The Rebuttal of the Literalist Interpretation of the Bible: The Example of Stephen Sizer
Keywords:
Christian Zionism, Holy Scripture, Stephen Ceaser, Hall Lindsey.Abstract
Jewish fundamentalists, together with Christian Zionists of the USA, argue that the creation of the state of Israel, and its endurable existence, is legitimate, moral, and authorized by the Holy Scripture. They understand these texts on a purely literalist interpretation of the Bible. After a brief account the historical roots of Biblical literalism, the paper presents the powerful rebuttal of literal interpretation of Biblical texts by the British priest, Stephen Sizer in his book ‘Christian Zionism: Road-map to Armageddon’. Sizer has brilliantly refuted the Christian Zionists’ misquotations and misinterpretations of the Old and New Testaments. Sizer has chosen to focus of the works of Hal Lindsey, the most influential of all 20th Century Christian Zionists. The research concludes that the sacred texts, upon which futurist and literal interpretation is constructed, have been taken out of historical and linguistic context, shrouded in vagueness, or their prophecy has been fulfilled long time ago.
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