Judeo‑Christian civilization: A vital defense against rising antisemitism

Although antisemitism has reached alarming levels around the world, Judeo-Christian alliances continue to grow in strength and purpose. On the eve of the anniversary of the 1967 Six-Day War, we remember how the Israel Defense Forces reunified ancient Jerusalem and restored the city as Israel’s capital. For the first time since the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in A.D. 70, the Jewish people regained sovereign control of the Old City and restored free access to their holiest site, the Western Wall.

That victory became a modern foundation stone for Jewish civilization. As an IDF chaplain sounded the shofar, Israeli paratroopers stood before the Western Wall overcome with emotion, reverently touching the ancient stones. In the years that followed, new opportunities for friendship and cooperation between Christians and Jews emerged. Christian pilgrims from around the world began visiting the Western Wall freely, knowing they were walking where Jesus Himself once walked in Jerusalem.

The term Judeo-Christian first emerged during the 1930s and 1940s through theologians such as Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Tillich. It gained prominence as a response to rising fascism and antisemitism. In 1952, President Dwight D. Eisenhower further popularized the phrase shortly before his inauguration when he declared, “Our form of government has no sense unless it is founded in a deeply felt religious faith. With us, of course, it is the Judeo-Christian concept.”

Today, that concept remains highly relevant. The question is how it has evolved in response to the barbarity of October 7, 2023, and the unprecedented rise in antisemitism that followed.

One answer was visible last Sunday during the annual Israel Day on Fifth Avenue parade in New York City, which drew its largest turnout since 2014. Under the themes “Proud Americans, Proud Zionists” and “Am Yisrael Chai, United in Strength,” more than 50,000 participants marched while tens of thousands lined Fifth Avenue.

American and Israeli flags waved side by side as marchers sang, danced, and celebrated peacefully. Their banners proclaimed messages such as “Light Will Overcome Darkness,” “Jews and Christians Stand Together,” “Protect Jewish Students,” and “Never Again Is Now.”

These messages reflected enduring principles of freedom, moral responsibility, and human dignity. They stood in sharp contrast to the anti-Israel rhetoric that has become increasingly common in recent years, including slogans such as “Hamas, We Love You,” “Globalize the Intifada,” and “Gas the Jews.” The contrast could not have been clearer.

Thanks to extensive security efforts, New York police prevented anti-Israel demonstrators from disrupting the parade or harming participants. Among the many organizations represented was Eagles’ Wings, a prominent Christian Zionist ministry that has participated for years.

Bishop Robert Stearns summarized the spirit of the day: “At a time when antisemitism is rising around the world, we are proud to stand with moral clarity. Hatred will never have the final word. To our Jewish brothers and sisters: You are not alone.”

Stearns noted that Eagles’ Wings brought its largest Christian delegation ever. In many ways, the gathering illustrated how Eisenhower’s Judeo-Christian concept continues to mature into a broader defense of Judeo-Christian civilization.

Another example of this growing alliance appeared through the participation of the newly formed Judeo-Christian Zionist Congress. Established in February 2026, the organization includes Jewish, Christian, and Arab leaders committed to strengthening the Judeo-Christian foundations of Western civilization and advocating for Israel as the world’s only Jewish state.

The evidence continues to mount that, since October 7, 2023, the world has been confronted with a civilizational choice. This is more than a political disagreement or cultural dispute. It is a contest between the moral foundations of Judeo-Christian civilization and the jihadist ideology advanced by the Islamic Regime and its proxies.

For Christians, the response should be clear. We must renew our commitment to the biblical values that shaped Western civilization and continue to provide a foundation for truth, freedom, justice, and human dignity.

Meanwhile, another remarkable development recently took place in Jerusalem. Christian leaders from thirty-eight nations gathered for the tenth Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast, bringing together spiritual, political, and cultural leaders from around the world. During the event, Shomron Regional Council leader Yossi Dagan bestowed honorary citizenship in Judea and Samaria upon the assembled Christian Zionist leaders.

Orthodox Rabbi Tuly Weis, founder of Israel365, welcomed the gesture. Through his work building bridges between Jews and Christians, Weis emphasized that both the leadership and residents of Judea and Samaria recognize and deeply value Christian support for Israel and its biblical heartland.

Recognition of Judeo-Christian civilization is also spreading internationally. The Portugal-based International Observatory of Human Rights recently made history by honoring Jews, Christians, and Jerusalem for their contributions to modern civilization.

Its president, Dr. Luis Andrade, observed: “Judeo-Christian civilization reminds us that Jerusalem, Israel’s capital and the spiritual homeland of Jews and Christians worldwide, remains a shared cultural and religious foundation linking both the West and Eurasia.”

At its core, Judeo-Christian civilization represents the historical, cultural, and moral framework that emerges from the Old and New Testaments. The biblical principles of justice, compassion, human dignity, personal responsibility, and the rule of law have profoundly shaped the Western world.

As antisemitism rises and moral confusion spreads, now is not the time for silence. Let us recommit ourselves to the biblical foundations that have sustained freedom for generations and continue to serve as a beacon of hope for the future.

This article originally appeared here and is reposted with permission.