Church Leaders in Jerusalem, Israel, Condemn Christian Zionism, Raise Concerns Over Political Influence

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in the Holy Land issued a statement condemning “Christian Zionism” as a “damaging ideology,” according to reports from several outlets. One report, published by First Things in 2026, said the document was issued by the patriarchs and church leaders in the Holy Land, including the Latin Rite Roman Catholic Church. The Middle East Forum reported that the declaration was issued in January 2026 by the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem.

Premier Christian News reported that a statement released on January 17, 2026, warned that individuals promoting such ideologies “mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock.” According to the same report, the leaders said Christian Zionism efforts had received backing from “certain political actors in Israel and beyond.” The leaders also said these individuals had been welcomed at official levels locally and internationally, which they described as interference in the internal life of the churches.

First Things summarized the statement as raising three concerns: the representation of historic churches by the Patriarchs, the promotion of harmful ideologies by certain local individuals, and the support those ideologies receive from political actors in Israel and abroad. The Middle East Forum reported that the statement warned Christian Zionism misleads the public and threatens the unity of the Christian community in the Holy Land. Premier Christian News added that Palestinian Christians have expressed growing unease over Israeli policies, including land confiscation, settlement expansion, and pressure on church-owned property. The statement’s link to those concerns is described in that report, not confirmed by the other sources.

Publication details differ across the reports. The Middle East Forum said the statement appeared on the website of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and was briefly posted by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. First Things reported that the signatories are not listed and that not all churches have published the document on their official websites. The Middle East Forum also said it was signed collectively, without individual names.

First Things reported that the statement has been critiqued for imprecise terminology and unexplained omissions. The report did not identify the critics in the material provided. The leaders’ call for care in protecting the unity of the flock echoes the prayer that believers be one (John 17:21).

The Jerusalem Post published a report under the headline “Jerusalem Orthodox churches don’t represent all Christians.” Its summary states that the Patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem criticized Christian Zionism as a “damaging ideology,” and that the statement said Christia… The available text of that report ends there, so its full argument about representation cannot be reported from the material provided.