Fr. Antoine Lévy and Dr. André Villeneuve recently shared background and insights for a new initiative they have launched to engage Catholic support for Israel, “For Zion’s Sake: A Catholic Appeal in Support of Israel.” The initiative was discussed on the Inspiration from Zion podcast, along with details of the full document whose goal is to challenge growing anti-Israel sentiment within Catholic circles.

The discussion took place amid ongoing regional tensions, including another day of missile attacks on Israel from Iran and Yemen, providing a personal perspective of the physical attacks to which Israel is subject. “For Zion’s Sake: A Catholic Appeal in Support of Israel” is a coordinated Catholic response to what the authors describe as a disturbing post-October 7, 2023, trend: the delegitimization of Israel, often framed in both political and theological terms. The trend is not uniquely Catholic; however, it cannot be ignored in the Church, and among some prominent adherents. 

Villeneuve, a biblical scholar and founder of Catholics for Israel, and Lévy, a Dominican theologian and author located in Jerusalem, explain that the appeal emerged from frustration with Catholic voices — including influencers, theologians, and media figures — who have portrayed opposition to Israel as a moral and even doctrinal imperative. They argue this narrative combines political accusations (apartheid, colonialism, genocide) with a revived supersessionism that denies any ongoing theological significance to the Jewish people or the Land of Israel.

The document rejects the notion that the Church has “replaced” Israel. Drawing heavily on Biblical verses from Genesis through the prophets to the New Testament, the authors affirm God’s irrevocable........

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