Stephen Sizer

Stephen Robert Sizer (born 27 July 1953)[1] is the former vicar of the Anglican parish of Christ Church, Virginia Water, in Surrey, England. Sizer is known for his opposition to Christian Zionism, which is the basis of his 2004 PhD thesis[2] and the focus of his published works.[3][4]

Stephen Sizer
Born (1953-07-27) 27 July 1953
Lowestoft
United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
OccupationPastor
Evangelist
WebsiteStephen Sizer
Stephen Sizer's blog

In October 2012, the Board of Deputies of British Jews lodged a complaint against Sizer with the Church of England under the Clergy Discipline Measure alleging that he had made anti-Semitic statements and published links to anti-Semitic web sites.[5] Although he did not admit culpability, at a conciliation meeting in October 2013 Sizer agreed to have his online web usage monitored.[6]

In 2015, the Board of Deputies lodged a further complaint against Sizer, this time for posting a link accusing Jews and Israel of responsibility for the 9/11 attacks in the United States.[7][8] He was censured by the Bishop of Guildford, who imposed a complete ban on Sizer's use of all social media for at least six months.[9]

Biography

Stephen Robert Sizer was born in Lowestoft in 1953, the son of a carpenter. He began his career working for the Department of Health and Social Security (1971–1973) as a supplementary benefits visiting officer in east London. From there he went on to study geography (African and Asian studies) at Sussex University, (1973–1976). It was while at University, that he became a Christian. After graduation Sizer worked as a campus director/student counsellor with Agape at the Universities of London, Liverpool and Sussex. In 1980 he was accepted for training as a minister in the Church of England and gained a diploma in theology at Trinity College, Bristol. In 1983 he was ordained and became an assistant curate in St Leonards-on-Sea, then was appointed Rector at St. John's, Stoke, Guildford in 1986. He gained an MA in Theology from Oxford University in 1994. After 11 years at St John's, in 1997 he became the vicar of Christchurch, Virginia Water, where he was incumbent until Easter Sunday 2017. He meanwhile continued his formal studies and was awarded a PhD from Oak Hill Theological College and Middlesex University in 2003.[10][11][12]

Views and opinions

Stephen Sizer is a Conservative Evangelical and has aligned with a number of related organisations.[10][11] He used to be a member of Reform (Anglican) and Church Society. He has endorsed the Jerusalem Declaration issued by the Global Anglican Future Conference and has joined the resulting Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans. He supports the Third Province Movement.

In 2004, Sizer adapted his PhD thesis into a book, Christian Zionism - Road Map to Armageddon?[13] He claims that Christian Zionism has led millions of Christians astray and helped to tip the world on its side heavy with military artillery.[14]

Sizer says that Christian Zionism has no biblical foundation or historical precedent.[15] He writes that his motivation lies in the conviction that ignoring or stereotyping Palestinian Christians is a contradiction of faith and immoral before God.[16] He suggests that "it is irresponsible to believe that God will bless Christians materially if they support the largely secular State of Israel."[17]

Christian and Jewish responses

In the Christian world, some of Sizer's writings have been commended by some Christians who embrace Reformed covenant theology, including leaders and academics such as John Stott (Stott's essay "The Place of Israel" is included in Sizer's Book "Zion's Christian Soldiers?"), R. C. Lucas, Gary M. Burge, Gilbert Bilezikian, and Paul Copan.[18]

Some reviews of Christian Zionism - Road Map to Armageddon? have been highly critical.[19][20][21] A prominent Christian opponent of Sizer, Bible teacher David Pawson, wrote a book called Defending Christian Zionism - in response to Stephen Sizer and John Stott.[22] Pawson has said of Sizer: "I am grateful to Stephen Sizer for drawing attention to the legitimate criticisms of dispensational Zionism. He has rendered a service to the cause of Zionism which was needed."[23] Pawson publicly debated Sizer on Premier Christian Radio.

