British Israelism (sometimes called Anglo-Israelism) is a Christian theology based on the premise that many early British people, Europeans and/or their royal families were direct lineal descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel and in some cases of the Tribe of Judah. Most of the adherants base these ideas largely on their interpretation of Biblical passages relating to the historical Houses of Israel and Judah, and the Hebrew diaspora. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      A Christian () is a person who... Theology finds its scholars pursuing the understanding of and providing reasoned discourse of religion, spirituality and God or the gods. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of Earth; the term continent here referring to a cultural and political distinction, rather than a physiographic one, thus leading to various perspectives about Europes precise borders. ... Lost Ten Tribes, also referenced as the Ten Lost Tribes or the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel, usually refers to ten of the tribes of the ancient Kingdom of Israel that were reported lost after the Kingdom of Israel was totally destroyed, enslaved and exiled by ancient Assyria. ... Look up Judah in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Diaspora (disambiguation). ...

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. Just as in many Christian Restorationist sects such as the Church of Christ, Adventism, the Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormonism (all of which are Restorationist, but none of which officially embrace the idea of British Israelism), and in older religions such as Judaism the ancillary doctrines held by some can often be contradictory to those held by others. In a similar fashion to Judaism and to a lesser degree Islam the central theme revolves around the genetic connection of the believers with Biblical characters such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Restorationism is not a single religious movement, but a wave of comparably motivated movements that arose in the eastern United States and Canada in the early 19th century in the wake of the Second Great Awakening. ... Alternate meanings: see Church of Christ (disambiguation). ... The term Adventist can refer to One who believes in the Second Advent (usually known as the Second coming) of Jesus. ... Book of Mormon, see Latter Day Saint movement. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ...

Most strands of British Israelism agree that large numbers of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel were deported by Sargon II, king of Assyria, on the fall of Samaria in 721 BC,^[1] eventually migrating to Northern Europe, the British Isles, and with European colonization eventually North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and elsewhere around the globe. The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel are the ancient Tribes of Israel that disappear from the Biblical account after the Kingdom of Israel was totally destroyed, enslaved and exiled by ancient Assyria. ... Sargon II (right), king of Assyria (r. ... In the Middle Bronze Age Assyria was a region on the Upper Tigris river, named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur (Akkadian: ; Hebrew: , Aramaic: ). Later, as a nation and empire that came to control all of the Fertile Crescent, Egypt and much of Anatolia, the term Assyria... It has been suggested that Sebastia, Middle East be merged into this article or section. ... Centuries: 9th century BC - 8th century BC - 7th century BC Decades: 770s BC 760s BC 750s BC 740s BC 730s BC - 720s BC - 710s BC 700s BC 690s BC 680s BC 670s BC Events and Trends 728 BC - Piye invades Egypt, conquering Memphis and receives the submission of the rulers...

Legend and folklore

Many early legends abound in ancient British folklore suggesting a link to the Holy Land. These include but are not limited to:

1. The story that Joseph of Arimathea (Jesus' alleged uncle) traveled to Cornwall sometime after Christ's crucifixion and established an early Christian community,^[2]
2. Suggestions that the Stone of Scone might be Jacob's Pillar or Jacob's Pillow Stone,
3. Legends that the Israelite prophet Jeremiah may have been the "Olam Fadlah" of Celtic lore,
4. The legend that Tamar Tea Tephi the ancient matriarch of the Royal House may have been the daughter of Zedekiah king of Judah and that her sister Scota may have been the matriarch of the "Scots",^[3]
5. The legends of the Historia Regum Britanniae connecting Britain to the Mediteranian and Middle East and detailing early English genealogies.
6. 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,
7. The Matter of Britain detailing the Arthurian Legend.
8. The claims by Henry VIII to be descended from King Arthur,^[4] who legend has it was the eighth generation from Joseph of Aramathea.^[5]
9. The claim that Saint Paul visited Britain.

