The Expansion of Christian Zionism in the Global South

This book investigates the rise of Christian Zionism and philo-Semitism across the Global South, revealing a significant trend reshaping contemporary Christianity. In regions of Africa and Latin America, evangelical movements are increasingly engaging with Jewish rituals and Zionist political views, adapting Christian Zionism to fit diverse national aspirations and imagining national redemption through pro-Israel activism. While scholarly attention has traditionally focused on the movement’s European origins and American strength, this groundbreaking collection challenges the narrative that Christian Zionism is merely an American export. It demonstrates how Christian communities in the Global South are not passively adopting but actively adapting and propagating Christian Zionist ideas in ways that reflect local contexts and aspirations. The volume reveals that what has recently come into controversial view represents only the tip of an iceberg whose true scale remains largely unappreciated. By examining the motivations and appropriations driving this phenomenon in new contexts, the collection offers a more globally representative perspective on a highly significant trend in twenty- first- century Christianity—one with profound implications for the Israel/Palestine conflict, global geopolitical stability, and unresolved dilemmas within the Christian tradition itself.

The volume addresses religious studies, political theology, international relations, evangelical Christianity, postcolonial studies, and Middle Eastern politics. It will appeal to students, scholars of religion, political scientists, theologians, as well as policymakers and general readers seeking to understand the global dimensions of Christian Zionism and its impact on contemporary geopolitics.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Religion, State and Society.