British Israelism

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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. 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 theory played a significant historical role in the establishment of a church separate from Rome.[citation needed]

Due to the Restorationist tendencies of the adherents, there has rarely been a central head, recognized leadership, or organizational structure to the movement. This has led to a diverse set of professions and beliefs ancillary to the genealogical claims.

Contents

[edit] 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.
  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.
  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.[3]
  8. The claim that Saint Paul visited Britain.
  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.

[edit] 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. 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.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.[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.

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. 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. 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. 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.[7] King Jehu of Israel was a successor to King Omri of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

[edit] 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. History suggests that these Scythians were forced further north and west by migrating / invading Sarmatians. 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”. 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. 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. 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.[10]

Late nineteenth-century Celtic language scholar John Rhys suggested

...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". 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. [12]

Some researchers[who?] 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.[13]

[edit] 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. However most British Israel movements also believe that personal salvation is open to all.

[edit] 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). John Sadler published The Rights of the Kingdom in 1649. 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. 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. Also cited as an original work is Rev. John Wilson's Our Israelitish Origins which was originally published during the 1840s. 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.

In 1919 the British-Israel-World Federation was founded in London near Buckingham Palace. 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. 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.

[edit] Modern adherents

The late Professor Roger Rusk (1906 - 1994), brother of former U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk, was a prominent teacher of British Israelism. 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. 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. His teaching is broadcast regularly via satellite.

Some groups that follow the original teaching of Herbert W. Armstrong adhere to this doctrine. 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. 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.[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. [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). 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. However, its prominent offshoot the Revival Centres International and its own various offshoots continue to teach the doctrine.

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.

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.

[edit] 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. 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. 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]

[edit] 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.[citation needed].

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.

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. Religion in that time period in Britain involved polytheism and the worship of aspects of nature in addition to a diverse assortment of gods. 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.

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. 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. 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.

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.[citation needed] 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. 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. 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.

[edit] 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:

  • Richard Brothers (1757–1824) was well known as both an early believer and teacher of this theory concerning the Lost Ten Tribes.
  • William H. Poole was a minister known for his 1889 book titled Anglo-Israel or the Saxon Race?: Proved to be the Lost Tribes of Israel.
  • J. H. Allen authored Judah's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright which many have claimed formed the basis of a later foundation for the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong on this same subject.
  • C. A. L. Totten Professor of Military Tactics at Yale, wrote countless articles and books advocating British Israelism, including a 26 volume series entitled "Our Race".

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

[edit] See also

[edit] Compare with

[edit] References

  1. ^ Traditions of Glastonbury by E. Raymond Artisan Publishers
  2. ^ Francine Roche (1 January 2007). The Battle of the Books: An Attack on Nationalism. Accessed 2007-05-02.
  3. ^ Traditions of Glastonbury by E. Raymond Capt Artisan Publishers
  4. ^ George Rawlinson, note in his translation of History of Herodotus, Book VII, p. 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. 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.
  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. 

[edit] External links