Citizendia
Your Ad Here

British Israelism (sometimes called Anglo-Israelism) is the belief that that many early Britons, Europeans and/or their royal families were direct lineal descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel but rarely the Tribe of Judah. British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the The European peoples are the various Nations and Ethnic groups of Europe. The phrase Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to the ancient Tribes of Israel that disappeared from the Biblical account after the Kingdom of Israel was destroyed Proponents assert that national favor with God is based on a nation's status as an Israelite nation while individual salvation remains based on a personal relationship with God.

The theory was greatly expanded and promoted to justify the break of the Church of England from the authority of the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church under King Henry VIII, by British theologians claiming that the English were among the Lost Tribes of Israel. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of The phrase Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to the ancient Tribes of Israel that disappeared from the Biblical account after the Kingdom of Israel was destroyed The theory played a significant historical role in the establishment of a church separate from Rome.

Due to the Restorationist tendencies of the adherents, there has rarely been a central head, recognized leadership, or organizational structure to the movement. For other usages see Restoration (general disambiguation Apokatastasis (universal restoration Christian Zionism (restoration of Israel and This has led to a diverse set of professions and beliefs ancillary to the genealogical claims.

Contents

Legends and folklore

Many early legends abound in ancient British folklore. These include but are not limited to:

  1. The story that Saint Joseph of Arimathea (Jesus' alleged uncle) traveled to Glastonbury sometime after Christ's crucifixion and established an early Christian community,[1]
  2. Suggestions that the Stone of Scone might be Jacob's Pillar
  3. Legends that the Israelite prophet Jeremiah may have been the "Olam Fadlah" of Celtic lore,
  4. The legends of the Historia Regum Britanniae connecting Britain to the Mediterranian and Middle East and detailing early Welsh/Brythonic genealogies. Joseph of Arimathea was according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus' Crucifixion Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a Dry point on the Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The Stone of Scone (ˈskuːn also commonly known as the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone is an oblong block of red Sandstone, about by by in Jeremiah ( jirmɛ'jahu; Septuagint Greek: Ἰερεμίας was one of the 'greater prophets ' of the Hebrew Bible. Ollom Fotla ("the scholar of Fódla " a poetic term for Ireland later spelled Ollamh Fodhla) son of Fíachu Fínscothach, was according The Historia Regum Britanniae ( English: The History of the Kings of Britain) is a pseudohistorical account of British history The Welsh people ( Welsh: Cymro ("Welshman" Cymraes ("Welsh woman" Cymry ("Welshmen/women" Cymry
  5. The coming of Brutus of Troy (Britis) to Great Britain after the burning of Troy and his genealogy leading to the Israelite tribe of Benjamin,
  6. The Matter of Britain detailing the Arthurian Legend. Brutus ( Brut, Brute, Welsh Bryttys) a legendary descendant of the Trojan hero Aeneas, was known in medieval British legend See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Troy ( Greek: grc Τροία Troia, also, Ilion; Latin: Trōia, Īlium, Hittite: Wilusa or The Matter of Britain is a name given collectively to the Legends that concern the Celtic and legendary History of Great Britain, especially those
  7. The claims by Henry VIII to be descended from King Arthur,[2] who legend has it was the eighth generation from Joseph of Aramathea. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of King Arthur is a legendary British leader who according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders [3]
  8. The claim that Saint Paul visited Britain. Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and
  9. B'ney BRIT is the Hebrew for children of the covenant, referring to Abraham's covenant with God. This is possible etymological evidence for Britons getting their name from the covenant.

Each of these stories has been incorporated into the British Israel belief as evidence of a belief in a tangible genetic connection between the people of Britain and the people of the Holy land.

Critics contend that these stories are apocryphal and were created and planted later to help justify England's rejection of the Vatican's authority.

