Evangelical Christians are said to be Israel’s most ardent supporters among religious groups in the United States. With some notable exceptions, however, comparatively few evangelical colleges and universities have taken seriously the study of Judaism, Jewish history, antisemitism, and Israel itself as part of their academic fabric. Evangelicals love Israel politically, devotionally, and at prophecy conferences. They have been far less willing to engage with Israel theologically and intellectually in ways that seriously shape the education their students receive. When an evangelical university seeks to do exactly that—and does it well—it warrants attention. The King’s University in Southlake, Texas is one such place.

Not content merely to sign statements of solidarity or sponsor occasional trips to Israel, The King’s University has integrated programs, courses, and theological convictions that embed Israel, Judaism, Jewish-Christian relations, and even antisemitism into the academic mission of the school. Political support, however, can always remain shallow, reactive, or contingent upon circumstance. What The King’s University is trying to build, however, goes deeper. The school is attempting to place Christian concern for the Jewish people on both an institutional and theological footing.

Describing itself as “Accredited. Spirit-filled. Evangelical.” The King’s University has carved out an extensive Messianic Jewish Studies program within that identity. The purpose of that program, according to the school’s literature, is to prepare both Messianic Jewish leaders and Christian leaders who can serve as “culturally sensitive bridges” between the Church and the Jewish people. Built into what now is the school’ s Messianic Jewish Studies program (established in 2007 at the vision of The King’ s University founder Jack Hayford) is a Cambridge trained New Testament scholar and Jewish-studies expert as its rabbi. But perhaps most important of all to understand about the university’ s theological statement is its stance on replacement theology as it pertains to the Jewish people. Rabbi David Rudolph heads up that program these days..

In view of the present continuity between Israel and the Jewish people, God did not disown Israel in the arrival of Jesus. Quite the contrary, the theological appendix to the school’ prayer of entreaty openly denounces substitution theology and declares that the Jewish people still stand in relation to God through the eternal covenant He made with Abraham, and that God’ gifts and call to Israel are without repentance. The school therefore interprets Israel’ calling as being still ongoing: the Jewish people have a unique covenantal identity and vocation, and God has further plans for them in His plan of salvation. Put succinctly, at King’s, the Jews are still Jews. They do not cease to be Jews because they are incorporated into the Messiah, nor has the Church replaced Israel in God’s plan as his chosen people to whom the covenant promises were made.

Israel Begins With Theology

Christian support for Israel is vulnerable to becoming political long before it gets theological. Debate tends to turn quickly to topics like elections, settlements, Gaza, American foreign policy, or the decision making of the current Israeli government. Those questions are important, but they flow downstream from a........

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