Evangelical leader challenges Tucker Carlson to debate on Zionism, citing replacement theology and antisemitism concerns

Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Jerusalem, has called on Tucker Carlson to debate the topic of Zionism, asserting that the former Fox News host “must be held accountable” for his remarks about Christian Zionists. Evans, who says he dedicated his life to protecting Jews after his father nearly killed him for defending his Jewish mother, cited Carlson’s recent comments during an interview with Nick Fuentes, a far-right commentator known for spreading antisemitic rhetoric.

Carlson, in the interview, expressed strong disdain for Christian Zionists, calling them infected with a “brain disease.” Following the interview, Carlson claimed his remarks were made in anger and accused Israel of intentionally bombing churches and killing Christians in Gaza. In response, supporters of Israel have pointed out that the Israeli Defense Forces assert they do not deliberately target religious sites and have taken measures to protect such locations after a stray munition hit the Catholic Holy Family Church in Gaza earlier this year.

Evans has written a letter to Carlson requesting a debate on Christian Zionism, though he has yet to receive a response. He argues that antizionism has become “the new antisemitism,” a claim that aligns with concerns from some Christian communities about the rise of anti-Israel sentiment. Evans also criticized online influencers like Carlson and Candace Owens for embracing replacement theology, a belief that Christians have replaced Jews as God’s chosen people.

Replacement theology, or supersessionism, is the idea that the New Covenant in Jesus Christ has rendered the Old Covenant obsolete. Evans maintains that this belief “fueled and fed the Holocaust,” the state-sponsored persecution that led to the murder of six million Jews. He argues that Christians who embrace replacement theology fail to recognize the biblical significance of Israel, a point he insists is incorrect.

Evans emphasized that the Jewish people’s right to their homeland is rooted in the Bible, stating, “We believe that Zionism is the Jewish people’s right to their homeland based on the Bible.” His comments reflect a broader debate within some Christian communities about the relationship between faith, politics, and the Jewish state.

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