Cruz: Republicans Are Becoming Anti-Semitic

Sen. Ted Cruz warned on Tuesday that anti-Semitism is rising within the Republican Party. Speaking at an anti-Semitism symposium in Washington, D.C., cohosted by National Review and the Republican Jewish Coalition at the Museum of the Bible, he described former Fox News host Tucker Carlson as “the single most dangerous demagogue in this country.”

“The Christian church is asleep,” he said. He later added, “I have seen more anti-Semitism in the last 18 months on the right than at any point in my lifetime. A year and a half ago, I could not have imagined we would be here having this conversation. … I don’t want to wake up in five years and find myself in a country where both major political parties are unambiguously anti-Israel and unapologetically anti-Semitic, and I think that is a real possibility. If Tucker and his minions prevail, that will happen.”

Cruz criticized Carlson for aggressively promoting replacement theology (supersessionism), which holds that Christians have replaced Jews as God’s chosen people and that biblical promises to Israel are fulfilled spiritually in the church rather than in a Jewish state. Carlson has reportedly accused Christians who support Israel’s right to the land based on biblical promises of suffering from a “brain virus” or heresy. He has cited “early church fathers” to defend such views.

The earliest recorded Christian theologian to articulate that the Jews had been superseded was Justin Martyr (circa a.d. 100–165). In his Dialogue With Trypho, Justin argued that Jews were collectively responsible for Jesus’s death, that the Sabbath observance marked them for special affliction, and that they should be permanently excluded from Jerusalem. These writings influenced later medieval Christian anti-Semitism, which persisted for centuries and contributed to the widespread persecution of Jews.

Cruz argued that the church must actively counter this resurgence of anti-Semitic ideas on theological grounds, particularly as Jews face threats from multiple directions today. He emphasized that failing to do so risks allowing such views to dominate conservative circles and erode support for Israel within the Republican Party.

Senator Cruz is correct that many churches appear unaware of or unresponsive to this emerging threat within parts of the conservative movement.

You need to understand God’s true purpose for Israel. The late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote in Mystery of the Ages:

The truly amazing truth about Israel is a mystery totally unknown by any religion—by Christianity—by even Judaism. … It is indeed true that the nation Israel was God’s chosen people. But understand: They were not chosen as “teacher’s pet” nor for special favors. They were chosen for a special purpose preparatory to the ultimate establishment of the Kingdom of God!

For more on what the Bible says about the Jewish people and Israel’s role, request a free copy of Mystery of the Ages.