In a thought-provoking interview on the Superhumanizer podcast, Palestinian theologian Dr. Munther Isaac offers a profound theological perspective that challenges mainstream Western Christian narratives about Israel and Palestine. His viral sermon "Christ in the Rubble" has sparked global conversations about faith, justice, and divine solidarity with the suffering.
"If Christ were to be born today, he would be born under the rubble in Gaza," Dr. Isaac states, explaining how this powerful image emerged from pastoral necessity. As Palestinians witnessed the devastation in Gaza, where recent estimates suggest over 70,000 people have been killed by violence since October 2023 (LSHTM, 2025), many questioned where God was amid such suffering. Dr. Isaac’s response reframes the question: "We search for God... only to discover how in the gospels we see Jesus asking the same question: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" His answer is clear: "God weeps with us... He is in solidarity with the oppressed." This theological framing connects directly to the Christmas story—Jesus born under occupation, not on the side of empire but among the marginalized.
As a biblical scholar, Dr. Isaac critiques Christian Zionism as a distortion of scripture that justifies oppression. This isn't a fringe movement; tens of millions of Americans belong to Evangelical churches strongly supporting Israel (Wikipedia, n.d.), with groups like Christians United for Israel (CUFI) claiming 10 million members (NPR, 2024). This support translates into significant political influence and funding, often directed towards illegal Israeli settlements (Religion Media Centre, 2022). Dr. Isaac highlights the hypocrisy: "It's usually the same people who lecture us on the separation of church and state... who are imposing their religious beliefs on millions of Arabs and Palestinians." Shockingly, 82% of white evangelicals believe God gave Israel to the Jewish people, double the rate among American Jews themselves (Pew Research, 2013). Furthermore, Dr. Isaac exposes the disturbing, antisemitic underpinnings of some Christian Zionist end-times theology, which anticipates the massacre of two-thirds of Jews before the return of Christ. He asks pointedly: "Can you actually biblically support the concept of ethnic cleansing, colonialism, and apartheid? Does the God we meet in Jesus actually support this?"
Dr. Isaac challenges the theological framework equating modern Israel with biblical Israel. "Is Israel a community of faith or is it a DNA thing?" he asks. "Does God really treat people based on our DNA? I hope not. I hope God is not racist." This theological reframing offers a vision of faith rooted in justice, not religious nationalism. As leading human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch (2021) and Amnesty International (2022) conclude that Israel's policies toward Palestinians constitute apartheid, and settler violence reaches record highs (Middle East Eye, 2025), Dr. Isaac's theological critique gains urgent significance. His message offers a path forward rooted in authentic faith that stands with the oppressed—a perspective increasingly resonating globally.
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