Other Christian authors who have criticised Sizer include Barry Horner[24] and Paul Wilkinson,[25] leaders of Christian missions to the Jewish people such as Mike Moore,[26][27] General Secretary of Christian Witness to Israel and Tony Higton.[28] Later, having met Sizer, Tony Higton largely retracted his view and wrote:

Sizer is right to criticize the serious failings of some Christian Zionism. I agree with him in rejecting the following errors which are held by many Christian Zionists: Lack of godly compassion for the Palestinians, and of concern for their human rights and about their legitimate aspirations. A negative attitude toward Palestinians, and Arabs in general, to the point of racism. Uncritical support for Israel (a secular, sinful state like any other), justifying all its actions against the Palestinians.[29]

British journalist Melanie Phillips has criticised Sizer and has condemned him in her writings.[30] The historian Geoffrey Alderman has also criticized Sizer, accusing him of masking his "religious prejudices" in "academic guise."[31][32] Jewish Christians and Messianic Jews such as Aaron Abramson[33] and Jacob Prasch[34] have disagreed with Sizer's views.

Allegations of antisemitism and misconduct (2012)

Sizer was accused in 2012 of linking from his Facebook profile to an article on an anti-Jewish American site espousing Holocaust denial called The Ugly Truth, which features cartoons celebrating Holocaust deniers and states that Israel is responsible for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sizer deleted the link in January 2012 after The Jewish Chronicle pointed out the link to him,[35] reputedly two months after he had first been informed of the problem.[36]

After complaints about his link to The Ugly Truth, Sizer's Diocesan Bishop, Christopher Hill, defended him.[35][37] Hill believed posting the link could have been an accident, and insisted that Sizer "repudiates anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial" and was just drawing attention to an article about potential military action by Israel against Iran.[35] After referring to Sizer's Facebook post, the Rev. Nick Howard asserted in an article for the Standpoint issue of January–February 2012 that, given Sizer's statements on Press TV and elsewhere, the link made on his Facebook page is not an isolated, or "uncharacteristic", incident.[37]

Several prominent people wrote to the Bishop Hill, then the Bishop of Guildford, in Sizer's defence. Amongst them was Rabbi Professor Dan Cohn-Sherbok, emeritus professor of Judaism at Aberystwyth University, who wrote, "I have been disturbed to read about the allegations made against Stephen Sizer. These are, I believe, completely without foundation: there is simply no evidence that he is an antisemite. It would be a mistake… to construe Stephen Sizer's political criticisms as evidence of antipathy against Jews."[38] The then backbench Labour member of parliament Jeremy Corbyn wrote to Bishop Hill, Sizer's Diocesan Bishop, around April 2012. In his letter, Corbyn described Sizer's link as being "a technical oversight" and that those criticising Sizer were politically motivated and were "intent on discrediting the excellent work that Stephen does in highlighting the injustices of the Palestinian Israeli situation".[38] They were, wrote Corbyn, "part of a wider pattern of demonising those who dare to stand up and speak out against Zionism".[38]

The Board of Deputies of British Jews formally complained to the Church of England in late October 2012 over Sizer's actions since early 2010, under the terms of the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003. The complaint listed 10 incidents which the Board stated were antisemitic.[36] These included statements made by Sizer, or material he had passed to his contacts. In addition to The Ugly Truth, they stated that he had linked to the Veterans Today website, and the Window into Palestine website which features an image of a Nazi flag with a swastika superimposed on the Star of David.[39][40] The complaint stated in part: "we will not remain quiet in the face of actions and remarks capable of being seen as antisemitic even where they are disguised as anti-Zionist attacks on Israel".[41][42]

A meeting took place with the Board of Deputies in October 2013. Jonathan Arkush, then vice-president of the Board of Deputies, told the BBC: "The thing that we did was to criticise him for publishing materials that were anti-semitic and anti-Jewish. Israel doesn't come into it". Sizer himself described the meeting as "very healthy" and accepted the comments from the Board of Deputies but did not regret what he had said.[43]

Later allegations of antisemitism and misconduct (2014–16)

In September 2014, by the invitation of Hamed Ghashghavi the secretary for international affairs of the "Second New Horizon Conference" Sizer attended the event in Tehran where 9/11 conspiracy theories such as "Zionist Fingerprints on the 9/11 Cover-up" and "9/11 and the Holocaust as pro-Zionist 'Public myths'" were under discussion. Sizer himself spoke in the Israel lobby in England session.[44][45] Sizer said he was present at the conference as an "ambassador for reconciliation". According to him, the conference was anti-Zionist rather than antisemitic, and he disagreed with many of the speeches which were delivered.[44]

Dave Rich of the Community Security Trust, a charity which monitors anti-semitism in Britain, queried whether Sizer was still honouring the conciliation agreement he had made with the Jewish community. A spokesman for the British Board of Deputies said that attending "such a hate-filled event is irreconcilable with his position as a minister in the Church of England".[45]