The Saka

The key component of British Israelism is their representation of the migrations of the Lost Tribes of Israel. They often suggest that the Behistun Inscription has provided an invaluable missing link. The Behistun Inscription (also Bisitun or Bisutun, Modern Persian: بیستون; Old Persian: Bagastana, meaning "the god's George Rawlinson, Sir Henry Rawlinson's younger brother, connected the Saka/Gimiri of the Behistun Inscription with deported Israelites:

We have reasonable grounds for regarding the Gimirri, or Cimmerians, who first appeared on the confines of Assyria and Media in the seventh century B. Canon George Rawlinson ( 23 November, 1812 &ndash 7 October, 1902) was a 19th century English Scholar and Historian Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson 1st Baronet (1810-1895 was born at Chadlington, Oxfordshire. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. C. , and the Sacae of the Behistun Rock, nearly two centuries later, as identical with the Beth-Khumree of Samaria, or the Ten Tribes of the House of Israel. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. [4]

Jehu kneeling at the feet of Shalmaneser III on the Black Obelisk.
Jehu kneeling at the feet of Shalmaneser III on the Black Obelisk. Shalmaneser III ( Šulmānu-ašarēdu, "the god Shulmanu is pre-eminent" was king of Assyria (859 BC-824 BC and son of the previous ruler For the band see Black Obelisk (band The "Black Obelisk" of Shalmaneser III (reigned 858-824 BC is a black

The inscription connects the people known in Old Persian and Elamite as Saka, Sacae or Scythian with the people known in Babylonian as Gimirri or Cimmerian. The Old Persian language is one of the two attested Old Iranian languages (besides Avestan) Elamite is an Extinct language, which was spoken by the ancient Elamites. The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι, The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι, The Scythians or Scyths (Σκύθες Σκύθοι were an Iranian speaking people of horse-riding Nomadic pastoralists who dominated the Pontic Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital See Cimmeria (Conan or Cimmeria (Poem for the fiction of Robert E This is important because the Assyrians referred to the Northern Kingdom of Israel in their records as the "House of Khumri", named after Israel's King Omri of the 8th century BCE. The Kingdom of Israel ( ( KJV Israel in Samaria) was one of the successor states to the older United Monarchy (also often called the 'Kingdom of Israel' Phonetically "Khumri", "Omri", and "Gimiri" are similar. [5]

It should be made clear from the start that the terms 'Cimmerian' and 'Scythian' were interchangeable: in Akkadian the name Iskuzai (Asguzai) occurs only exceptionally. See Cimmeria (Conan or Cimmeria (Poem for the fiction of Robert E The Scythians or Scyths (Σκύθες Σκύθοι were an Iranian speaking people of horse-riding Nomadic pastoralists who dominated the Pontic Gimirrai (Gamir) was the normal designation for 'Cimmerians' as well as 'Scythians' in Akkadian. [6]

The archeologist E. Raymond Capt asserted that there were similarities between King Jehu's pointed headdress and that of the captive Saka king seen to the far right on the Behistun Inscription as shown in the photo of the Black Obelisk to the right. ' Yehu redirects here for the instrument see Yehu (instrument. For the band see Black Obelisk (band The "Black Obelisk" of Shalmaneser III (reigned 858-824 BC is a black [7] King Jehu of Israel was a successor to King Omri of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Omri ( short for) was king of Israel and father of Ahab. William F

General overview

The main evidence for British Israel is determined through the identification marks listed in the Bible, which strongly apply to Britain and America. Among them are that 12 tribed Israel will lose all trace of her lineage (Isiah 42:19, Hosea 1:9), Israel will be a great and mighty nation (Genesis 12:2, 18:18, Deuteronomy 4:7-8), named "Great," i. e. Great Britain (Genesis 12:2), will be a blessing to other nations (Genesis 12:2-3), that they will become many nations (Genesis 17:4), that their descendants will be Kings and rulers (Genesis 35:11), that they will keep the Sabbath (Exodus 31:13), that they will be a missionary nation (Isiah 49:6, 66:19), rule over others (Genesis 27:29, Deuteronomy 15:6), become envied and feared (Deuteronomy 2:25, 4:8, 28:10), that they will lend to other nations (Deuteronomy 15:6), that Israel will inhabit the isles of the sea (Isiah 24:15), that Israel's new home will be northwest of Eretz Israel (Isiah 49:12), and that it would colonise, spreading abroad (Gen. 49:22).

