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Christianity Today, November, 2008 |

FOOLISH THINGS

All Monotheisms Are Not Alike

How the Apostles' Creed can sharpen our dialogue with Muslims.

Stan Guthrie | posted 11/24/2008 09:07AM

Last year 138 Muslim leaders releasedA Common Word Between Us and You, a promising statement to the Christian world stressing common ground between the two great missionary faiths. Christians responded ...

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Daniel

Posted: December 05, 2008 3:13 PM


Excellent article.

Julian

Posted: December 01, 2008 2:22 PM

I have never seen a theology more likely to lead to conflict and chaos in the world rather than peace and understanding. Such line-drawing has led me to reject the entire notion of the Trinity as helpful. As with predestination, this dogma is held as essential by virtually no lay Christian nowadays. Many pastors are coming to the same conclusion. Please read Hans Kung's trilogy on the three great monotheistic religions or listen to the Teaching Company course on Comparative Religions by the former head of the World Council of Churches' Christian-Muslim dialogue for a much better analysis than I can give. Christ is God's word as a person and the Koran is God's word in writing. This isn't to say they are exactly the same but my, the other approach isn't much better than those wackos who want to start World War III by supporting ultra-Orthodox Jews in blowing up the Dome on the Rock.

Hakim

Posted: December 01, 2008 1:13 PM

I read that the Muslims have misunderstood Jesus, but the reality is, Islam aside if you look at what Christian scholars, academics and denominations, themselves say about Jesus, it is a hot bed of confusion. We see the differences which exist between the disciples that followed Jesus, the succeeding first century Christians as opposed to contemporary Christianity. We see divisions of Historical Jesus and the Jesus of Faith making clear distinction between the two, both in the back drop of a Roman Occupation and influence. One can say that the most important non-biblical figure in Christianity could be Emperor Constantine and this is prior to his so-called deathbed confession. Making the standard bearers, of the definitive narrative of, who Jesus was, being defined by the very enemy who occupied his land and destroyed his temple. (Imagine Muslims countries teaching Western countries about democracy)

Rahab Klingensmith

Posted: November 30, 2008 8:40 PM

AS Scholar of Isalm Kenneth Cragg quotes....."We need to teach them ; and love them through an understanding of who God is and why....The Key is not over stepping boundaries; but with reason and love , and patience at hand, than we have completed our personal duty to God that we Be Told The Truth....let no man be without it or left behind. As it is written in "Romans"....Man is without excuse; therefore , we do our duty onto fellow men handing them the Good News the Bible has written-with care involved....and so forth. Another aspect to adhere to is allowing them to practice in a way comfortable for themselves...prayer...meditation, or other...Gentleness-- and a non overbearing goes much farther with resepcting each ones own identity--which God DID NOT SAY take this away from them either....Respect=Diversity=a small change of mind for eternity. A Common Word written by Miroslav Volf...Love Your enemy ..Its worth more....Rahab

Alyssa

Posted: November 30, 2008 7:56 PM

Rick Love, of Frontiers, understands how to engage a Muslim in a way that will keep his ears open. Stating the Fatherhood of God to a Muslim, because of a Creed, does not draw a Muslim to Christ. It is anathama to his ears. They think it means Christians teach God had sex with Mary! How much better to start with what we have in common, then deliver the truth in a way 1.2 billion Muslims can hear. The author of this article does a disservice to what Rick Love is trying to accomplish. Rick Love is not selling out Jesus. He is contextualizing the gospel. Check out www.bridgesstudy.com for an effective tool produced by Crescent Project

Bob Leroe

Posted: November 30, 2008 1:29 PM


I've been reading The Faith Club, about 3 women--Jewish, Moslem, Christian--and all 3 claim they worship the same God...but there's a catch. All 3 are very liberal, so if doctrine doesn't matter, we can all get along.

Percival

Posted: November 29, 2008 9:04 PM

The question itself is misleading. As a youth I read Phillip's "Your God is Too Small" and came away asking if any of us worship the same God. Phillips highlighted some of the distortions that typical Westerners have of God. If our conception of God differs from individual to individual, then in the psychological sense, we all worship "a different God". However, since Muslims and Christians agree that there is only one all powerful God who created the heavens and the earth, it could be said that we are talking about the same God. I constantly have to answer this question. I often worship with Arab Christians in Arabic and we sing praise to Allah and his only son Yasu'. Then, I also talk to Muslims about who Allah is according to His word. Actually, even the Jews have a different view of God. It really is simple. We all have a distorted view of God/Allah, but only Jesus/Yasu' perfectly expresses who He is.

