The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most enduring and contentious geopolitical issues in modern history. This course will trace the historical roots of this complex battle over land and self-determination from the decline of the Ottoman Empire to the turbulent creation of the modern state of Israel in 1948—and further into the digital age. We will analyze the rise of Jewish and Arab nationalism as well the impact of the World Wars and British imperialism on the politics and stability of the region. Finally, we will identify how Western Christian perspectives, including Christian Zionism, end times theology, and religious nationalism, have influenced the continuation of the conflict.

Session 1: Identify the core issues of the conflict with a broad historical survey of the key people, places, and faiths involved from ancient times to the nineteenth century.

Session 2: Dissect the convergence of Eastern and Western worlds, nationalism, and global warfare that led to the establishment of the modern and sovereign state of Israel.

Session 3: How did Christianity evolve in response? Unpack the local, regional, and international impacts of the Israel-Palestine relationship in the context of late-twentieth-century history.

Session 4: Consider the intersection of decades of United States policy and attitudes toward the conflict with various American and Christian identities.

Subject: history

Martin Spence is the co-director of the Calvin Wayfinder Project and an adjunct professor of history at Calvin University. He holds an MA and PhD in history from the University of Oxford in his native England. Professor Spence specializes in British and North American religion, culture, and identity.