Across the Divide Podcast Bible Scholar on Lack of Christian Support for Palestinians with Dr. Mike Bird
Jul 30, 2025
Mike Bird, biblical theologian and New Testament professor, critiques how scripture is misused to justify political positions. He discusses religious and geopolitical literacy, Western flattening of Muslim and Palestinian experiences, Christian Zionism’s influence, and responsible ways Christians should read the Bible in political contexts.
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Military Roots Of Bird's Palestine Interest
- Mike Bird traced his interest in Palestine to his time in the Australian military and work in military intelligence after 9/11.
- He described learning about groups like Hamas and Hezbollah and meeting Middle Eastern Christian communities, which shifted his perspective toward religious and geopolitical complexity.
Threat Framing Produces Flattened Muslim Narratives
- Military training frames threats as intent plus capability, which can flatten diverse Muslim experiences into a single security threat.
- Bird warns that lumping jihadist groups, political Islam, and ordinary Muslims together erases nuance and fuels Islamophobia.
Why Western Christians Overlook Palestinian Suffering
- Two major reasons Western Christians ignore Palestinian suffering are historical sympathy for Jews after WWII and viewing conflicts through the terrorism frame.
- Bird adds ignorance about Middle Eastern Christians and compassion fatigue also mute Western Christian response.