Each of these legends have been incorporated into the British Israel belief. Regardless of the accuracy of the details of these legends, each of them are evidence of a belief by British people and those descended from them for hundreds and even thousands of years in a tangible genetic connection between the people of Britain and the people of the Holy land. Joseph of Arimathea by Pietro Perugino. ... Cornwall (pronounced ; Cornish: ) is a county in south-west England, United Kingdom, on the peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar and Devon. ... Christ is the English term for the Greek word (Christós), which literally means The Anointed One. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      A Christian () is a person who... The Stone of Scone, (pronounced scoon) also commonly known as the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone (though the former name sometimes refers to Lia Fáil) is a block of sandstone historically kept at the now-ruined abbey in Scone, near Perth, Scotland. ... Jacobs Pillow-Pillar Stone refers to an episode in the Book of Genesis 28:10-18 [1] when the Hebrew patriarch Jacob was running from home after getting the blessing of the first born from his father Isaac (and which his brother Esau also wanted), he came to a... Scota, in Irish mythology and pseudohistory, was an Egyptian princess to whom the Gaels traced their ancestry, explaining the name Scoti, applied by the Romans to Irish raiders. ... Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniæ (English: The History of the Kings of Britain) was written around 1136. ... Brutus of Troy or Brutus I of the Britons (Welsh: Bryttys), according to the accounts of the early Welsh historians Nennius and Geoffrey of Monmouth, was the first king of the Britons. ... Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ... ‹ The template below is being considered for deletion. ... Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... A bronze Arthur in plate armour with visor raised and with jousting shield wearing Kastenbrust armour (early 15th century) by Peter Vischer, typical of later anachronistic depictions of Arthur. ... The name Saint Paul may refer to one of several possible meanings or references, though it is most commonly used to refer to the Biblical Paul of Tarsus. ...

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: The Behistun Inscription, carved into a cliffside, gives the same text in three languages, telling the story of King Darius conquests, with the names of twenty-three provinces subject to him. ... Canon George Rawlinson (23 November 1812 – 7 October 1902), was a 19th century English scholar and historian. ... See Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson for the British World War I general (the son of Henry Creswicke Rawlinson). ... An Israelite is a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of the Biblical patriarch Jacob who was renamed Israel by God in the book of Genesis, 32:28 The Israelites were a group of Hebrews, as described in the Bible. ...

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.^[7] History of Jews in Ghana It is believed that Judaism and Jewish communities had established a presence in Ghana since ancient times. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Jehu-on-black-obelisk. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Jehu-on-black-obelisk. ... Shalmaneser III (Šulmānu-ašarēdu, the god Shulmanu is pre-eminent) was king of Assyria (859 BC-824 BC), and son of the previous ruler, Ashurnasirpal II. His long reign was a constant series of campaigns against the eastern tribes, the Babylonians, the nations of Mesopotamia and Syria... The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III (reigned 858-824 BC) is a black limestone Neo-Assyrian bas-relief sculpture from Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), in northern Iraq. ... See Aryan Language or Old Persian For more information visit: *[Ancient Iranian Languages & Literature The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS) ... Elamite is an extinct language, which was spoken in the ancient Elamite Empire. ... A cataphract-style parade armour of a Saka royal from the Issyk kurgan. ... The Sakas or Saka race was a group of people who lived in present day Uzbekistan around 2000 BC. The Sakas followed other Aryans into present day Iran, and returned to their original area in Central Asia. ... Scythia was an area in Eurasia inhabited in ancient times by an Indo-Aryans known as the Scythians. ... Babylonia was an ancient state in Iraq), combining the territories of Sumer and Akkad. ... The Cimmerians were an ancient people of Iranian origin, who lived in the south of modern-day Ukraine (Crimea and northern Black sea coast) and Russia (Black Sea coast and Caucasus), at least in the 8th and 7th century BC. Little is known about them, but they were mentioned in... 10th century BCE: The Land of Israel, including the United Kingdom of Israel Commonwealth of Israel redirects here. ...

