British-Israel-World Federation
The British-Israel-World Federation, also known as the British-Israel World Federation was founded in London on 3 July 1919, although its roots can be traced back to the 19th century.
Formation | July 3, 1919 |
---|---|
Purpose | Promoting and informing about British-Israelism. |
Headquarters | Bishop Auckland |
Location |
|
President | Michael A Clark |
Patrons | Rt Rev Bishop Primus emeritus John D M McLean,
Rev Dr Barrie Williams MA MLitt LST PhD, Lady Sara Allenby. |
Website | www.britishisrael.co.uk |
Background
In the 19th century, much of the British Israel movement was made up of smaller, localized associations. In 1919, some 80 independent associations throughout the British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and the United States joined into the British-Israel-World Federation.[1]
The main patron of this movement was Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone. She attended the federation's first Congress in July 1920, and remained a patron of the BIWF until her death in 1981.[1][2]:24
One of its founders was Reuben H. Sawyer, a clergyman in Portland Oregon where he was involved in setting up an Anglo-Israelism group and as leader of the Oregon Ku Klux Klan. He spoke to the Federation's first conference in 1920. Sawyer's supremacist views were influential in the development of the anti-semitic Christian Identity movement out of the philo-semitic British Israelism.[3][4]
William Pascoe Goard was involved in early negotiations of developing the BIWF, and became vice president of the organization in 1921. In 1922, Goard founded Covenant Publishing, the BIWF's publishing company. He also became the first editor of The National Message.[5] The National Message was published until 1981. The federation now publishes The Covenant Nations magazine.[1]
From 1924, the organization maintained an office next to Buckingham Palace. In 1990, it moved to Putney on the Thames, but since 2003 has been based near Bishop Auckland in Co Durham.
Beliefs
British Israelism (also called Anglo-Israelism) states that people of Western Europe descent, particularly those in Great Britain, are the direct lineal descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. The doctrine often includes the tenet that the British Royal Family is directly descended from the line of King David.[6][7]
The central tenets of British Israelism have been refuted by evidence from modern genetic, archaeological,[8] ethnological,[9] and linguistics and philological research.[10][11]
International endeavors
The British-Israel-World Federation, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom, has expanded to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the Netherlands.
Patrons
Throughout the years, this organization enjoyed the patronage of members of the British establishment including;
- Princess Alice of Athlone,
- The Duke of Buccleuch
- The Earl of Dysart,
- Lord Gisborough,
- William Massey, Prime Minister of New Zealand,
- Bishop of the Falkland Islands, John Weller,
- The Countess-Dowager of Radnor,
- John Charles Montagu Douglas Scott, the Duke of Buccleuch, K.T.,
- Richard Godolphin Walmesley Chaloner Lord Gisborough,
- Lord Moubray St John of Bletso,
- Major-General C. A. Hadfield,
- The Countess-Dowager of Clanwilliam,
- The Countess-Dowager of Castlestewart,
- The Marchioness-Dowager of Headfort,
- The Dowager Lady Lurgan,
- The Lady Wilma Lawson,
- Mrs. Adolphus Graves,
- Lady Smith Dodsworth,
- Laura Lady Grant,
- Lady Peirse
- Lady Sara Allenby
References
- "History of The British-Israel-World Federation". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- Brian Stanley (2018). Christianity in the Twentieth Century: A World History. Princeton University Press. p. 24. ISBN 9781400890316.
- William L. Ingram (1995). "God and Race: British-Israelism and Christian Identity". In Miller, Timothy (ed.). America's Alternative Religions. State University of New York Press. p. 124. ISBN 978-0791423974. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- David S. Katz (2001). "Israel in America". In Bernardin, Paolo; Fiering, Norman (eds.). The Jews and the Expansion of Europe to the West, 1450 to 1800. Berghahn. p. 116. ISBN 978-1571814302. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- "British Israel Movement Loses Great Leader with Death of Dr. Pascoe Goard". Winnipeg Evening Tribune. 27 February 1937. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- "Beliefs of the Orange Street Church", a British-Israelite church
- The British-Israel-World Federation – Beliefs
- Melton, J. Gordon (2005). Encyclopedia of Protestantism. New York: Facts on File, Inc. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-8160-5456-5.
- Cross, Frank Leslie; Livingstone, Elizabeth A. (2005). The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Oxford University Press. p. 241. ISBN 9780192802903.
- Harry Ostrer (2012). Legacy: A Genetic History of the Jewish People. Oxford University Press, USA. page 126. ISBN 978-0-19-970205-3
- Quarles, Chester L. (2014). Christian Identity: The Aryan American Bloodline Religion. McFarland. p. 33-34. ISBN 9780786481484. Retrieved 17 November 2019.