In his new book, Pastor Bryant Wright tackles the sticky subject of the turmoil and crisis in the Middle East. Titled “Seeds of Turmoil,” Pastor Wright explores the Biblical roots of the current state of affairs in the Middle East and specifically in Israel. His analysis begins by looking at the narrative of Abraham and his two sons Ishmael and Isaac. It is out of this basic narrative that Pastor Wright builds his argument that the root of Middle East turmoil has its roots in the the departure of Ishmael from God’s people. He moves from the Biblical narrative and links it with the unrest found between Jews and Muslims.
What Wright does right is offer a Biblical perspective on the historical and textual roots of the Middle East crisis. Instead of building just on sensational claims or fear, Wright works to show that there is a cause to the turmoil. He does this with a clear respect and honor for Scripture and its truth and with a good understanding of history.
The book does not, though, take into account a few vital issues when it comes to the turmoil in and around Israel. First, Wright does not seem to take into account the departure of God’s Spirit from his people during the exile to Babylon and the ‘grafting’ in of the Gentiles through Christ into God’s covenant people. These two basic issues can help shed some light on how we should look at the state of Israel today. If God’s people are no longer defined by ethnic or national boundaries then the question of the physical land in Israel is put in an entirely different light.
Second, Wright equates the survival of the modern state of Israel with the blessings of God through the book. While this may seem fine at first, it exposes some problems when it comes to the actions of Israel towards Palestinian Christians and its brutal techniques in settlement policies. This is not to say that the Palestinian side is free from culpability - far from it. Yet, the actions of Israel when it has come to Christian persecution and settlements has been less than Biblical. These are difficult issues and we cannot give a ‘free pass’ to the state of Israel when it comes to these vital issues. We must ask the question - ‘Who is our Brother in Israel?’ Would it be the Israeli Jew or the Palestinian Christian? These are questions I wish Wright would have explored.
In all, Pastor Bryant Wright offers an informative and important book that speaks directly towards the current turmoil in Israel and the Middle East. Pastors and lay-people alike will be interested in what Wright has to offer.
What Wright does right is offer a Biblical perspective on the historical and textual roots of the Middle East crisis. Instead of building just on sensational claims or fear, Wright works to show that there is a cause to the turmoil. He does this with a clear respect and honor for Scripture and its truth and with a good understanding of history.
The book does not, though, take into account a few vital issues when it comes to the turmoil in and around Israel. First, Wright does not seem to take into account the departure of God’s Spirit from his people during the exile to Babylon and the ‘grafting’ in of the Gentiles through Christ into God’s covenant people. These two basic issues can help shed some light on how we should look at the state of Israel today. If God’s people are no longer defined by ethnic or national boundaries then the question of the physical land in Israel is put in an entirely different light.
Second, Wright equates the survival of the modern state of Israel with the blessings of God through the book. While this may seem fine at first, it exposes some problems when it comes to the actions of Israel towards Palestinian Christians and its brutal techniques in settlement policies. This is not to say that the Palestinian side is free from culpability - far from it. Yet, the actions of Israel when it has come to Christian persecution and settlements has been less than Biblical. These are difficult issues and we cannot give a ‘free pass’ to the state of Israel when it comes to these vital issues. We must ask the question - ‘Who is our Brother in Israel?’ Would it be the Israeli Jew or the Palestinian Christian? These are questions I wish Wright would have explored.
In all, Pastor Bryant Wright offers an informative and important book that speaks directly towards the current turmoil in Israel and the Middle East. Pastors and lay-people alike will be interested in what Wright has to offer.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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