The archeologist E. Raymond Capt asserted that there were similarities between King Jehu's pointed Saka style 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.^[9] King Jehu of Israel was a successor to King Omri of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The Cimmerians were an ancient people of Iranian origin, who lived in the south of modern-day Ukraine (Crimea and northern Black sea coast) and Russia (Black Sea coast and Caucasus), at least in the 8th and 7th century BC. Little is known about them, but they were mentioned in... Scythia was an area in Eurasia inhabited in ancient times by an Indo-Aryans known as the Scythians. ... Akkadian (lišānum akkadÄ«tum) was a Semitic language (part of the greater Afro-Asiatic language family) spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly by the Assyrians and Babylonians. ... Jehu son of Omri kneeling at the feet of Shalmaneser III on the Black Obelisk. ... The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III (reigned 858-824 BC) is a black limestone Neo-Assyrian bas-relief sculpture from Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), in northern Iraq. ... Omri (Hebrew: , Standard  Tiberian ; short for Hebrew: , Standard  Tiberian  ; The is my life) was king of Israel and father of Ahab. ...

General overview

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 Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the old Persian homeland, and beyond in Western Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. ... Cyrus the Great (Old Persian: KÅ«ruÅ¡,[1] modern Persian: کوروش بزرگ, Kurosh-e Bozorg) (c. ... Babylon (in Arabic: بابل; in Syriac: ܒܒܙܠ in Hebrew:בבל) was an ancient city in Mesopotamia (modern Al Hillah, Iraq), the ruins of which can be found in present-day Babil Province, about 80km south of Baghdad. ... Sarmatia Europea in Scythia map 1697 AD Sarmatia Europæa separated from Sarmatia Asiatica by the Tanais (the River Don), based on Greek literary sources, in a map printed in London, ca 1770 Great steppe in early spring. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The ancient scholars Bede and Tacitus both agree^[10] 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.^[11] 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.^[12] Bede (IPA: ) (also Saint Bede, the Venerable Bede, or (from Latin) Beda (IPA: )), (ca. ... Gaius Cornelius Tacitus Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (c. ... Alfred (also Ælfred from the Old English: Ælfrēd //) (c. ... The Doom Book was a list kept in the 1930s by United States censor Will Hays and major Hollywood studio moguls. ... William Blackstone as illustrated in his Commentaries on the Laws of England. ... This article concerns the common-law legal system, as contrasted with the civil law legal system; for other meanings of the term, within the field of law, see common law (disambiguation). ...

Late nineteenth-century Celtic language scholar John Rhys suggested Sir John Rhys, (1840 - 1915) was the first Professor of Welsh at Oxford University. ...

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. ^[14] This article is about the European people. ... For other uses, see Black Sea (disambiguation). ... The Welsh are, according to Hastings (1997), an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language, which is a Celtic language. ...

Some researchers^{[attribution needed]} 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.^[15] For other uses, see Viking (disambiguation). ...

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 disorganized structure of the movement, other elements of belief and key doctrines may be embraced by individual adherents. These elements occasionally take on extreme forms, as 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. // For the general identity of an individual with certain core essential religious doctrines, see Christianity. ...

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. The English Civil War (or Wars) refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, specifically to the first (1642–1645) and second (1648–1649) civil wars between the supporters of Charles I of England and... Restorationism is not a single religious movement, but a wave of comparably motivated movements that arose in the eastern United States and Canada in the early 19th century in the wake of the Second Great Awakening. ... John Sadler (of Warmwell) (1615 – 1674) was an English lawyer, academic, Member of Parliament, Hebraist, Neoplatonist[1] and millenarian thinker, private secretary to Oliver Cromwell, and member of the Parliamentarian Council of State. ... Millenarianism (sometimes spelled millenarism or millennarism) is the belief by a religious, social, or political group or movement in a coming major transformation of society after which all things will be changed in a positive (or sometimes negative or ambiguous) direction. ... Richard Brothers was born in December 25, 1757 at Newfoundland and became well known as both an early believer and teacher of a theory concerning the Lost Ten Tribes. ... John Wilson may refer to: // John Wilson (Scottish politician), member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) John Wilson (British politician), leader, Greater London Council, 1984 John Wilson (British Columbia politician) (born 1944), member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada John Wilson (Massachusetts), member of the U.S. House of... Title page The United States elevated to Glory and Honor is a book by Ezra Stiles, published in 1783. ... A Revealed Knowledge of the Prophecies and Times is the title, or the beginning of the title, of a book written in 1794, by Richard Brothers. ... John Wilson may refer to: // John Wilson (Scottish politician), member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) John Wilson (British politician), leader, Greater London Council, 1984 John Wilson (British Columbia politician) (born 1944), member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada John Wilson (Massachusetts), member of the U.S. House of... // First use of general anesthesia in an operation, by Crawford Long The first electrical telegraph sent by Samuel Morse on May 24, 1844 from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.. First signing of the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) on February 6, 1840 at Waitangi, Northland New Zealand. ... Many religions and spiritual movements hold certain written texts (or series of spoken legends not traditionally written down) to be sacred. ...

