Perspectives on Israel and the Church

A topic that seems to be hanging out on the edges of our discussion right now is what is the role of Israel. What was God's relationship with the nation? What is the relationship between Israel/Jews and the Church/Christians? How do we describe God's relationship with Israel in current times? One resource for exploring these questions is John Parson's article at Hebrew For Christians, Israel and the Church. Please be advised that this article is lengthy and academic, and Parsons is certainly making a case for his position on the issue.