Thousands of UK Christian Leaders Oppose Anglican Church's Endorsement of Controversial Palestinian Document
Over 2,200 Christian leaders and clergy from the UK and abroad have signed a declaration supporting Israel and the Jewish people in response to a recent decision by the Anglican Church's General Synod. The Synod voted to encourage engagement with the "Kairos Palestine" documents, a Palestinian theological manifesto sharply criticized as anti-Zionist and antisemitic by its opponents.
The British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis strongly condemned the Kairos documents, warning that they use extreme rhetoric undermining the legitimacy of the Jewish state and could damage decades of Jewish-Christian relations. He described the manifesto as "political activism disguised as theology" and cautioned that official recognition of it would harm peace efforts.
The opposing declaration, initiated by Reverend Regan King of The Angel Church in London, affirms support for Zionism and the Jewish people's right to their historic homeland. It rejects the Kairos documents’ accusations against Israel, which include claims of apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide, labeling these claims as false and baseless. The declaration also condemns antisemitism and terrorism, upholds Israel’s right to self-defense, and emphasizes the eternal nature of biblical promises to the Jewish people.
The Anglican Church, as England’s established church and the mother church of the global Anglican Communion, holds significant religious and public influence. The Synod’s decision to "hear" the Kairos documents, despite clarifying it does not endorse all content, has sparked controversy for providing a platform to what critics call an extremist and one-sided narrative. Reverend King criticized the church leadership for enabling a document that demonizes Israel and attempts to justify the atrocities of October 7.
The declaration’s signatories include prominent Christian leaders such as Dr. Jürgen Bühler, president of the Christian Embassy, and his deputy David Parsons. Their collective action highlights deep divisions within the Christian community over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of religious institutions in political discourse.