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. Edward Wheeler Bird a retired Anglo-Indian judge founded the British Israelite Movement The Ark at the seat of kings, Eileen Battersby, Irish Times, 19 April 2003 Tara and the Ark of the Covenant, Mairéad Carew, Dublin: Royal Irish Academy (2003) Category: ...

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. The British-Israel-World Federation is an organization that was founded in London during 1919, although its roots can be traced back to the Nineteenth Century. ... William Ferguson Massey (often known simply as Bill Massey or Farmer Bill) served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1912 to 1925, and was the founder of the Reform Party. ...

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. Roger Rusk (1906-1994) was survived by his wife Ruth, who is now also deceased. ... David Dean Rusk (February 9, 1909 – December 20, 1994) was the United States Secretary of State from 1961 to 1969 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. ... The University of Tennessee (UT), sometimes called the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UT Knoxville or UTK), is the flagship institution of the statewide land-grant University of Tennessee public university system in the American state of Tennessee. ...

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. Arnold Benjamin Murray (see discussion page concerning birth date) is a Christian Bible teacher, notable for his chapter by chapter, verse by verse approach to teaching (officially referred to as expository preaching). ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ...

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 did not reference the works of other advocates of this theory. On the fourth page of his book, The United States and Britain in Prophecy (1980), he 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. ^[16] Herbert W. Armstrong (July 31, 1892) – January 16, 1986 (aged 93)) was the founder of the Worldwide Church of God and an early pioneer of radio evangelism, taking to the airwaves in the 1930s from Eugene, Oregon. ... The Worldwide Church of God (WCG), formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora, California, USA. Founded in 1933 by Herbert Armstrong as a radio ministry, the WCG under Armstrong had a significant, and often controversial, influence on 20th century religious broadcasting and publishing... The Worldwide Church of God (WCG), formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora, California, USA. Founded in 1933 by Herbert Armstrong as a radio ministry, the WCG under Armstrong had a significant, and often controversial, influence on 20th century religious broadcasting and publishing...

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^[17] 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. The Pentecostal movement within Protestant Christianity places special emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. ... The Bible-Pattern Church Fellowship was founded in 1939 by George Jeffreys (1889–1972), a Welsh minister who, together with his brother Stephen Jeffreys, in 1915 had founded the Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance, one of the first Pentecostal organisations in Britain. ... The Elim Pentecostal Church (EPC) is a U.K.-based Pentecostal Christian denomination (not to be confused with the U.S.-based Elim Fellowship). ... The CRC Churches International is a Pentecostal Protestant Christian denomination located primarily in Australasia. ... Forum Theatre The Revival Centres International are a Christian Pentecostal denomination based in Australia. ...

Some have suggested that the references made in the Scottish Declaration of Arbroath to the ancient nation of Israel infers that the authors of the Declaration believed in a racial connection between the Scots and the ancient Israelites. The Declaration of Arbroath was a declaration of Scottish independence, and set out to confirm Scotlands status as an independent, sovereign state and its use of military action when unjustly attacked. ...

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.

