The book is informative as to how Christian background of politicians influenced political decisions at crucial points in history like Balfour in 1917 and Truman in 1947. The book appears to be catering to American conservative evangelical Christians based on the materials and persons selected for coverage. He clearly accepts the support of Hagee, Falwell and Robertson as well known religious leaders, but I think at the cost of down playing some of the pits falls of that support. For example, he does not adequately address the anti-semitic overtones in the prophetic schema of evangelical Christians who by and large believe Jews will have to convert to Christ at some point in their lives. An excellent history of this aspect is available in Evangelizing the Chosen People by Yaakov Ariel.

The author also focuses on a very narrow selection of 19th century Christian writers who addressed the issue of Jewish national restoration. The dispensationalists aren't the ones who thought of it. Christian support for Jews and or Israel extends back into the middle ages in the outlines of persons like Joachim of Fiore. See the book "The Feast of Abraham" by Robert Lerner to see how far back this goes. If you take the story back to this point in history you will quickly notice that the strongest support came from marginalized Christians who often belonged to "heretical" sects that also challenged the mainstream Christian churches. The same is true of the Puritans who likewise supported Israelite national restoration in addition to their deep challenge to established church of england.

The historicist school of prophecy (premminent in protestant thought until the mid 1800's) held by persons like Bishop Thomas Newton, J Bicheno, George Faber, T R Birks, Edward Bickersteth and many others provide a much larger base of thought from which Christian support for national restoration was based. This was part of the English religious pysche that made things like the Balfour declaration almost inevitable.

The author also sadly misses one very strong supporter of Jewish restoration who did not regard Christian conversion as needful. That man was Charles T Russell of Allegheny Pennsylvania. He wasn't politically active so that may account for not being important enough. His note worthy writings of Millennial Dawn fame (or infamy for many) clearly provided a consistent Biblical view of how and where Israel fit into the overall scheme of salvation.

Of course many readers will have their view that Russell was a major heretic theologically, since he challenged many mainstream Christian doctrines like the trinity and salvation in the time after death. And his organization the Watchtower became completely anti Israel after his death and adopted other practices that made it socially unpopular.

If that is so bad from the evanglical perspective for a Christian like Russell to hold un-orthodox positions on Christology and future probation where does that leave the Jewish people who are even further away theologically? Several other writers and groups fall into the same category. Do evangelical Christians think Jewish disbelief in the trinity won't stop them from being "saved"? Do evangelical Christians believe that most Jews won't end up in that eternal holocaust called Hell?

Modern day evangelical suport for Israel has some good intentions and results. It is good to recognize that as this book does. But it remains to be seen if that will continue in the flow of world events when evangelical people like Jimmy Carter turn their backs on unconditional suuport of Zionism. The "mainstream" Christian right has other priorities as well, what choices will they make?