Adherents of British Israelism assert that the Saka-Scythians migrated north and west after the Persian King Cyrus the Great conquered the city of Babylon. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq History suggests that these Scythians were forced further north and west by migrating / invading Sarmatians. The Sarmatians, Sarmatae or Sauromatae ( Old Iranian Sarumatah 'archer' Σαρμάτες The Sarmatians were also called “Scythians” by the Greeks. To differentiate between the two, Herodotus suggests that the former “Scythians” were called "Germain Scythians" (meaning "True Scythian"), while the Sarmatians were still merely called “Scythians”. Herodotus of Halicarnassus ( Greek: Hēródotos Halikarnāsseús) was a Greek Historian who lived in the 5th century BC ( 484 BC&ndash This theory suggests the term "Germain Scythian" is synonymous with "Germanii". or in modern times "Germanic" or "German".

The ancient scholars Bede and Tacitus both agree[8] that before the time of Christ German and Teutonic tribes began to migrate to the British Isles forcing the early Britons to the western portion of Britain. Bede (ˈbiːd (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin Beda (beda (c Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (ca 56 &ndash ca 117 was a senator and a Historian of the Roman Empire. The earliest of these Germanic settlers were the Angles and Jutes beginning before the time of Christ, followed by the "Great Saxon Invasion" (between 450 and 600 AD), and culminating with the "Danish Conquest" (787-1070 AD). This Germanic element came to Britain from the same region in which the Scythians had settled in Northern Europe, and brought with them laws, and customs remarkably similar to the ancient Israelites. [9] Some of these customs, laws and traditions were codified by Alfred the Great in his famous "Dooms" (see Doom Book ), which were a nearly direct quote from Exodus chapters 20 through 23. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c For the Code of Alfred the Great, see the Doom book. The Doom Book was a list kept in the 1930s by United States censor Will According to William Blackstone in his famous "Commentaries on the Laws of England", the Dooms and these ancient customs became the cornerstone of British Common Law. Sir William Blackstone (originally pronounced Blexstun ( 10 July 1723 &ndash 14 February 1780) was an English Jurist and Common law refers to law and the corresponding legal system developed through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive [10]

Late nineteenth-century Celtic language scholar John Rhys suggested

. Sir John Rhys (also spelled Rhŷs; 21 June 1840 &ndash 17 December 1915) was a Welsh scholar Fellow of the . . the (Celtic) Kymry were for some time indifferently called Cambria or Cumbria, the Welsh word on which they are based being, as now written, Cymru . . . and is there pronounced nearly as an Englishman would treat it if spelled Kumry or KUMRI. ']. [11]

Rhys argued that both Celts and the Scythians came from an area south-east of the Black Sea, and migrated westward to the coast of Europe, comparing the name of the Welsh for themselves, Cymry, with the name of the Cimmerians "Kumri". Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey The Welsh people ( Welsh: Cymro ("Welshman" Cymraes ("Welsh woman" Cymry ("Welshmen/women" Cymry He suggested the names Iberia for Spain, and Hibernia for Ireland were connected to a variation of "Hebrew" and that this was evidenced in philology. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world [12]

Some researchers suggest that the burial customs of the Scythians and Vikings also show similarities to ancient Israelites, for which many have argued a common origin in support of British Israelism. A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas [13]

Theology involves claim of racial lineage

As with Judaism, British Israelism asserts theologically-related claims of a genetic link to the early Israelites. As such, it is based on a genealogical construct. This belief is typically confined to the geo-political status or the prophetical identity of the nation, not to the individual's superiority or salvation status with God.

Due to the diverse structure of the movement, other elements of belief and key doctrines may be embraced by individual adherents. British Israel theology varies from the conventionally Protestant Christian to various more extreme forms, one of which may be exemplified by the Christian Identity Movement with some of its historic roots in British-Israelism, but the core belief of British Israelism is that the Anglo-Saxon peoples of Britain and Northern Europe have a direct genetic connection to the Ancient Israelites mentioned in the Bible. For the general identity of an individual with certain core essential religious doctrines see Christianity. However most British Israel movements also believe that personal salvation is open to all.

