan? These are just a sample of many questions that demand and an answer.

5) Gary uses the theology of the "aliens" in the OT and compares it to Modern Israel and its relationships to Muslim and Christian Arabs. His study of the theology of the "aliens" in the OT is admirable and more work should be done in that field. However, he does not clarify the development of the theology of the alien in the Scriptures and he moves too quickly to application. Although, "alien" theology introduces equality in certain fields, it also introduces inequality in other fields. For example, none of the aliens would be able to become the high priest. Does this mean that none of the Arab Israelis could become an Israeli president? Furthermore, alien theology does not subscribe to acceptance of multiple religions but subscribes to acceptance of believers in the God... Read more ›