NASHVILLE, Tenn. (OSBORNE) -- Many mid-state Christians are elated that President Donald Trump has decided to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.
Vanderbilt religious history scholar James Hudnut-Beumler says that’s due to a unique view of the Bible held by the Evangelical Christians. Evangelicals are the single largest group of Christians in Middle Tennessee.
“There is a belief in all Christian communities that Christ will come again and God will bring a fulfillment to history.”
In other words, what Christians believe will happen at the end of the world.
But in the 1800s American Evangelicals added a new twist to this so-called end-times theology. They believe Jesus Christ will return from heaven – and stay on the earth – ruling the world from Jerusalem for a thousand years.
Before that can happen, however, many Evangelicals believe the Jewish people must regain full control of all of Israel.
Dr. Hudnut-Beumler notes that interpretation of the Bible is not generally accepted by much of Christendom, including Mainline and Orthodox believers.
He also notes their peculiar end-times theology led Evangelicals to be strong, early supporters for the creation of the Jewish state in the 1940s.
“Even American Jews were divided on the issue of Zionism. Should there be a physical state in the world at this point?”
You may listen to the complete interview with Dr. Hudnut-Beumler using the link below.