Huckabee Rebukes Church Leaders Over Attack on Christian Zionism

In a sharp rebuke that’s making waves across Christian and political circles, former Arkansas Governor and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee delivered a pointed response to a controversial statement from Jerusalem church leaders that condemned Christian Zionism and claimed exclusive spiritual authority in the Holy Land.

The statement, issued by the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, slammed Christian Zionism as a political ideology that “damages Christian unity” and undermines indigenous Christian identity. Their criticism appeared directed at a December 2025 visit by 1,000 U.S. pastors warmly received by the Israeli government a move the Patriarchs viewed as a challenge to their dominance over Christian matters in the region.

But Huckabee wasn’t having it.

In a powerful response, he dismantled the notion that any church faction has sole ownership over Christian theology or its expression.

“The thought that God is even capable of breaking a covenant is anathema,” Huckabee stated. “If God could break His covenant with the Jewish people, Christians would have no hope that He’d keep His covenant with us.”

He reminded critics that Christianity is rooted in Judaism not divorced from it and that supporting Israel is not a betrayal of the gospel but a fulfillment of it.

Huckabee also clarified that a Zionist is simply someone who believes the Jewish people have a right to live in their ancestral homeland. “Why would anyone calling themselves a Christian not also be a Zionist?” he asked. Rather than engaging in institutional power grabs, he urged the Patriarchs to stand united on shared moral truths, like the sanctity of life and marriage, instead of theological gatekeeping.

Evangelical Christians quickly rallied to Huckabee’s side, amplifying his defense and launching their own deconstruction of the Patriarchs’ letter.

• Selective Scripture Use: The church leaders cited only one verse (Romans 12:5) about unity, while ignoring foundational verses such as Romans 11:29 (“God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable”) and Jeremiah 31, which links Israel’s existence to the permanence of the sun and stars.

• Demographic Reality: The decline of Christianity in Bethlehem from 86% in 1950 to just 12% today has nothing to do with Christian Zionism and everything to do with Islamist intimidation, Palestinian Authority corruption, and economic hardship.

• Fear of Losing Control: By appealing to “exclusivity,” the Patriarchs are protecting their turf. Independent Christian groups meeting directly with Israeli officials threatens their monopoly over the Christian voice in the region.

The viral critique noted how the church leaders used vague language never naming the individuals or activities they disapprove of to cast a shadow over an entire theological movement without offering any real biblical argument.

This wasn’t a theological stand; it was institutional panic.

While the Jerusalem statement calls for "unity," what it really demands is submission to hierarchy. But as Huckabee and millions of evangelical Christians rightly point out, spiritual authority comes from God’s Word not a committee of bureaucrats clinging to power.

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