Dear ,

May 2026 marks the first year of the Institute for the Study of Christian Zionism.

In the past 12 months we’ve built an organization that serves as a dedicated resource for those looking to understand the theologies and ideologies that comprise this multifaceted political, social, and religious movement, as well as how to counter it. And we’ve unfortunately seen the power of Christian Zionism at work in supporting the continued genocide in Gaza, ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, and extreme violence in Lebanon, Iran, and beyond – making our task that much more urgent. 

ISCZ’s work builds on giants in the fields of theology, religious studies, international relations, sociology, anthropology, and beyond – figures such as Mark Battison, Kathleen Christison, Omar Haramy, Joe Roos, Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, Stephen Sizer, and Don Wagner – scholars and practitioners who originally conceived of the institute. We thank them for all they did to get the institute off the ground, for their crucial and critical work, and for their continued engagement with ISCZ.    

In the past year we have published the first two issues of The Journal for the Study of Christian Zionism and held webinars focusing on their content, launched a podcast, “Bad Theology: Busted,” published a monthly blog, given talks at conferences and in churches, and appeared in and written for the media. 

Through these initiatives we’ve focused on Christian Zionism in the United States as well as internationally, identifying and challenging (as the hosts of the podcast, Dee Roberts and Jesse Wheeler, put it), “the dangerous theology of Christian Zionism in all the places where it hides.” We’ve delved into Christian Zionism as it operates in the Trump administration, in South Africa, in Latine American contexts, and in the US Black Church, among other areas and geographies. 

Jesse Wheeler also recently published an indispensable resource, a study series that demonstrates the Bible as anti-Zionist. As FOSNA Executive Director Jonathan Kuttab observed, “This book not only reclaims the Bible itself and its message, but it provides a respectful invitation for readers to read, contemplate, pray, and make up their own minds about the issues.” 

We invite you to continue to engage with us as we persist in our work studying and challenging the dangerous tenets, customs, and repercussions of Christian Zionism in the United States, Palestine, and beyond. Future plans include a digital lending library headed by Dee Roberts, curriculum for undergraduate students conceived of by Palestinian scholars and activists, and, if resources permit, study trips to the region led by team members. We hope you’ll support us by joining our email list, by engaging with our resources, and by donating to this essential initiative.  

With thanks and best wishes – and to a free Palestine. 

Mimi Kirk
Director, ISCZ 

Ibtisam Azem (1974 —) is a Palestinian novelist, short story writer, and journalist, based in New York. She was born and raised in Taybeh, near Jaffa, the city from which her mother and maternal grandparents were internally displaced during the 1948 Nakba. Azem holds an MA in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, with minors in German and English Literature, from Freiburg University (Germany), as well as an MA in Social Work from New York University. She works as a senior correspondent for the Arabic newspaper, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. Her novel, The Book of Disappearance, begins with a haunting premise: what if all 4 million Palestinians in Israel suddenly disappeared one day? Set in contemporary Tel Aviv, the narrative unfolds over 48 hours as Israelis discover their Palestinian neighbors have vanished without explanation. The book grapples with several profound themes: the memory of loss and the loss of memory for Palestinians, the erasure of Palestinian identity and history, and the psychological impact of colonialism. Through Ariel's character, Azem examines how liberal Israelis confront the reality of their complicity in a system built on Palestinian displacement, while Alaa's sections explore Palestinian identity, inheritance of trauma, and the deep connection to homeland. Azem’s novel has been praised for its "cool and lacerating" magical realism and its ability to make readers understand that "acts of great and humane imagination will be required" to address the struggle for Palestinian liberation.