A few months later, on 20 January 2015 at 9.17 pm, Sizer posted a link on his Facebook page to a 9/11 conspiracy theory article entitled '"9-11/Israel did it" ' on the WikiSpooks site. He asked in his posting: "Is this anti-Semitic? If so, no doubt I’ll be asked to remove it. It raises so many questions". Sizer clarified that he "never believed Israel or any other country was complicit in the terrorist atrocity of 9/11, and my sharing of this material was ill-considered and misguided."[46] Sizer removed the post at the request of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, who said it was "unquestionably anti-Semitic".[46] In correspondence with Jewish News online, he asked that evidence be provided to refute the conspiracy theory.[47] After he removed the posting, Sizer continued to insist that it was "encouraging debate".[48]

On 29 January 2015, the Church of England said in a statement that the comments made by Sizer were unacceptable and that the Diocese of Guildford would launch an investigation.[49] On 30 January 2015, Sizer issued a statement of apology[50] and announced that the diocese had suspended him from all social media and blogs.[51] The Board of Deputies also published a statement condemning Sizer's behaviour.[52]

On 9 February, it emerged that Sizer had been banned from social media by the new Bishop of Guildford, Andrew Watson, for at least six months for the Facebook post alleging Israeli responsibility for the 9/11 atrocities.[53] He was also banned from commenting on issues relating to the Middle East, and from attending conferences on the subject.[54] In his letter to the bishop, Sizer accepted that he would have to resign his ministry if he were to break the undertaking he had made.[55]

The Church Times reported the bishop as saying that disciplinary action against Sizer had been considered, but an alternative approach was taken in order to resolve the matter quickly.[56] The Board of Deputies praised the church for taking swift action, and hoped that good relations could be restored.[57]

In October 2016, Sizer attended a meeting organised by Palestine Return Centre at the House of Lords chaired by Baroness Jenny Tonge, which gained negative media attention for comments made during the session. He wrote about the event online, thus breaking the agreement he had made. In a statement, the Rt Revd Andrew Watson, Bishop of Guildford said any further such incident would lead to "his tenure of office ending with immediate effect".[58][59]

Public roles

Sizer is a member of the Executive of the Guildford Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship and a member of Guildford Diocesan Synod. He is a trustee and former chairman of the International Bible Society UK, publishers of the New International Version. He is a founding member of the Institute for the Study of Christian Zionism, a member of the Advisory Council of Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding, a Trustee of the Amos Trust and on the UK Board of Reference for the Mar Elias Educational Institutions in Ibillin, Galilee. He is also on the editorial board of Living Stones Magazine. Sizer regularly contributes articles for newspapers and journals including Evangelicals Now,[60] Third Way,[61][62] Plain Truth[63] and Friends of Al Aqsa.[64] He is a regular contributor to programmes on Premier Radio, and the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). He has also appeared on Syrian TV and Al Manar TV.

Sizer left his Christ Church post at Easter 2017. Just before his retirement, he again broke the terms of the agreement he had made by posting about the Middle East on Facebook.[65]

Published work

Author
  • A Panorama of the Holy Land, with Jon Arnold, Eagle, 1998-10-23, ISBN 978-0-86347-171-1
  • A Panorama of the Bible Lands, with Jon Arnold, Eagle, 2002-09-17, ISBN 978-0-86347-353-1
  • In The Footsteps of Jesus and the Apostles, with Jon Arnold, Eagle, 2003–11, ISBN 978-0-86347-583-2
  • Christian Zionism: Road Map to Armageddon?, Inter-Varsity Press, 2004-11-26, ISBN 978-1-84474-050-5
  • Zion's Christian Soldiers, Inter-Varsity Press, 2007-10-19, ISBN 978-1-84474-214-1

