When Bishop Robert Stearns speaks, he speaks like somebody shouldering the heaviest accountability. “I’m so grateful,” Stearns mentioned, reflecting on his a long time of advocacy on the forefront of Christian help for Israel. “I thank my former Christian leaders for paving the best way for Jewish-Christian cooperation and understanding.” That gratitude is inseparable from the urgency, and for Stearns, founder and govt director of the Christian group Eagles Wings, he emphasised that Jewish-Christian partnership is now not a distinct segment theological curiosity or a symbolic act of goodwill, however the vital ethical fault line of our time. “At stake is a way forward for extremism or a way forward for tolerance, respect and the dignity of each human life,” he mentioned. “These are the core values of Western civilization.”
Stearns is cautious to border this relationship not as an inward-looking alliance however as one with international implications. “This is to not say that Jewish-Christian friendship is necessary or nice in itself,” he mentioned. “This is a part of a broader dialog about whether or not the values of Western civilization survive and are shared by all peoples.” That worldview has formed Stearns’ work for many years, lengthy earlier than Israel grew to become a every day matter on Western campuses and social media feeds. Founded in 1994, Eagles Wings has introduced greater than 40,000 individuals to Israel over the previous 31 years, together with greater than 1,000 pastors and Christian social media influencers.
Stearns mentioned the group has skilled notably speedy development since Oct. 7, however he’s adamant that its mission did not begin there. “This is just not a pattern,” he mentioned. “We’ve been main a number of missions yearly for the reason that mid-Nineteen Nineties. This is who we’re.” What has modified, Stearns argues, is the depth of the knowledge conflict over Israel, particularly amongst younger Christians. “The single handiest method to get actual, verifiable, long-term outcomes is to convey younger pastors and influencers to Israel and let the land and folks converse for themselves. You can play a 20-second clip in entrance of somebody and contact their feelings,” he mentioned. “But you’ll be able to’t have justice except you actually have the reality. Truth takes time, historical past, and dedication.”
One second particularly caught with him. When the pastors visited Israel, Stearns discovered himself main the group via testing at Ben-Gurion Airport because the COVID-19 pandemic started to subside. Doctors and nurses from varied backgrounds moved effectively via the group. “One of the younger pastors checked out me and mentioned, ‘Who are these individuals?'” Stearns recalled. “I mentioned, ‘Doctors and nurses.’ He mentioned, ‘But my physician’s identify is Mohammed.’ And the lady is sporting a hijab. And that particular person has a kipper. ‘Then he mentioned, ‘But that is an apartheid nation.’ They hadn’t left the airport but, and the lie had already been uncovered. The fact has been seen,” Stearns mentioned. “No lectures, no discussions.”
Stearns repeatedly factors to Israel’s complexity as probably the most ignored fact. He lately visited the Druze village of Hurfeish in northern Israel and famous with admiration its excessive navy service charge. He mentioned Druze and Christian communities throughout the border, just some miles aside, face brutal persecution and are largely ignored by worldwide consideration. “Here we’ve got spiritual minorities residing freely inside Israel, proudly serving within the Israel Defense Forces whereas their very own individuals are being slaughtered simply throughout the border,” he mentioned. “What higher instance of a partnership that results in actual social motion?”
The future proven by actions
When requested what distinguishes this technology of younger Christians, Stearns is fast to level out their ethical readability and clarify that they’re dedicated to justice. “They actually desire a simply world,” he says. “That’s a lovely factor, is not it?” But ardour, he warns, might be harmful when divorced from its depths. Quoting a well-recognized Biblical phrase, he added, “The fact will set you free. But the reality requires effort.” He additionally quotes teachings from Jewish custom. “The Bible says, ‘Justice, pursue justice,'” he factors out. “A greater translation has been taught: ‘Justice have to be pursued pretty, fastidiously, and judiciously. That is what’s lacking proper now.'”
But Stearns’ identify recognition comes at a value. He has paid a private {and professional} value for his place, particularly as a Christian chief within the United States. Friends and colleagues say the stress will solely intensify as his claims develop into extra outstanding. Still, Stearns has little intention of backing down. For him, that is what retains him going. Not for the reward, not for the controversy, however as a result of, as he sees it, the stakes could not be larger.