Growth and spread of belief

Although British-Israelists will cite various ancient manuscripts to show an ancient origin for British Israelism, the belief appears to have gained momentum since the English Revolution and especially during the "Restorationist" movement (late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries). The term " English Revolution " refers to the period of the English Civil Wars and Commonwealth period 1640-1660 in which Parliament challenged King Charles For other usages see Restoration (general disambiguation Apokatastasis (universal restoration Christian Zionism (restoration of Israel and John Sadler published The Rights of the Kingdom in 1649. John Sadler (of Warmwell) (1615 – 1674 was an English lawyer academic Member of Parliament Hebraist Neoplatonist and millennarian thinker private secretary However it was in the late 1700s during a religious climate of Millenarianism that it became a distinct ideology thanks to the preaching and writings of two men, Richard Brothers and John Wilson. Millenarianism (sometimes spelled millenarism or millennarism) is the belief by a religious social or political group or movement in a coming major transformation Richard Brothers ( December 25, 1757 &ndash January 25, 1824) was born in Admiral's Cove, Newfoundland and became well John Wilson may refer to Politicians John Wilson (Scottish politician, member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP John Wilson Other books from this period detailing this theory were Ezra Stiles' The United States elevated to Glory and Honor, published in 1783 and Richard Brothers' A Revealed Knowledge of the Prophecies and Times, published in 1794. The United States elevated to Glory and Honor is a book by Ezra Stiles, published in 1783. A Revealed Knowledge of the Prophecies and Times is the title or the beginning of the title of a book written in 1794, by Richard Brothers. Also cited as an original work is Rev. John Wilson's Our Israelitish Origins which was originally published during the 1840s. John Wilson may refer to Politicians John Wilson (Scottish politician, member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP John Wilson Events and trends Technology First use of General anesthesia in an operation by Crawford Long. Brothers was certainly the first of the two to begin to expound his version of British-Israelism, but many have suggested he lacked credibility due to his alleged mental illness and extreme tendencies. Wilson, on the other hand, developed the idea using Scripture and history combined with logic and reason.

Wilson’s ideas were to be refined and new ideas developed, well into the second half of the nineteenth century. Wilson had already begun to spread his message by public lecture, but no formal organizations or movement was formed under his leadership. British Israelism was seen as amusing to some, fascinating to others, but it did not seem to develop any sort of organizational structure until the late half of the nineteenth century at the hands of, Edward Hine and Edward Wheeler Bird. Edward Hine (1825-1891 was an influential proponent of British Israelism in the 1870s and 1880s drawing on the earlier work of Richard Brothers (1794 and John Edward Wheeler Bird a retired Anglo-Indian judge founded the British Israelite Movement

In 1919 the British-Israel-World Federation was founded in London near Buckingham Palace. For general information about Anglo-Israelism see the article by that name During this time many prominent British citizens patronized this organization. Perhaps one of the most notable of these members being the Prime Minister of New Zealand at the time William Massey. William Ferguson Massey (often known simply as Bill Massey or " Farmer Bill " served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1912 This organization continues to this day with its main headquarters located in Bishop Auckland in Co. Durham. It continues to maintain local chapters throughout the British Isles and throughout the world.

Modern adherents

The late Professor Roger Rusk (1906 - 1994), brother of former U. Roger Rusk (1906-1994 was survived by his wife Ruth who is now also deceased S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk, was a prominent teacher of British Israelism. David Dean Rusk ( February 9, 1909 &ndash December 20, 1994) was the United States Secretary of State from 1961 to 1969 under presidents He spent 13 years as a public school teacher, and 28 years as a professor at the University of Tennessee, where he held the position as Emeritus Professor of Physics. The University of Tennessee (also known as UT) sometimes called the University of Tennessee Knoxville ( UT Knoxville, or UTK) is the flagship He was also a member of American Physical Society and the Tennessee Academy of Science.

Pastor Arnold Murray, of the Shepherd’s Chapel, a registered non-profit organization in the State of Arkansas, also embraces the British Israel belief. Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States. His teaching is broadcast regularly via satellite.

Some groups that follow the original teaching of Herbert W. Armstrong adhere to this doctrine. Herbert W Armstrong ( 31 July 1892 - 16 January 1986) was the founder of the Worldwide Church of God and an early pioneer of Armstrong was the founder and Pastor-General of the Radio Church of God from its foundation around 1934, through its re-naming in 1968 as the Worldwide Church of God, until a week before his death in 1986. The Worldwide Church of God (WCG formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora California, United States. Armstrong in chapter 5 of his Mystery of Ages (1985), "The Assyrians settled in central Europe, and the Germans, undoubtedly, are, in part, the descendents of the ancient Assyrians. " (p. 183). In this, Armstrong draws upon the opinions of Herman L. Hoeh, published in his 1963 Compendium of World History. The Worldwide Church of God (WCG formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora California, United States. [14] On the fourth page of his book, The United States and Britain in Prophecy (1980), Armstrong maintained that this theory is a master key to understanding Biblical end-time prophecy. The current Worldwide Church of God has abandoned this doctrine and offers a detailed explanation of the doctrine's origin and abandonment at their official website. The Worldwide Church of God (WCG formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora California, United States. [15]

