Throughout history, theology has not only shaped Church doctrines but has also deeply influenced social and political ideas, national policies, and public opinion. Among the theological systems that have had far-reaching consequences, replacement theology stands out for its historical and ongoing influence on the development of antisemitism.

Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD) remains one of the most influential voices in Western Christianity. He spiritualised the promises made to Israel, arguing that the Church was the “New Israel.” Augustine’s City of God posited that the Jews were a witness people – preserved only to confirm the truth of Scripture, but without any divine favour or future.

This “doctrinal de-Judaising” of Christianity, spearheaded by Augustine and cemented by the medieval Church, fed into the bloodstream of Western Christian thought for over a millennium.

If Augustine sowed the seeds, Martin Luther (1483–1546) watered them with toxic rhetoric. Early in his career, Luther advocated kindness toward Jews in the hope of converting them. But when Jews rejected his overtures, Luther’s tone shifted drastically. In his infamous tract “On the Jews and Their Lies” (1543), Luther wrote:

“What shall we Christians do with this rejected and condemned people, the Jews?… I advise that their synagogues be set on fire…”

Luther’s writings went beyond theological speculation. They were political and social prescriptions. His ideas formed the theological backdrop for centuries of German antisemitism. The Third Reich found in Luther a useful ideological ally, quoting him in Nazi propaganda to justify their genocidal policies.

Dispensationalism: A Biblical Defence of Israel

By the mid-19th century, a corrective theological movement arose that affirmed that God has distinct plans for Israel and the Church. This system – sometimes called dispensationalism – insists on a literal interpretation of Scripture, particularly Old Testament prophecy.

This doctrine, broadly understood, is not new. It has had high-profile supporters all throughout Church history, including Irenaeus and Tertullian.

Dispensationalists argue that the promises made to Abraham (Genesis 12, 15, 17), David (2 Samuel 7), and the prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) concerning the land, the throne, and a restored Israel are irrevocable and non-redefinable. These promises have not been fulfilled spiritually in the Church, but await literal fulfilment.

The rebirth of the modern state of Israel in 1948 is seen not as a political accident but as a prophetic milestone. Dispensationalists point to passages like Ezekiel 36–37, Isaiah 66:8, and Zechariah 12–14 to argue that Israel’s return to the land is a foretaste and beginning of the final chapter in God’s redemptive history.

By affirming Israel’s ongoing covenantal role, dispensationalism combats antisemitism at its root. If the Jewish people are central to God’s plan, then persecuting them is an affront to God Himself.

Theological Consequences and Moral Responsibility

Ideas have consequences. When churches teach that the Jewish people are irrelevant to God’s plan, it inevitably influences the moral compass of their followers. This theology has real-world consequences, including:

• The legitimisation of antisemitic ideologies.
• Apathy toward Jewish suffering.
• Opposition to the modern state of Israel.
• The loss of biblical literacy regarding prophecy.

Dispensationalism, despite being mocked by so-called theological elites, offers a necessary corrective. It upholds a high view of Scripture, recognises God’s sovereign plan for Israel and fosters a theological posture that defends, rather than demonises, the Jewish people. As a result, it insists on the necessity and priority of proclaiming the gospel to them (Romans 1:16).

Reclaiming a Biblical Theology of Israel

Christians must return to a biblical theology that respects the literal promises of God. Romans 11 offers a rebuke to replacement theology:

“Has God cast away His people? Certainly not!… For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:1, 29)

Paul anticipates and rejects the idea that Israel has been permanently rejected. The olive tree metaphor reveals that Gentile believers are grafted in—but the natural branches (Israel) will be grafted in again. Replacement theology too often skips this chapter, or spiritualises it beyond recognition.

The Church must repent of its arrogance and recognise that Israel remains central to God’s redemptive plan. This plan is not based on their righteousness, but because of God’s unchanging covenantal promises. The prophet Ezekiel, who wrote much about Israel’s unrighteousness, affirmed:

“This is what the Lord God says: It is not for your sake that I will act, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you profaned among the nations where you went.” (Ezekiel 36:22)

Conclusion

The history of antisemitism is not merely a story of cultural prejudice – it is also a story of bad theology. Replacement theology, shaped by Augustine and exacerbated by Luther, laid the ideological groundwork for centuries of Jewish persecution. Its failure to recognise the ongoing role of Israel in God’s plan has had catastrophic consequences, including complicity in the Holocaust and ongoing antisemitic rhetoric today.

In contrast, dispensationalism stands as a prophetic voice, reminding the Church that God’s promises are irrevocable and that Israel’s modern restoration is not an accident but a divine appointment.

If antisemitism is indeed a “doctrine of devils,” then it has often been dressed in the robes of religious respectability. The Church must repent, realign its theology with Scripture, and embrace the whole counsel of God – including His plans for Israel. Anything less is not only theologically deficient but morally reprehensible.

This post is taken from thr article: Doctrines of Devils: Replacement Theology, Antisemitism, and the Prophetic Destiny of Israel by Peter Bain, 1 August 2025, The Daily Declaration.