Joseph Holbrook

Posted: November 29, 2008 7:59 AM

this was a pointless article. All the author did was to show why Islam is not Christianity ... he never serioiusly addressed the issue of whether Yaweh and Allah are one and the same, or if Allah is a false god. Of course Muslims have misunderstood the person and identity of Jesus ... thats the whole point of why Love and others are attempting to communicate with Muslims. To delineate the differences between Christianity and Islam does not answer the question of whether the two religions worship the same God or not.

Anonymous

Posted: November 28, 2008 11:32 PM

I certainly agree that the apostoles creed can sharpen our dialogues with Muslims, but dialogue only reaches the mind and can certainly be a breeding dround for arguments. I write from both sides of the "coin" - I use to be a Muslim form birth until age 23. It was not a "religious" dialogue that caused my conversion, but the reality of Jesus Christ. I attended many religious services in the mosque and never found it to be life giving, as it only touched my mind, but when I started to attend a Christain church, there was a noticeable difference in my spirit. We cannot reach Muslims by dialogues alone, our actions and lifestyle must reflect our belief and faith in our risen Lord. The God that the Muslims serve, is totally different from the God that we as Christians serve - howevere this is not the greatest difference of our faith, it is the assurance that we as Christians have in the saving work of Jesus Christ. Rad: www.youhaveadestiny.com

Prophesy

Posted: November 28, 2008 8:06 PM

We need to explore every avenue possible to bring healing to the world. I grew up in an Islamic household. However, I have been a Christian for twenty years. Encouraging and hoping that Muslims will understand Islam and ultimately become born again is a very challenging task. What makes it a challenge? We, Christians, talk a good game but look at our actions. I am not saying that we should walk around "perfect" now that would be false but many of us are such hippocrates that it would make any nonChristian question our integrity as well as our ability to adhere to our own religious beliefs. Thus, how can we talk about other religions when we can not even follow our own.

Paul Maurice Martin

Posted: November 28, 2008 7:31 PM

""As long as Christ is Christ, and the church knows both itself and him, there will be a mission to Islam." This is a polite way of saying that it's the Christian's responsibility to work against Islam until it's eradicated. The same missionary zeal and logic would require that we dedicate ourselves to the eradication of all major world religions until The One True Faith is left. That would mean eradicating progressive Christianity too, because folks like me don't share this sort of zeal at all. It's impossible to claim to genuinely respect other faiths while one's agenda is to see them destroyed.

Daniel Ballinger

Posted: November 28, 2008 3:53 PM

I see in the Bible that there is only one God and only one person to God, He was the Father in the Creation and When he robed himself in flesh He was and is Messiah-Savior, and He is the Holy Ghost in action, but these terms are only titles that descirbes His roles toward humanity, the Bible says that All of the God head is revealed in Christ, and that Jesus is the expressed image of God's person, there is only one God and one name that God has and that name is Jesus! Read what the Bible says; Duet. 6:4, Isiaha 9:6, 7:14, 42:8, 43:10-11,15, 44:6, 45:21-23, Matt.1:21-23, John 1:1-3, 8:24,58, 14:9, 17,26,Colossians 1:15-16, 2:8-9, Philipians 2:9-10, Rev. 1:8. The word Trinity is not Biblical niether is Allah! JESUS is God of gods, King of kings, and Lord of lords! The Almighty!

John Rickets

Posted: November 28, 2008 3:42 AM


Wow. Evangelical scholars getting cosy with Islam, while Christians are being slaughtered in Islamic countries. Look what EX-MUSLIMS have to say about Islam: www.faithfreedom.org

Kevin

Posted: November 27, 2008 11:35 AM

Thanks for the insightful links between the Creed and this important dialogue with Muslims. I agree that the Creed has much to offer in terms of summarizing the basics, but it is missing something important. When I talk with Muslims, who see all life as one (therefore no separation of religion, politics, etc.), I find that they see a hole in what is preached by Christians because so many often overlook the importance of the Kingdom. The Muslim answer to this is the Ummah (Muslim community) living under Shariah (Islamic law). Christ's focus on the Kingdom of the Heavens and its immanence today and his teachings such as Matt. 5-7 for daily life are the only biblical answer to not only OUR questions about how to live but also for the Muslim to see how ALL of life is to be lived out under the Kingdom reign of Jesus. The Creed, although a great summary of SOME basic beliefs, leaves out the most basic message and teachings of Jesus: "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand (has come).

