Former Southern Baptist pastor Mike Huckabee No. 2 on the list of ‘10 Most Influential Christian Zionists’
Mike Huckabee, former Southern Baptist pastor, governor, and U.S. presidential candidate, is No. 2 on the list of “10 Most Influential Christian Zionists” published by The Jerusalem Post.
Huckabee, who has visited Israel more than 100 times in the past 50 years, told the Post, “Everything that I embrace as a Christian is rooted in the promises that God gave to the Jewish people.”
“Of the many Christian friends of The Fellowship (of Christians and Jews) and of the Jewish state of Israel, none has a passion and calling stronger than that of Governor Mike Huckabee. His accomplishments – 44th governor of Arkansas, presidential candidate, ordained Southern Baptist pastor, and television host – certainly show him to be a man of action and a man of God,” the Post wrote, adding that in his many trips to Israel, Huckabee has led tens of thousands of visitors “to show what Israel is all about.”
Huckabee has long been a friend of The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, wrote the Post and his support “for Israel and The Fellowship has proven invaluable in the months since the October 7th attacks, as he has helped give voice to those who survived the attacks, those who fight to protect Israel, and Israelis and Jewish people worldwide who face unprecedented anti-Semitism.”
What is Christian Zionism?
Christian Zionism, a belief in the right of the Jewish people to return to Israel, is gaining attention as a significant movement within various Christian denominations. Supporters view Jews as the descendants of biblical Israelites and the recipients of God’s covenant with Abraham. Central to this belief is the idea that the fulfillment of this covenant is essential for the return of Christ to earth.
The term “Christian Zionist” was first coined by Theodor Herzl at the First Zionist Congress in 1897. The movement has since grown significantly, with the United States boasting the largest number of Christian Zionists, estimated at more than 30 million by author and academic Tristan Sturm. Notably, most of its supporters belong to socially conservative evangelical churches in the “Bible Belt” of the southeastern and south-central United States.
A key biblical verse often cited in connection with Christian Zionism is Genesis 12:3, where God promises Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you and I will curse those who curse you, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
Christian Zionism has become a topic of interest due to its influence on international relations, particularly related to the Middle East. As the movement continues to shape religious and political discourse, its impact and influence expand globally.