Abstract

CHETTY, Irvin. The New Apostolic Reformation and Christian Zionism. J. Study Relig. [online]. 2014, vol.27, n.2, pp.297-312. ISSN 2413-3027.

One of the new religious movements is that of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). Within the NAR, the primacy of the apostle should be noted, who also functions in the role of a teacher, by 'accurately' decoding God's divine blueprint for this season. The NAR of the South often align themselves in vintage 'Berean' style as people who 'searched the scriptures daily' (Acts 17: 11). Their actual practice reveals the important role of the charismatic founder / leader in determining the interpretation. This role is evident in the perpetuation of the Pentecostal / Charismatic support of Christian Zionism. Christian Zionism grounds itself on the interpretation that God has an on-going special relationship with the Jewish people apart from the Church. Jews have a divine right to possess the land of Palestine.According to Christian Zionists, however, this divine right extends beyond the promise to Abraham and becomes a command to every Christian believer to unreservedly support the modern nation-state of Israel. A pilot study was conducted in 2012 to explore, inter alia, NAR views on the Kairos Palestine document. This study attempts to build on that research. A qualitative methodology was chosen with the use of a focus group of key leaders of a NAR formation.While this study did not receive a decisive response from these NAR adherents, they had begun to study the Bible on this issue, in earnest. This, in itself, is a promising starting point. As one of its stated NAR mandates, is to influence the governmental/political mountain, perhaps the NAR of the South may yet make a more biblical grounded response to Christian Zionism.

Keywords : New Religious Movements; New Apostolic Reformation; Christian Zionism; Zionism; Revitalization Movements; Messianic Movements.

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