Gil T

Posted: November 26, 2008 9:29 PM

The "we-all-worship-the-same-God" mantra is more often than not the chorus song of fear or lack of confidence on both sides the divide. It sounds good. It might even give some people warm goose bumps, but they emerge from the council table without any more ability to communicate their professed faith. How can we engage in conversation and still stick to our theological guns? The best way to engage in conversation is to listen to Muslims articulate those elements of their faith they claim as being intimately connected with the NT and thereby stick to our theological cross. One example will suffice for now. Permit Muslims to explain how it is the Comforter (Holy Spirit) was Jesus foretelling Muhammed’s coming. Two valuable points about this dialog, 1) It centers on the Bible (Apostles’ Creed not necessary) on, 2) A point Muslims regard as the validation and authetification of their prophet Muhammed.

Jinger Jarrett

Posted: November 25, 2008 6:36 PM

Jesus's greatest commandment to us was to love God and then love others as we love ourselves. As Christians, we definitely need to do that. However, Jesus also said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me." We need to also make sure that we are clear about this too. Christianity is not the same as Islam or Judaism. The latter are systems based on legalism. Ours is based on grace. God really loves us, and we need to emphasize that too. Great article.

JD	Posted: November 25, 2008 5:47 PM


Calvinists have no security in their salvation. You could think that you've accepted Christ as your savior and try to live a good Christian life, only to find that oops too bad, it was all a mirage and you actually belong in that group destined for damnation before the foundation of the world.

Anonymous

Posted: November 25, 2008 4:32 PM


www.ExposingChristianity.com Everything in Christianity has been stolen form religions predating it by hundreds to thousands of years.

Kathleen Hooks (Registered User)

Posted: November 25, 2008 3:07 PM


I think this is an excellent way to discuss the vast differences between Islam and Christianity. Great article.

Hasan

Posted: November 25, 2008 2:15 PM

I think as a Christian, a good place to start that when God created the universe and the world it was good. We were created in the image of God 'us humans' it finds its perfect image in the person and work of Christ. As Christians we ought to love everyone because this is what God commands. I didn't agree with the 'fear' bit of the article as one of the main statements at the beginning of almost every Surah is that God is 'compassionate and merciful'. There are many Muslims out there that would shame a lot of Christians when it comes to love, devotion and hospitality. Of course Tawhid and Trinity are not the same thing but we agree that God is the creator. Even the Arabic word for God comes from the same root as Elohim. In Job you find 'Eloah' singular which is the equivalent to the Arabic Allah (Arabic and Hebrew are cousin languages) Christ has commanded to love my neighbour, Muslim, Hindu, atheist, Jew or Christian. A universal law.

SFG	Posted: November 25, 2008 1:45 PM

Do Jews worship the same God that Christians Worship? Jews deny the divinity of Jesus and that Jesus rose from the dead. They would also deny the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Is Stan Guthrie advocating the heresy that the God of the Old Testament is not the God of the New Testament? As a Christian I believe the Apostle's creed. But I also believe that Jews and Muslims also worship the one true God, though like Rick Love I also believe that "our views of God differ."

Chris

Posted: November 25, 2008 11:18 AM


Skeptic, God is not "on the side" of Christians in the sense that he wants us to conquer the world and set up worldwide "Christendom." He is on our side in that He chose us, and the He will bring about His kingdom (which is not of this world) in His time, using His people as He chooses. God's kingdom does not and never did equal Christendom.

Bradford Greer

Posted: November 25, 2008 10:58 AM

Thank you Stan, and thank you CT, for this editorial. It demonstrates the impact of perspective when approaching intercultural communication. Your editorial is an excellent example of approaching Gospel interaction with Muslims from a bounded set paradigm. If it is possible, it would be nice to see an editorial that approached Gospel interaction with Muslims from a receptor-oriented, centered set paradigm. The work of Paul Hiebert and Chuck Kraft are still relevant.

Steve G.

Posted: November 25, 2008 10:17 AM

Stan, in talking about Muslim-Christian dialogue, thanks for pointing us back to the truths of Scripture as captured in the Apostle's creed. I've personally come to the conclusion that the question 'Do we believe in the same God?' is just not a helpful one--it doesn't illuminate dialogue and tends only to confuse. 'Do we believe in the same Jesus?' is much more illuminating, and has a much clearer answer. The challenge as I see it is to genuinely share our faith in ways that clearly presents the Gospel but does so in language familiar to Muslims. For example, explaining the Incarnation not so much as God having a son (which makes Muslims think of shirk--or polytheism), but in God taking on a body (Muslims are familiar with anthropomorphism from the Qur'an). Mark Beaumont has written a wonderful book that deals with this and much more titled 'Chistology in Dialogue with Muslims' (see the chapter especially on Abu Qurra). It's academic, but I found it accessible ... and very helpful.

Jonathan

Posted: November 25, 2008 8:26 AM


Nice article, Stan. Thanks for reminding me of the importance of the details. In a similar way, Mormons will argue that we are more similar than we are different, but the details draw clear lines.

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