Nicholas Kristof recently traveled to Bethlehem to hear directly from Christians living under occupation – and their testimony stands in stark contrast to the narrative promoted by many American evangelical groups.

"Do we feel betrayed?" mused Mitri Raheb, a Lutheran Palestinian pastor who is President of Dar Al-Kalima University. "Yes, to some extent. Unfortunately, this is not new for us."

The Roots of a Modern Movement

American evangelical support for the state of Israel didn't emerge in a vacuum. It grew from seeds planted in the 1800s, when a theological idea called dispensationalism took root in Protestant circles.

A British preacher named John Nelson Darby first spread this teaching across America during speaking tours. Later, the Scofield Reference Bible – with its margin notes linking Old Testament prophecies to future events – carried these ideas into countless American churches.