I received the following questions concerning the response of some Christian leaders to the Islamic document, "A Common Word Between Us and You".
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Some of my radical separatists friends are making a big deal out of this letter authored at Yale responding to Muslin's leaders reaching out to Christians. Since several prominent evangelicals, colleges and associations signed this letter (Rick Nathan, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, Fuller U., Biola U., Asbury U., Wheaton U., etc.), I wanted to get your opinion.
Are the "Christian" authors implying that:
- We have the same God as Muslins?
- We sinned against Muslins during the Crusades and the War on Terror?
- That we owe apologies for these sins?
- That the Muslin god is a god of love?
- Would you have signed this? Why?
- Is this a big deal?
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Although it is quite lengthy, you can read the entire document here if you are interested. The Christian response referred to above is here. Here are my answers to the questions:
Personally, I would not worry about this too much. After reading both documents (the original open letter from the Muslims and the Christian response) I think that, at best, it is tremendously naive. All that the scholars on both sides are advocating is for a peaceful dialog between us on the basis of our common values in loving God and our neighbors (i.e., in this context to us, the Muslims; to the Muslims, us). Neither is even asking to be "accepted" by the other side to the degree that we should cease to witness to them, as did the "Catholics and Protestants Together" document of a few years ago.
I'm all for peaceful dialog, especially if it gives me an opportunity to share Christ. However, the reason the document writers say that they want this dialog is to help put an end to the hostilities between our nations. Maybe Islamic theologians have some influence over their political rulers, but Christian theologians lost almost all of our influence in the public arena (aside from swaying a few votes here and there) years ago. Frankly, I don't think that this stands much of a chance anyway, considering that Christ promised that wars and rumors of wars would only increase as the end times approached.
If there is anything at all to be worried about from this, it is the implicit assumption that Muslims and Christians worship the same God. We do not. Allah is nothing like Jehovah and we need to make sure that everyone understands this.
Have some Christians (or, at least, those who called themselves Christians) sinned against Muslims in the crusades and the war on terror? Yes. Have they done the same to us in return? Yes. Should those who have committed the sins confess and make it right? Absolutely. Should "Christendom" as a corporate entity apologize to "Islam" as a corporate entity for this? I'm not sure how you could really do this since "Christendom" does not have a single, representative mediator (other than Christ Himself) as Israel did in the time of the prophets. However, this sentiment has been expressed dozens of times over the years from many, including the Pope on down and I don't have a problem with it if they strongly feel that way.
Would I have signed this document? No, but not because I find it highly objectionable. Does it bother me that Rich Nathan, Rick Warren, and Bill Hybels, et al. have signed it? Not really. Perhaps they felt that they needed to because of the national profile they have and how it would reflect upon them by similarly high-profile Muslims and even non-believers if they didn't. I don't think that the ministry of any of these men will have much impact one way or the other because they signed. Depite our doctrinal differences with them, none of these men are characterized as being overtly ecumenical or universalist. (Probably Fuller Seminary is the most ecumenical of the institutions you listed.)
By the way, if you are interested, you can go to the website of the National Association of Evangelicals and read from Leith Anderson himself (current President of the NAE) why he signed it - click here.
I would say that this is really nothing to spend a lot of time fretting over. Nothing will come of it and it has little bearing on anyone's faith or testimony.
Of course, this is just my opinion...
