US Missionaries, Christian Zionism in Abya Yala, and Latin American Liberation Theology

Christian Zionism has been one of the most influential theological currents within global evangelicalism, with a significant impact in Abya Yala [the Americas] through evangelical missions[1] and the growth of Pentecostalism and Neo-Pentecostalism. Its close relationship with dispensationalist premillennialism has consolidated an interpretation of biblical history that places Israel at the center of eschatological events, promoting unconditional support for the Israeli state. However, this vision has been strongly questioned by other Christian currents in the region, especially by Latin American Liberation Theology (TLL) and the ecumenical movement, which have denounced the strategic use of the Bible to legitimize the Israeli occupation in Palestine; moreover, it is relevant given that “in our region, economic, political and military apparatuses violently deploy discourses of religious content, in the manner of crusades to reach power and dispose of territories, goods, and peoples.”[2] Despite these tensions, sustained dialogues on the subject have been absent, which calls for an in-depth analysis of its theological, political, and social implications.On the systematic approach to Christian Zionism, it is essential to note the two premises that Elizabeth Philipps, in 2008, pointed out in her research entitled Apocalyptic Theopolitics: Dispensationalism, Israel/Palestine, and Ecclesial Enactments of Eschatology: “(1) exposé pieces written journalistically for audiences unfamiliar with Christian Zionism, and (2) awareness-raising pieces written by evangelical leaders and scholars to dissuade evangelical audiences from adherence to Christian Zionism. Of the few recent works on Christian Zionism written for scholarly readers, none is written by a theologian” (p. 4).[3]Likewise, for authors such as Gerald R. McDermott, Zionism is a phenomenon before the appearance of dispensationalist premillennialism and evangelical Zionism. This author assures that Zionism traces its roots some eighteen centuries earlier with antecedents in the Hebrew Bible —the covenant of Yahweh with Israel and the promised land— and in the Jewish authors who wrote part of the Christian Bible maintaining that vision in the figure of the return of the Jewish Diaspora to establish a new Israel.[4] On the other hand, some authors argue that it is not necessarily possible to equate premillennialism and fundamentalism, since although there are notable coincidences, there are also many divergences.[5] This chapter addresses the relationship between evangelical Zionism and the evangelical churches in Abya Yala, exploring both their expansion and the critical responses from liberationist and ecumenical perspectives. To this end, it is divided into four main sections. The first section analyzes the theological framework that has shaped Christian Zionism. It will explore dispensationalist premillennialism, its influence on the literalist interpretation of biblical prophecy, and its impact on global politics, especially concerning Israel. It will examine how this view has influenced Latin American evangelical churches, shaping their perspective on the Jewish people's role and the world’s eschatological destiny.The second section addresses how evangelical missions have promoted Christian Zionism in the region. It studies the role of missionary organizations and evangelical leaders in disseminating narratives that reinforce support for Israel and how these positions have influenced the foreign policy of Latin American countries. In addition, we analyze the evangelization strategies used and their impact on the construction of religious identities in Abya Yala.The third section explores the response of progressive theological movements to Christian Zionism. It examines how the TLL has denounced the instrumentalization of the Bible to justify oppression and how ecumenical churches have promoted a critical view of the Israeli occupation. The lack of an open debate between these sectors and Christian Zionism is also discussed, as are the reasons behind this absence of dialogue.Finally, the fourth section proposes the importance of opening a space for debate among the different Christian currents in Abya Yala. It reflects the need for a theology that prioritizes peace and justice, instead of apocalyptic narratives that reinforce geopolitical conflicts. The possibility of building bridges between evangelical, liberationist, and ecumenical sectors to promote a more ethical vision committed to the social reality of the region is raised.This chapter, therefore, offers a comprehensive analysis of Christian Zionism’s impact in Abya Yala, its theological roots, its expansion through evangelical missions, and the responses it has generated in progressive Christianity. In doing so, it seeks to contribute to a deeper debate on the role of religion in international politics and its influence on faith communities in the region. [1] It is important to recall that, since the Missionary Council of Panama in 1916, the historic Protestant churches in Latin America —direct heirs of the sixteenth-century Reformation— began to adopt the name evangélicas instead of protestantes. This shift, however, should not be confused with the use of the term “evangelical” in the U.S. context, which typically refers to conservative evangelical churches that emerged in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In this chapter, this distinction is crucial for Latin American religious studies: iglesias evangélicas históricas (mainline Protestant churches) are differentiated from iglesias evangelicales, often aligned with U.S.-style evangelicalism in theology, practice, and political positioning. For more information, see: Córdova Quero, Hugo (2014). El desafío del diálogo. Historia, definiciones y problemáticas del ecumenismo y la pluralidad religiosa (Buenos Aires: GEMRIP Ediciones). [2] Cardoso Pereira, Nancy, Sandra Nancy Mansilla, and Larry Madrigal Rajo. “Introducción.” Revista de Interpretación Bíblica Latinoamericana 93 (2024): 7. [3] Philipps, Elizabeth. Apocalyptic Theopolitics: Dispensationalism, Israel/Palestine, and Ecclesial Enactments of Eschatology (Cambridge: University of Cambridge, 2008). [4] McDermott, Gerald R. “A New Christian Zionism.” Providence Magazine (April 2016): pp. 57-62. [5] Martins Campos, Breno, and Aretha Beatriz Brito Da Rocha. “Aproximações e distanciamentos entre fundamentalismo e pré-milenarismo: por uma tipologia do protestantismo a incluir John Gresham Machen.” Revista Caminhando 24, no. 1 (2019): pp. 193-213.