AGR: Israel, Antisemitism, Zionism, and the Church's Response

In this episode of Abounding Grace Radio, Pastor Chad Vegas joins Chris Gordon to take up one of the most contested questions in American Christianity right now: how should Gentile Christians view Israel and the Jews? Chris and Chad walk through the difference between classical and progressive dispensationalism, the historic Reformed covenant position, and the range of ways theologians from Calvin and Augustine to O. Palmer Robertson, Herman Ridderbos, Joel Beeke, and the Old Princeton divines have read Romans 11.

Chapters:
0:00 - Cold Open
1:05 - Chad Vegas Returns to AGR
1:55 - Tucker, Ted Cruz, and Genesis 12
5:19 - Is It Anti-Semitic to Critique Israel?
7:13 - Rising Anti-Jewish Rhetoric on the Right
9:00 - Defining Terms: What Is Israel?
10:48 - Classical and Progressive Dispensationalism
14:58 - Moving to the Reformed Covenant View
15:31 - Romans 11: "All Israel Will Be Saved"
21:01 - Fulfillment, Not Replacement Theology
26:53 - Are Ethnic Jews Still in View?
29:36 - Praying for the Salvation of the Jews
36:15 - Why Have Jews Suffered Through History?
40:50 - Mission, Geopolitics, and the Heavenly Zion

Guest Information:
Pastor Chad Vegas is the founding pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Bakersfield, CA. After completing his M.A. in Theology at Talbot School of Theology and serving as high school pastor at RiverLakes Community Church, Chad was called to plant a church in Bakersfield. He is also the founding board chairman of Radius International, an organization that trains people to plant churches among unreached language groups. His passion is to know Christ and to make him known. He has been married to Teresa since 1994, and they have two children and one grandson.

🔗 Chad's Church: https://bakersfieldchurch.org

Mentions:

- Tucker Carlson
- Ted Cruz
- Dr. Kim Riddlebarger
- Dan Borvan
- John Hagee
- John Calvin
- Augustine of Hippo
- O. Palmer Robertson — _The Israel of God_
- John Murray
- Herman Ridderbos
- Wilhelmus à Brakel
- Joel Beeke
- R. C. Sproul
- Horatius Bonar
- Robert Murray M'Cheyne
- Archibald Alexander
- Samuel Miller
- Old Princeton
- Dr. R. Scott Clark
- Talbot School of Theology
- Westminster Larger Catechism
- Westminster Directory for the Public Worship of God
- Romans 11; Romans 15; Ephesians 2; Galatians 6; Psalm 87; Isaiah 19; Hebrews 11; John 8; Acts 2, 3, 13; Luke 21; Genesis 12; Isaiah 52
- Classical Dispensationalism / Progressive Dispensationalism
- Covenant Theology
- Replacement Theology vs. Fulfillment Theology
- The Israel of God
- Christian Nationalism
- Christian Zionism
- October 7 attacks