For centuries, many Christians believed that the Church had replaced Israel in God’s covenantal plan. But what happens when the Jewish people return to their ancestral homeland after nearly two thousand years? And what does the Catholic Church actually teach about the Jewish people, the land of Israel, and Zionism?
In this episode of Shoulder to Shoulder, Doug Reed and Rabbi Pesach Wolicki speak with Catholic theologian Dr. Andre Villeneuve of Catholics for Israel about one of the most important and controversial questions in Jewish-Christian relations today: Can a faithful Catholic also be a Zionist?
Drawing on Scripture, Church history, Vatican documents, and modern Catholic theology, Dr. Villeneuve explains why he believes support for Israel is deeply rooted in the Bible and fully compatible with Catholic faith. The conversation explores supersessionism, the legacy of Vatican II, the tension between Catholic tradition and modern politics, and why many Christians struggle to reconcile theology with the reality of Jewish sovereignty in the land of Israel.
The episode also reflects on a remarkable moment in Washington, DC, where major Orthodox Jewish organizations publicly partnered with evangelical Christian groups in support of Israel, signaling a historic shift in Jewish-Christian relations.
This is a thoughtful and candid conversation about covenant, Scripture, theology, history, and the future of Christian support for Israel.