In Britain, the theology of British Israelism has been taught by a few small Pentecostal churches including the (now-defunct) Bible-Pattern Church Fellowship, an early offshoot of the Elim Pentecostal Church (which, however, does not hold to the British Israel doctrine). Pentecostalism is a renewalist religious movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism The Bible-Pattern Church Fellowship was founded in 1939 by George Jeffreys (1889–1972 a Welsh minister who together with his brother Stephen Jeffreys, in 1915 The Elim Pentecostal Church (EPC is a UK-based Pentecostal Christian denomination (not to be confused with the U In London the Orange Street Congregational Church[16] also teaches a form of British Israelism. In Australia, the Christian Revival Crusade, founded by Leo Harris once but no longer teaches this theology. The CRC Churches International is a Pentecostal Protestant Christian denomination located primarily in Australasia However, its prominent offshoot the Revival Centres International and its own various offshoots continue to teach the doctrine. The Revival Centres International is a Pentecostal Church, with its headquarters in Melbourne, Australia, it has approximately 300 centres in 14 countries

Some have suggested that the references made in the Scottish Declaration of Arbroath to the ancient nation of Israel imply that the authors of the Declaration believed in a racial connection between the Scots and the ancient Israelites. The Declaration of Arbroath was a declaration of Scottish independence, and set out to confirm Scotland 's status as an independent, sovereign

Due to the expansive nature of the British Empire, believers in British Israelism spread worldwide but is most prevalent in the Commonwealth nations including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Belize. Nations with large populations of British and Northern European descendants such as the United States, South Africa, Ireland, and Argentina also contain groups of believers in British Israelism. Although no comprehensive database exists, it is now possible that there are more who embrace this belief outside of Britain, than within it.

Genetic evidence

Modern DNA studies on the Y-Chromosome of Jews worldwide such as the Human Genome Project have determined that 40% of modern Jews share common semitic (Middle Eastern) origins dating back to a common genetic source 3000 years ago in the Middle East. The Y chromosome is the sex-determining Chromosome in most Mammals including Humans In mammals it contains the gene SRY, which triggers The Human Genome Project (HGP was an international Scientific research project with a primary goal to determine the sequence of chemical base pairs which make up DNA While Jews are genetically tied to the region of Israel, they are sharply divergent genetically from Britons and other Europeans.

A study published by the National Academy of Sciences found that "The results support the hypothesis that the paternal gene pools of Jewish communities from Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East descended from a common Middle Eastern ancestral population, and suggest that most Jewish communities have remained relatively isolated from neighboring non-Jewish communities during and after the Diaspora. " [17]

Many modern Jews with a familial tradition of Kohenim descent share a common ancestor in Israel dating back approximately 3000 years, 1700 years older than the Khazar conversion to Judaism. A kohen (or cohen, Hebrew כּהן "priest" pl כּהנִים kohanim or cohanim) has a separate status in Judaism. "Kazar" redirects here for the Marvel Comics character see Ka-Zar; for the village in Azerbaijan see Xəzər. This result is consistent for all Jewish populations no matter where they are found around the world. [18]

According to an article in The New York Times,

The results accord with Jewish history and tradition and refute theories like those holding that Jewish communities consist mostly of converts from other faiths, or that they are descended from the Khazars, a medieval Turkish tribe that adopted Judaism. [19]

Moreover, "The analysis provides genetic witness that these communities have, to a remarkable extent, retained their biological identity separate from their host populations, evidence of relatively little intermarriage or conversion into Judaism over the centuries. "[19] And "Another finding, paradoxical but unsurprising, is that by the yardstick of the Y chromosome, the world's Jewish communities closely resemble not only each other but also Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese, suggesting that all are descended from a common ancestral population that inhabited the Middle East some four thousand years ago. "[19]

Criticism

Critics of this theory point out that British Israelism misrepresents Biblical and historical accounts in numerous respects, and state that in contrast to the Biblical record and Jewish history, the Assyrian chronicles of the time claim that only a small number of Israelites were deported from Israel to Babylon and Assyria. .