Contributor

See also

References
  1. "Remembrance Sunday: How to Love Your Enemies". Stephensizer.com. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  2. "About Stephen Sizer". Stephensizer.com. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  3. Sizer, Stephen. "Christian Zionism". Stephensizer.com. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  4. Sizer, Stephen. "Zion's Christian Soldiers?". Stephensizer.com. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  5. "Vicar Stephen Sizer 'has no regrets' after Jewish complaint". BBC.
  6. "Conciliation report to the Bishop of Guildford" (PDF). Stephen Sizer.
  7. "Board condemns Sizer for 9/11 posting". Board of Deputies.
  8. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/vicar-investigated-over-facebook-post-linking-to-anti-semitic-article-911-israel-did-it-10012794.html
  9. "Church bans 9/11 Israel conspiracy priest from using social media". The Telegraph.
  10. "About Stepher Sizer". Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  11. "Stephen Sizer". Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  12. Additional biographical information from Dr Sizer's CV
  13. Sizer, Rev Dr Stephen (26 November 2004). Christian Zionism - Road Map to Armageddon?. Inter-Varsity Press. ISBN 978-1-84474-050-5. Retrieved 4 April 2009.
  14. "Christian Zionism: The New Heresy that Undermines Middle East Peace". Middle East Monitor. Archived from the original on 7 August 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  15. Christian Zionism: Road-map to Armageddon?, p.17 and 20
  16. Christian Zionism: Road-map to Armageddon?, p.13
  17. Zion's Christian Soldiers, p.46
  18. "Commendations of Zion's Christian Soldiers". Inter-Varsity Press. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  19. Macaulay, Ian; Parker, Rev Keith (Summer 2005). "Christian Zionism "A Road Map to Armageddon?"". Christians for Israel. Archived from the original on 1 December 2005. Retrieved 4 April 2009. We are therefore disappointed at the writer’s failure to engage in enough questions in sufficient depth
  20. Smith, Dr Calvin L. (26 November 2007). "Book Review of Christian Zionism". Midlands Bible College. Archived from the original on 12 January 2009. Retrieved 4 April 2009.
  21. Merkley, Paul (1 January 2007). "Was Israel a Mistake?". Christianity Today. Retrieved 4 April 2009. major misrepresentations of historical fact too numerous to list
  22. Pawson, David (2007). Defending Christian Zionism - a response to Stephen Sizer and John Stott. Bristol: Terra Nova Publications International Ltd. ISBN 978-1-901949-62-9.
  23. David Pawson, Defending Christian Zionism, p. 39
  24. Horner, Barry (15 October 2008). Future Israel - Why Christian Anti-Judaism must be challenged. B&H Academic. ISBN 978-0-8054-4627-2.
  25. Wilkinson, Paul (15 April 2008). For Zion's Sake: Christian Zionism and the Role of John Nelson Darby. Paternoster. ISBN 978-1-84227-569-6.
  26. Moore, Mike (2008). "Stephen Sizer and Anti-Zionism". Mishkan. Caspari Centre (55). Archived from the original on 26 December 2008.
  27. Moore, Mike (August 2007). The impact of anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism on the story about Jesus. Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism International Conference 2007. Retrieved 7 April 2009. (Christian Zionism: Road Map to Armageddon?) ... presents a perspective on Israel that is opposite in the extreme to the view held by those with whom Stephen Sizer takes issue ... is replete with historical inaccuracies, misrepresentations, libels and citations from Holocaust-deniers, neo-Nazis and anti-Semites.
  28. Higton, Tony. "A Response to Stephen Sizer's criticisms of CMJ and ITAC". Church's Ministry Among Jewish People. Archived from the original on 7 March 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2009. I have to conclude that Stephen's paper is ill-researched, rather unscholarly and very prejudiced. As such it should not really be taken too seriously.
  29. Tony Higton, A Critique of Christian Zionism, p. 18
  30. Phillips, Melanie (4 March 2009). "Beware the new axis of evangelicals and Islamists". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  31. Alderman, Geoffrey. "Disturbing Turns in Pulpits and Theses". The Jewish Chronicle (2004-07-09, p. 23. ed.). Not available online without subscription but quoted at "Dr Sizer's thesis struck me as little more than his own religious prejudices dressed up in academic guise."
  32. Baty, Phil (6 August 2004). "Zionism thesis stirs up a storm". Times Higher Education Supplement. London. Retrieved 7 April 2009. Professor Alderman told The Times Higher: 'Middlesex has permitted its highest research degree to be awarded in respect of a work of propaganda.
  33. Abramson, Aaron. "Aaron Abramson's dissertation critiquing Sizer's book Christian Zionism - Road Map To Armageddon?". Jews for Jesus. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
  34. Prasch, Jacob. "Stephen Sizer & The Sons of Menelaus". Moriel Ministries. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