Critics of this theory

Critics of this theory state that the Assyrian chronicles of the time claim that only a small number of Israelites were deported.^{[citation needed]}

Many critics question the authenticity of the ancient sources cited by those espousing British Israelism.^{[citation needed]} These critics suggest that British Israelism should be classified as a new religious movement.

Critics suggest any similarities between British and European Culture and that of the Israelites are only coincidence.^{[citation needed]}

Some critics have questioned the alleged references to ancient Israel in the Scottish Declaration of Arbroath. They suggest the Declaration does not explicitly claim descent from the "people of Israel". Critics insist the reference is likely 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. The Declaration of Arbroath was a declaration of Scottish independence, and set out to confirm Scotlands status as an independent, sovereign state and its use of military action when unjustly attacked. ...

Some have suggested that British Israelism belongs in the category of Pseudohistory.^{[citation needed]} These same critics have suggested the justification for these claims rests in contrary DNA evidence.^{[citation needed]} Pseudohistory is a pejorative term applied to texts which purport to be historical in nature but which depart from standard historiographical conventions in a way which undermines their conclusions. ...

Key writings and people

Early books connecting British Israelism to North America include:

• J. H. Allen, Judah’s Sceptre and Joseph’s Birthright, fifteenth edition (Haverhill, Mass.: Destiny Publishers, [1902] 1917)
• W. G. Mackendrick (The Roadbuilder), The Destiny of Britain and America, new edition, revised (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1922).

Other books connecting British Israelism to North America include:

• H. W. Armstrong, The United States and Britain in Prophecy, 1954, 1967. 2005 edition (Edmund, OK: Philadelphia Church of God, 2005)

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.

• Charles Piazzi Smyth, the Pyramidologist and Astronomer Royal for Scotland.

• 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".

• William Massey, the Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1912 to 1925.

Early books refuting the historical and theological basis of Anglo-Israelism include: Richard Brothers was born in December 25, 1757 at Newfoundland and became well known as both an early believer and teacher of a theory concerning the Lost Ten Tribes. ... Charles Piazzi Smyth (1819-1900) Charles Piazzi Smyth (January 3, 1819 – February 21, 1900), was Astronomer Royal for Scotland from 1846 to 1888, well-known for many innovations in astronomy and his pyramidological and metrological studies of the Great Pyramid of Giza. ... Pyramidology is a term used to refer to alternative scientific theories regaring pyramids. ... Astronomer Royal for Scotland was originally (1818) the title of the director of the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, but since 1995 it has simply been an honorary title. ... Rev. ... J. H. Allen is an author known for his 1902 book called Judahs Sceptre and Josephs Birthright which many have claimed formed the basis of a later foundation for the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong on this same subject. ... Herbert W. Armstrong (July 31, 1892) – January 16, 1986 (aged 93)) was the founder of the Worldwide Church of God and an early pioneer of radio evangelism, taking to the airwaves in the 1930s from Eugene, Oregon. ... Charles Adelle Lewis Totten (February 3, 1851 - April 12, 1908) was an American military officer, a professor of military tactics, a prolific writer, and an influential early advocate of British Israelism. ... William Ferguson Massey (often known simply as Bill Massey or Farmer Bill) served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1912 to 1925, and was the founder of the Reform Party. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ...

• Baron, David. The History of the Ten "Lost" Tribes: Anglo-Israelism Examined. 1915.

David Baron was a Jewish convert to the Christian faith. ...

References

is the 139th day of the year (140th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... Canon George Rawlinson (23 November 1812 – 7 October 1902), was a 19th century English scholar and historian. ... Sir John Rhys, (1840 - 1915) was the first Professor of Welsh at Oxford University. ... is the 139th day of the year (140th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

See also

• British-Israel-World Federation
• Lost Ten Tribes
• Two House Theology
• Christian Identity
• Judaism and Christianity
• Supersessionism
• Christian Zionism
• Judeo-Christian
• Christianity and Biblical prophecy
• Christianity and anti-Semitism
• Jewish Christians
• Messianic Judaism
• Unification Church and anti-Semitism
• Roger Rusk
• Arnold Murray (pastor)
• "And did those feet in ancient time"
• Declaration of Arbroath
• Descent from antiquity
• Stone of Scone
• John Rhys