First, critics assert that the entire theory is speculation or fictional history, lacking in any factual support. In keeping with the public relations goals of the Church of England during its break with Rome, the theory presents the mere possibility of a connection with Israel, but presents mere possibility as fact. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican

Second, whereas a hallmark of Israelite culture was a fierce belief in a single monotheistic God, the history and culture of the British Isles shows a radically different cultural heritage. For the Celtic Frost album see Monotheist (album In Theology, monotheism (from Greek grc [[wiktμόνος μόνος]] Religion in that time period in Britain involved polytheism and the worship of aspects of nature in addition to a diverse assortment of gods. Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals The religion of the British Isles prior to the arrival of Christianity — by a known pathway that did not involve Israelites — consisted of polytheism mainly under the Druids. Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals A druid was a member of the priestly and learned class in the ancient Celtic societies

Thus, historically, Britain and Europe from the relevant time period shows no evidence of any Israelite culture or influence. The culture and religion of the British Isles is sharply in conflict with the core beliefs of the Israelites.

Third, Europe was already populated with "White" or proto-Germanic tribes long before the Israelites left their land in Israel. Thus, the source of European peoples, including the British, cannot be from the Israelites, who could have arrived (if ever) much later in time than the British peoples who were already in Europe.

Fourth, the theory depends heavily upon the concept of Israelites being "deported" upon the conquest of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, aimed at suggesting a mass migration.

The Bible, however, states in 2 Kings 17 that the Israelites were conquered and enslaved, and carried off far to the East as slaves in the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires. Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital Thus, not only were the Israelites not free to wander about Europe, but they were last seen much farther to the East than assumed by British Israelism.

Fifth, the British Israel theory leaves large gaps unexplained, specifically how the Israelites got free from captivity in what is today Iraq and Iran, how they migrated over a thousand miles en masse on foot, what happened to the pre-existing population of Europe, and why the pre-existing European populations are also counted as Israelites by this theory.

The geographical challenges of the theory are never explained, in that the Bible places the Israelites' last known position deep within a hostile empire unwilling to allow the Israelite slaves to escape. Travel of escaping Israelites through the entire length of the Assyrian Empire to the West would seem highly improbable as opposed to escape — if any such escape occurred — to the North into what is today Southern Russia or to the East toward China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Thus an Israelite origin for Britain would be far less probable than an Israelite origin for the Russian people directly to the North of the Israelites' last known location. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending

Rather than asserting that a handful of escaping Israelites found their way to Britain to live among the pre-existing British population, the theory asserts that the entire British people consists of Israelites who migrated en masse across all of Europe and across the English Channel. Although the technology unquestionably existed in 721 BC to transport a shipload of people from the European continent to the British Isles, no capability existed at the time to transport a mass migration of escaped Israelite slaves from Assyria across the English Channel.

Sixth, critics question the authenticity of the ancient sources cited by those espousing British Israelism. These critics claim that these sources were invented as propaganda to validate the Church of England as a religious authority independent from the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church. They suggest that British Israelism should be classified as a new religious movement.

Seventh, coincidences in less than a dozen place names, out of tens of thousands of place names in Britain, and that the alleged similarities between Britain and Israel are not close at all. It is asserted that the theory ignores the existence of thousands of languages at the time, in which re-occurrences of relatively short and simple words and phonetic groupings is to be expected as a natural occurrence. A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them Phonetics (from the Greek φωνή ( phonê) "sound" or "voice" is the study of the physical sounds of human speech The mere combination of vocal sounds by human beings is a product of language, and does not show any link between one culture and another.

Eight, critics reject alleged references to ancient Israel in the Scottish Declaration of Arbroath. The Declaration of Arbroath was a declaration of Scottish independence, and set out to confirm Scotland 's status as an independent, sovereign They suggest the Declaration does not claim descent from the people of Israel. Critics insist the reference is making a comparison between, on the one hand, the Scots making an exodus across a sea from the barbarism of Spain, and entering their own "promised land" of Scotland; and on the other hand, the Biblical exodus of the Israelites from Egypt across a sea into the promised land of Israel. These critics assert such a comparison could be based equally well on the Scots' seeing themselves as a Christian nation and therefore chosen of God, as on the supposition that Scots actually believed they were literally descended from the Israelites.