  35. Dysch, Marcus (5 January 2012). "Bishop: anti-Zionist vicar 'no antisemite'". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 31 March 2018. A Church of England vicar has been backed by his diocesan bishop after promoting a website which supports Holocaust denial and warns of a Zionist conspiracy controlling the world.
  36. Shaviv, Miriam (31 October 2012). "UK Jews complain to Church of England over 'anti-Semitic' vicar". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  37. Howard, Nick (January–February 2012). "Web Only: The Asymmetry of Racism Awareness". Standpoint.
  38. Dysch, Marcus (19 April 2012). "Sizer: I am ready to meet the Board of Deputies any time". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 20 August 2015. Reverend Stephen Sizer posted a link from a website which supports Holocaust denial and warns of a Zionist conspiracy controlling the world.
  39. Paul, Jonny (2 November 2012). "Group Says Church of England Vicar Anti-Semitic". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  40. Ferrer, Richard (23 October 2013). "The sorry tale of Reverend Stephen Sizer". Jewish News. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  41. For the complaint by the Board of Deputies of British Jews see "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  42. Dysch, Marcus (1 November 2012). "'Antisemite' vicar in Board of Deputies complaint". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  43. "Vicar Stephen Sizer 'has no regrets' after Jewish complaint". BBC News. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2018. But [Sizer] said his criticism of some Israeli policies towards Palestinians had 'caused offence to those who want to justify those actions'. 'I don't regret what I said,' he added.
  44. Bingham, Nick (6 October 2014). "Church of England vicar denies backing 'anti-Semitic hate-fest' in Iran". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  45. Lewis, Jerry (6 October 2014). "UK Vicar Attends Tehran 'Zionist Lobby' Conference". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  46. Dearden, Lizzie (30 January 2015). "Vicar investigated over Facebook post linking to 'anti-Semitic' article '9/11 Israel did it'". The Independent.
  47. Cohen, Justin (29 January 2015). "'Show me evidence Israel wasn't behind 9/11', asks vicar Stephen Sizer". Jewish News. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  48. Bingham, John (29 January 2015). "Vicar investigated over '9/11 Israel did it' posting". The Daily Telegraph.
  49. "Statement on Rev. Stephen Sizer" retrieved 29 January 2015
  50. "Vicar 'sorry' for 9/11 Israel Facebook post". BBC News. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  51. "A statement of apology from The Revd Dr Stephen Sizer" retrieved 30 January 2015
  52. "Board condemns Sizer for 9/11 posting", Board of Deputies of British Jews, 30 January 2015
  53. John Bingham "Church bans 9/11 Israel conspiracy priest from using social media", Daily Telegraph, 9 February 2015
  54. Elgot, Jessica (9 February 2015). "Vicar Stephen Sizer Banned From Social Media After Israel 9/11 Conspiracy Post". The Huffington Post.
  55. "Vicar faces social media ban over Facebook post linking 9/11 to Israel". The Guardian. -Press Association. 9 February 2015.
  56. Wyatt, Tim (9 February 2015). "'Not anti-Semitic, just stupid': Stephen Sizer ordered offline to save his job". Church Times.
  57. "Board welcomes Church's swift action over Sizer". Board of Deputies of British Jews. 9 February 2015.
  58. Dysch, Marcus (2 November 2016). "Stephen Sizer warned after attending anti-Israel meeting". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  59. "Sizer set to 'end Clergy career under cloud'". The Board of Deputies of British Jews. 2 November 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  60. Israel : The Mystery of Peace by Julia Fisher Archived 27 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine A Book Review for Evangelicals Now, May 2004
    See also Barak and the Bulldozers of Bethlehem A series of interviews with Christians in Palestine with an evaluation of the recent Israeli elections, published in Evangelicals Now, August (1999)
  61. Benny Morris for Third Way. "Israel: The Revised Version. A Review of 'Righteous Victims, A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict 1881-1999'". Archived from the original on 18 May 2007.
  62. "Annapolis: Optimism Vs. Pessimism An article for Sojourners Magazine" (PDF). Sizers.org. January 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  63. American Apocalypse. Why are some Christian's anxious for Armagfeddon? Archived 11 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine Published in Plain Truth May–June 2007
  64. Travelling through the Holy Land: by Donald Bridge Archived 16 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine Book review published in Al Aqsa Journal, Vol 1, No. 2, April (1999)
  65. Sugarman, Daniel (10 March 2017). "Board of Deputies 'disappointed' as Church allows controversial vicar last hurrah". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
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