A book by Craig Nielsen 2010

I bring to your attention a book donated to the BUC library by Tim Lee, and which I’ve just finished reading.

It is an absolutely remarkable, quite brilliant book, self-published by a gentleman in Adelaide. I’m impressed on multiple levels. The quality of his writing and the logical building of his argument. The depth of his research. The detailed historical context he offers. The many extraordinary and evolving maps of the territory of Israel-Palestine he shares. The distinction between Judaism and Zionism. The phenomenon of Christian Zionism and its critical role in US support of the State of Israel. The insight and compassion he demonstrates.

On top of that, I am astounded, given the high proportion of reflexive Christian Evangelical support for the State of Israel, that the author, himself a Born-Again Christian, has been able to approach this subject so even-handedly, employing sound argumentation rather than religious zealotry.

I would unreservedly recommend the book even to non-Christians, based on its superb evidence-based approach. On the relatively few occasions when the author does examine the Biblical justification or otherwise for Israeli/Zionist policy toward Palestinians, he does so with intelligence and an argument that in no way relies upon religious dogma.

At the end of the book, you may or may not share the author’s conclusions, but I’m confident you’ll admire the thoroughness of his approach and will appreciate the better understanding you have acquired.

I am, quite simply, blown away.

Michael Dowling