Critics responding to the British-Israel rejectionism, are quick to point out contrary evidence, and the idea that city names in England such as "Yarmouth" arose without any real historical connection to Ancient Israel should be dismissed as lacking basis. For example, the article from the Scotsman entitled "One in five Scots has blood tie to ancient Iraq" should cast serious doubt to accepting spurious DNA patterns as justification for utterly dismissing other more obvious geographic and cultural evidence. [2]

Advocates of the theory assert that that the Bible refers to Judah as being of darker skin, and the story of the patriarch Judah himself having a child by a Canaanite woman may also explain genetic differences between modern Jews and the British people while also explaining similarity to modern day Arab people.

Critics of the theory reject any such interpretation of scripture and find no color distinction among the twelve tribes of Judah. They assert that all of the Israelites were semitic and thus of the same color and ethnicity as the Canaanites. Judah's great-grandfather Abraham had been called out by God from among the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans and Canaanites were of similar color and ethnic background.

Advocates of the theory further respond that the idea of ancient British people as having a religious system entirely unknown to ancient biblical writers should be dismissed considering that the river "Aven" shares the same name as a principal region of idolatrous practices mentioned in various bible prophecies. Some descendants of the inhabitants of the same region even have family traditions which say that the real name for the same river is actually not even "Aven" at all, but in fact "Beith Muin Ailm," dismissing connection with some of the more widespread ancient customs which are looked down on as unfavorable for the aforementioned reason.

Key writings and people

Early books connecting British Israelism to North America include:

Other books connecting British Israelism to North America include:

Key people include:

Early books refuting the historical and theological basis of Anglo-Israelism include:

See also

Compare with

References

  1. ^ Traditions of Glastonbury by E. For general information about Anglo-Israelism see the article by that name The phrase Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to the ancient Tribes of Israel that disappeared from the Biblical account after the Kingdom of Israel was destroyed In Anglo-Israelism and some currents of US Christian fundamentalism influenced thereby ( Worldwide Church of God) the idea has been advanced that modern Germans The premise of Two House Theology is found in the Hebrew Scriptures and primarily focuses on the division of the ancient Kingdom of Israel into two kingdoms Israel For the general identity of an individual with certain core essential religious doctrines see Christianity. This article discusses the traditional views of the two religions and may not be applicable all adherents of each Supersessionism ( British English: supercessionism) and replacement theology are particular interpretations of New Testament claims viewing for Christians who belong to Zionist denominations in southern Africa see Zionist Churches Christian Zionism or Restorationism, is a belief Judeo-Christian (or Judaeo-Christian, sometimes written as Judæo-Christian) is a term used to describe the body of concepts and values which are thought to be held Bible prophecy, or " biblical prophecy " is the belief in prophecies in the Bible. Although Christian antisemitism is considered to have started around the 12th century its roots are attributed by some scholars to anti-Jewish attitudes and polemic beginning Jewish Christians (sometimes called also "Hebrew Christians" or "Christian Jews") is a term which can have two meanings a historical one and a Messianic Judaism is a Christian movement that emphasizes the Jewish roots of the Christian religion While many of the members of the Unification Church take a generally pro- Jewish pro- Israel stance the church has been a subject to criticism for alleged Antisemitism Roger Rusk (1906-1994 was survived by his wife Ruth who is now also deceased " And did those feet in ancient time " is a short Poem by William Blake from the preface to his epic Milton a Poem (1804 The Declaration of Arbroath was a declaration of Scottish independence, and set out to confirm Scotland 's status as an independent, sovereign Descent from antiquity (commonly abbreviated as DFA) is the project of establishing a well-researched generation-by-generation descent of living persons from people living in The Stone of Scone (ˈskuːn also commonly known as the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone is an oblong block of red Sandstone, about by by in Sir John Rhys (also spelled Rhŷs; 21 June 1840 &ndash 17 December 1915) was a Welsh scholar Fellow of the White supremacy is a racist ideology based on the assertion that White people are superior to other racial groups. The " Aryan race " is a concept in European culture that was influential in the period of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries The Nordic race was one of the racial categories into which the Europeans were divided by anthropologists in the first half of the twentieth century Black Hebrew Israelites (also Black Hebrews, African Hebrew Israelites, and Hebrew Israelites) are groups of people of Black African ancestry The Rastafari movement (also known as Rastafari, Rastafarianism or simply Rasta) is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, New Testament The House of Joseph (sometimes referred to as the Tribe of Joseph) were the Old Testament tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Raymond Artisan Publishers
  2. ^ Francine Roche (1 January 2007). New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Battle of the Books: An Attack on Nationalism. Accessed 2007-05-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter.
  3. ^ Traditions of Glastonbury by E. Raymond Capt Artisan Publishers
  4. ^ George Rawlinson, note in his translation of History of Herodotus, Book VII, p. Canon George Rawlinson ( 23 November, 1812 &ndash 7 October, 1902) was a 19th century English Scholar and Historian 378
  5. ^ E. Raymond Capt, Missing Links Discovered in Assyrian Tablets Artisan Pub, 1985 ISBN 0-934666-15-6
  6. ^ Maurits Nanning Van Loon. "Urartian Art. Its Distinctive Traits in the Light of New Excavations", Istanbul, 1966. p. 16
  7. ^ E. Raymond Capt, Missing Links Discovered in Assyrian Tablets Artisan Pub, 1985 ISBN 0-934666-15-6
  8. ^ English Constitutional History from the Teutonic Conquest to The Present Time by Thomas Pitt Taswell-Langmead B. C. L. , OXON. , Stanhope prizeman in the University, 1866; Vinerian scholar in the University, 1867; and late professor of Constitutional Law and History, University College, London. Third Edition revised throughout, with notes and appendices, by C. H. E. Carmichael, M. A. , OXON. , Taylorian Scholar in the University, 1862; corresponding member of the Society of Comparative Legislation, Paris. Published by London: Stevens and Haynes, Bell Yard, Temple Bar. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, and Co. , The Riverside Press, Cambridge. MDCCCLXXXVI Chapter 1,
  9. ^ La constitution de la Marche parait dans Tacite see also Tac. Germ. c. vii. Compare Tacitus' description of the Saxon "Mark" system with the ownership and societal definitions contained in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Deut.
  10. ^ Commentaries on the Laws of England by Willian Blackstone First Edition 1765 - 1769 Vol 1 section 3
  11. ^ Early Celtic Britain pg 142. by Sir John Rhys
  12. ^ Early Celtic Britain pg 150 & 162-3
  13. ^ They Came A Viking E. Sir John Rhys (also spelled Rhŷs; 21 June 1840 &ndash 17 December 1915) was a Welsh scholar Fellow of the Raymond Capt M. A. , A. I. A. ,F. S. A. Scot.
  14. ^ vol. 2, ch. 1: "If the Germans admitted to themselves and the world who they really are, all the world would recognize in Imperial Germany the reconstituted Assyrian Empire — once the terror of all the civilized world!" [1]
  15. ^ How Anglo-Israelism Entered Seventh-day Churches of God. 1999 Worldwide Church of God explanation of the historical origin of British Israelism doctrine within its fellowship. Accessed July 19, 2007.
  16. ^ Orange Street Congregational Church, retrieved 19 May 2007. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
  17. ^ Hammer, M. F. ; A. J. Redd, E. T. Wood, M. R. Bonner, H. Jarjanazi, T. Karafet, S. Santachiara-Benerecetti, A. Oppenheim, M. A. Jobling, T. Jenkinsdagger, H. Ostrer, B. Bonné-Tamir (June 6 2000). "Jewish and Middle Eastern non-Jewish populations share a common pool of Y-chromosome biallelic haplotypes". PNAS, Volume 97, Number 12.  
  18. ^ Hammer, M. F. ; Karl Skorecki, Sara Selig, Shraga Blazer, Bruce Rappaport, Robert Bradman, Neil Bradman, P. J. Waburton, Monic Ismajlowicz (January 2 1997). "Y Chromosomes of Jewish Priests". NATURE, Volume 385.  
  19. ^ a b c "Y Chromosome Bears Witness to Story of the Jewish Diaspora" (May 9 2000). New York Times.  

External links

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic