The Judeo - Christian Tradition and the US-Israel Special Relationship

Abstract

Americans from various walks of life support Israel for religious reasons. This support comes from premillennialists, fundamentalists, and proponents of the covenant brotherhood, who base their advocacy for Israel on specific religious doctrines that demand tangible religio-political action. Additionally, Americans have employed the Judeo-Christian discourse to justify their backing of Israel. However, this term is neither an eschatology nor a doctrine, and its broad scope results in a degree of ambiguity. Consequently, it remains unclear how Americans deduced that this discourse should yield a unique relationship between the two nations. This article aims to explore the historical evolution of the Judeo-Christian discourse in the United States, arguing that Americans have adopted the term as a representation of the religious underpinnings of American democracy, freedom, and the Constitution, which originate from both the Old and New Testaments. As a result, when comparing their political institutions and values with those of Israel, Americans affirm that the connection between the two nations rests on a divinely ordained foundation.