We reject and denounce any hearing of Kairos II.

We, the undersigned Christian leaders and laity, write with sober grief and clear conscience. The document circulating under the name Kairos II, more completely named A Moment of Truth: Faith in a time of genocide, has been presented to churches as a kind of prophetic word for our moment and a legitimate, good-faith call for Christian support for self-described Palestinian Christians. Indeed, Kairos II has recently been accepted for engagement and consideration at the Church of England’s General Synod, despite pleas and warnings from many Christians and leaders within the Jewish Community. Upon reading and consideration, we simply cannot receive Kairos II or endorse any hearing of it in a Christian context, and we explicitly reject it and denounce the same. God commands “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour” (Exodus 20.16). It is our conviction that Kairos II is not in the interests of Palestinian Christians and only serves to hinder the cause of peace, failing to acknowledge or recognise the root causes of pain in Gaza and the region of Judea and Samaria, commonly referred to as the West Bank. Its language is acerbic and even seems to rationalise and justify the heinous atrocities of Palestinian terror factions on October 7 2023 which have had devastating consequences.

Our objection to Kairos II is not primarily a matter of politics, partisanship, or eschatological perspective. Our objection is confessional and recognises the importance of God’s revealed word and the promises of Scripture. Where a document claims to speak in the name of Christ’s followers, Christians must weigh it with the Holy Scriptures of both Old and New Testaments and ensure consistency with the faith once and for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3) without any addition or subtraction. Having done this, we find Kairos II severely wanting.

We therefore affirm

1. That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God, sufficient and authoritative for faith and life; and that no political programme may be baptised as gospel — the good news of salvation to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
   (Psalm 19:7–11; Hebrews 4:12; Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1–4; Galatians 1:6–9; 2 Timothy 3:16–17)
2. That the Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is the one Saviour for every people, and that the reconciling work of the cross cannot be replaced by any secular, Marxist, or unscriptural framework or theology of liberation.
   (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 1:18–25; Ephesians 2:13–18; Colossians 1:19–22; Colossians 2:8)
3. That Christians are called to love both neighbour and enemy, to weep with those who weep, and to seek the good of and peace of the cities in which we find ourselves. We are explicitly called to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem." We pray to see just peace wherever it is lacking, whilst looking forward to the return of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
   (Psalm 122:6; Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 29:7; Micah 4:1–5; Matthew 5:43–48; Luke 10:25–37; Romans 12:15–21; Revelation 21:1–4)
4. That God’s covenantal promises to the Jewish people — ethnic Israel — are enduring and irrevocable. This does not mean blanket approval of every decision made by every Israeli government, any more than God approved of every government of Israel in the Scriptures. It does mean we accept the rights, roles, and responsibilities of Israel as a nation reformed as part of God’s sovereign will and decree and recognise its ongoing and special status as the Middle East's only healthy and functioning democracy.
   (Genesis 12:1–3; Genesis 15:18–21; Genesis 17:7–8; Jeremiah 31:35–37; Zechariah 12:1–10; Romans 9:3–5; Romans 11:1–2, 28–29)
5. That nations — including and, in this context, particularly Israel — have the right to self-defence against violent actions and terrorism, and that such self-defence will often carry devastating consequences. Many opportunities for peace have been offered to those self-identifying as Palestinian and all have been rejected while violence and acts of terror have been pursued.
   (Genesis 9:5–6; Nehemiah 4:14; Proverbs 24:11–12; Luke 22:36; Romans 13:1–7)

We therefore reject

1. Any confession that binds the conscience of Christians to a contested political theology as though it were the gospel itself.
   (Romans 14:1–12; Galatians 1:6–9; Colossians 2:16–23; Jude 3)
2. The reduction of Christian witness to a single geopolitical grievance, and the use of Scripture to sanctify partisan claims.
   (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:18–20; 2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 1:20–21)
3. Any teaching that dishonours and demonises Israel and the Jewish people or that rationalises or excuses atrocities committed against Israel and the Jewish people.
   (Genesis 12:3; Psalm 83:1–5; Zechariah 2:8; Romans 11:17–21)
4. Any claim that Zionism or Christian Zionism is inherently unbiblical or at odds with historic, authentic, and practical Christian faith.
   (Genesis 12:1–3; Jeremiah 31:35–37; Ezekiel 36:22–28; Amos 9:14–15; Romans 11:25–29)
5. Any attitude or posture of hate, rejection, or arrogance toward the Jewish people — from whom the Scriptures teach, "salvation is from the Jews."
   (John 4:22; Romans 9:4–5; Romans 11:17–21; Ephesians 2:11–22; 1 John 4:20–21)
6. Any denial or attempted erasure of the Jewishness of the Scriptures, Old and New Testament, or the legitimacy of the Jewish people as ethnic offspring of Abraham for whom God has an ongoing plan and purpose.