The British-Israel-World Federation is an organization that was founded in London during 1919, although its roots can be traced back to the Nineteenth Century. ... Lost Ten Tribes, also referenced as the Ten Lost Tribes or the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel, usually refers to the tribes of the ancient Kingdom of Israel that disappear from the Biblical account after the Kingdom of Israel was totally destroyed, enslaved and exiled by ancient Assyria. ... The premise of Two House Theology is found in the Hebrew Scriptures and primarily focuses on the division of the ancient Kingdom of Israel and Kingdom of Judah (See History of ancient Israel and Judah). ... // For the general identity of an individual with certain core essential religious doctrines, see Christianity. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Supersessionism (sometimes referred to as replacement theology by its critics) is a belief that Christianity is the fulfillment and continuation of the Old Testament, and that Jews who deny that Jesus is the Messiah are not being faithful to the revelation that God has given them, and they therefore fall... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      for Christians who belong... Judeo-Christian (or Judaeo-Christian) is a term used to describe the body of concepts and values which are thought to be held in common by Judaism and Christianity, and typically considered (sometimes along with classical Greco-Roman civilization) a fundamental basis for Western legal codes and moral values. ... Since Judaism does not accept the validity of the New Testament and rejects the claim that Jesus was a messiah, see the beliefs of Jews and Judaism in Jewish eschatology and the Jewish Messiah. ... It has been suggested that Christian opposition to anti-Semitism be merged into this article or section. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... For discussion of the messiah in Judaism, see Jewish messianism and Jewish messianic claimants. ... The Unification Church officially takes a pro-Jewish, pro-Israel stance, yet many Jews denounce the church as anti-Semitic because of its teachings about the Jews in the Old and New testaments. ... Roger Rusk (1906-1994) was survived by his wife Ruth, who is now also deceased. ... Arnold Benjamin Murray (see discussion page concerning birth date) is a Christian Bible teacher, notable for his chapter by chapter, verse by verse approach to teaching (officially referred to as expository preaching). ... // And did those feet in ancient time is a short poem by William Blake from the preface to his epic Milton: a Poem (1804). ... The Declaration of Arbroath was a declaration of Scottish independence, and set out to confirm Scotlands status as an independent, sovereign state and its use of military action when unjustly attacked. ... Descent from antiquity is an ultimate challenge in prosopography and genealogy, the idea of establishing a well-researched, generation by generation descent of living persons from people acting in antiquity. ... The Stone of Scone, (pronounced scoon) also commonly known as the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone (though the former name sometimes refers to Lia Fáil) is a block of sandstone historically kept at the now-ruined abbey in Scone, near Perth, Scotland. ... Sir John Rhys, (1840 - 1915) was the first Professor of Welsh at Oxford University. ...

Compare with

• Black Hebrew Israelites
• Rastafari movement
• Mormon view of the House of Joseph

Black Hebrew Israelites (also Black Hebrews, African Hebrew Israelites, and Hebrew Israelites) are groups of people of African ancestry situated mostly in the United States who claim to be descendants of the ancient Israelites. ... Haile Selassie I Rasta, or the Rastafari movement, is a religion that accepts Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as God incarnate, whom they call Jah. ... LDS temple in Mesa Arizona USA at night, showing the distinctive spireless design. ...

External links

• Anglo-Israelism and British Israelism by B.A. Robinson, at Religious Tolerance.org
• British-Israelism/Anglo-Israelism by Brian T. Ullman, at Religious Movements
• British Israel - Fact or Fiction? by Alan Campbell, B.A.
• Imperial British-Israelism: Justification for an Empire. (1987) by Gregory S. Neal
• British Israelism by Gary A. Hand
• Elizabeth II on the Throne of David and Solomon
• Brit Am by Yair Davidiy
• The Ten Lost Tribes (Chart)
• The Coronation Chair By the British Government
• The origin of British Israelism
• Jewish Encyclopedia entry on Anglo-Israelism