fear of compromise

I ended my previous post on this blog  by suggesting that a second fear that some Christians have concerning interfaith dialogue is that such engagement results in compromising the faith, dodging the hard issues, or settling for a lowest common denominator between Christianity and other faiths.

No doubt there are times when this has been, or is, true.  But the renewed emphasis on engaging with other faiths that is evident these days, especially from within the evangelical world, has brought with it a dynamic which may not have been so noticeable in past years. 

The need of the hour is for a courageous engagement of people from different faiths.  This does not mean combative, but it does mean frank and honest. 

A good example of this was the publication recently of “A Common Word - Muslims and Christians on Loving God and Neighbour.”   For those unaware of the original document on which this book is based, you can read it here at the 'Common Word' website . And amongst the hundreds of responses received, that which came from the Baptist World Alliance which can be viewed here was exemplary in its courtesy, its appreciation and yet also its honesty concerning the many major differences between Christianity and Islam.

The book “A Common Word – Muslims and Christians on loving God and Neighbour” is edited by HRH Prince Ghazi of Jordan, Miroslav Volf from Yale Divinity School and Melissa Yarrington, also from Yale and is one of the first systematic theological explorations of the issues that A Common Word” has evoked. 

The approach the book takes is in keeping with the robust nature of contemporary engagement.  Take this extract from Prince Ghazi –

“A Common Word does not signal that Muslims are prepared to deviate from, or concede one iota of, any of their convictions in order to reach out to Christians – and we expect the reverse is also true… neither does (it) mean Muslims are going to facilitate foreign “evangelism opportunities” in the Islamic world in the name of “freedom of religion.” (p11)

No room for slushy sentiment there. Nor when Volf himself reflects on the dialogue that A Common Word has made possible, and especially doctrines such as the Trinity and Christ’s atoning death:

“Significant agreement on love of God and neighbour does not erase these undeniable, deep and consequential differences.”  He goes on to mention ‘practical problems causing tensions’ between communities, and cites specifically “persecution and lack of full religious freedom, problems concerning evangelism… and many others”. (p21)

So this engagement is one which entertains few illusions. Mistakes may be made along the way, but the need of the hour is for God’s people to engage in brave theology. 

A brave theology -

–  will recognise in this moment in history the need for Christianity and Islam especially to find a way of co-existing peaceably (blessed are the peacemakers) while staying true to our religious convictions 

– will look to build interfaith relationships because only in the context of relationships can hard things be said to those to whom you have been willing to listen deeply, and hard things be heard from those who likewise have listened deeply to you. 

– will recognise that the biblical injunction to love our neighbour means, in this situation, the risk of sitting down and talking, not with people of no faith (which characterises most expressions of outreach), but with people of strong faith, a people for whom, if we are honest, we sometimes entertain both fear and suspicion in our hearts.

One of the most challenging chapters in the book is from Martin Accad, a good friend of BMS through our partnership with Lebanese Baptists and the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary  where he is based. 

In exploring what Jesus meant by 'love your neighbour' Martin helpfully reminds us (pp157-160) that in the Old Testament this primarily meant “Love the strangers living among you” (Leviticus 19:34) and the familiar command of course was “Love your neighbour as yourself”, in effect a call to be hospitable. (Lev 19:18)

When Jesus was asked “who is my neighbour” he radically extended the definition of neighbour to include those who were the archenemies of the Jews, namely the Samaritans (Luke 10:30ff) hence it was logical, but controversial, for Jesus also to add the injunction “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) Martin is not implying that Muslims are the enemy, but he is helping us to see how radical 'love your neighbour' must be.

None of this is easy.  In most Muslim-majority countries there are far less freedoms than Muslims enjoy elsewhere in the world, not least in Judaeo-Christian cultures like the UK.  I see the growth of Islam in the west and I worry deeply for our Christian heritage which is being eroded.  I hear hostile comments from hostile Muslims and dont easily hear the voices of those more moderate.  I recognise ‘fear and suspicion’ as emotions that sometimes describe how I feel and I am not blind to seeing that it is but a short step further to seeing Muslims as my enemy. 

That is not the road I wish to travel. There is an alternative.

David Kerrigan

 

Comments

[Andy Goodliff]

David, thanks for drawing attention to this book - just one thing its 'Miroslav Volf' not 'Wolf'

[David Kerrigan]

Thanks Andy - typing too quickly, plus a total inability to proof-read, a skill I have always admired in others!

[Julie Aylward]

Thank you once again for thoughtful posts on difficult subjects. My own experience of pastoral ministry in an area in an English city that was 90% other faiths was that is was only through relationship and open dialogue that the thorny issues could be discussed. I also was therefore afforded many oporunitties to explain and witness to my faith and never lost the hope that my friends would discover God as I know God through Jesus. I learnt so much and was challaneged about my own faith, to live it more authentically by my Muslim, Sikh and Hindi friends.

[Tony Peck]

Thank you for this typically thoughtful and helpful piece. David. I was one of a group of Baptists privileged to meet HRH Prince Ghazi in Jordan a year ago to discuss A Common Word. He impressed us greatly with his serious commitment to a 'dialogue of the committed' for the sake of Muslims and Christians learning to peacefully co-exist in the same space. Our conversation with Prince Ghazi did not underestimate the difficulties and the challenges of this, especially in the Middle East. But it seems to me that it is a much more promising approach than the 'demonisation' of Muslims which we find among some groups of Christians.

[Frank Rees]

Thanks for this post, David, and for your kind message on my blog.
I'm appreciate very much the approach expressed both in your post and this book.

[Frank Rees]

Correction: I appreciate ...