Correction appended
-
(Photo: The Associated Press/File)A church and mosque in Jerusalem.
A ministry that works with the persecuted church found parts of a declaration recently adopted by Christian and Muslim leaders troubling because it did not emphasize the differences between the two religions enough and gave too much credit to Islam.
Barnabas Fund’s international director, Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo, a former Muslim, says the inclusion of the Qur’anic commandment to speak to Christian and Jews (Q 3:64) in the opening passage of the “Final Declaration of the Yale Common Word Conference, July 2008” actually calls for the conversion of Christians and Jews to Islam .
The opening passage also includes the “ascribe no partner” phrase, which is a Muslim critique of the Christian doctrines of the Trinity and the deity of Jesus, according to the U.K.-based Barnabas Fund.
“It seems that the implications of this verse were not realized or discussed,” commented Barnabas Fund in a reflection on the declaration published Tuesday.
The declaration was made at the conclusion of an eight-day conference at Yale University that was in direct response to a letter signed by 138 Muslim leaders last fall that called for peace between Muslims and Christians for the sake of world peace. Over 140 conference participants unanimously approved on July 31 a cooperative statement that signaled a new beginning of collaboration between Christians and Muslims where stronger assertions of faith would not just be allowed but required.
Barnabas Fund raised several concerns with the final declaration. The document raises Islam, Muhammad and the Qur’an to the same level as Christianity through the language “our common Abrahamic heritage” and “Judeo-Christian-Islamic monotheistic heritage,” the ministry pointed out.
“This is a step towards affirming that Muhammad is a prophet and the Qur’an a word of God,” the ministry said. “As Christians we affirm that the promises of Abraham are fulfilled in Christ.”
Other unclear parts in the declaration state that “no Muslim or Christian … should tolerate the denigration or desecration of one another’s sacred symbols, founding figures, or places of worship.”
Drafters should clarify what this means because for orthodox Muslims, the ministry explained, saying Muhammad is not a prophet, that the Qur’an is not divinely inspired, or to invite a Muslim to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God are all considered blasphemy.
The ministry further argues that the declaration was also unclear in what it meant with freedom of religion. It did not assert that individuals have the right to choose, change and proclaim their religion without fear of punishment, nor did it effectively address the full reciprocity of Christians freely sharing Christianity and building churches on Muslim lands – a freedom followers of Islam are given in western countries, Barnabas Fund pointed out.
“We raise these issues because of our concern for the Biblical Christian faith and for the implications of the ‘Common Word’ process for Christian minorities in Muslim lands, Christian mission in Muslim lands, and converts from Islam to Christianity around the world,” Barnabas Fund concluded.
“Although we respect and love Muslims, Christians cannot accept Islam as an equal and valid revelation from God. The denial of the deity of Christ and His redemptive work as well as of the Trinity will always stand in the way of interfaith dialogue and co-operation,” the ministry argues. “Just as Muslims cannot accept the Christian denial of Muhammad’s prophethood and the Qur’an’s status as the word of God, so Christians must take a clear stand on the central doctrines of their faith.”
Despite the list of critiques, Barnabas Fund emphasized at the beginning of its reflection that it “fully affirm[s] and support[s] all endeavors to work for peace in this torn world,” and welcomes the “sincerity and goodwill of all involved in the process.”
The ministry also said cooperation on social and economic issues should be based upon the groups’ common humanity, rather than a “supposed” common theology as proposed in the declaration.
Correction: Thursday, August 14, 2008:
An article on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008, about Barnabas Fund’s response to the Yale Common Word Conference incorrectly reported the name of the ministry’s international director. The Christian Post confirmed with Barnabas Fund on Thursday that its international director’s name is Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo, and not Peter Sookhdeo.
RSS
One simply has to believe God to know that to deny Christ is to deny God.
1 Jn 2:22-23
Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist - he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
1 Jn 5:10-12
10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Prophet,
Right. And we are to presume that you are a true Christian and others are not. Way to take the high road of boasting.
Well, I'm glad that true Christians see this "agreement" for what it really is, and will refuse to acknowledge what a few misguided religious people have adopted. Mohammed was a prophet...a false one at that. The Bible is the only truly inspired Word of God. And Jesus is the Son of God, the only path to God.
wrhalver , well I have a different take on things than you do, but thanks for your posts.
reveileb, hey, thats a good one Thanks for your post, we dont agree on many things, but I enjoy your friendly posts. Thank you and take care.
scitsonga
You have said....
My thoughts and ideas are what they are, thats how I was made,. A skeptic, so what.....
All of us are skeptics...that's a part of human nature.
Faith comes from God. That is part of the Spiritual nature.
scitsonga
You have said....
Unless god taps me on the shoulder and says hey, I have my doubts. What makes you so sure?
How do you know that God has not tapped you on the shoulder?
I am sure because God has given me His Word, and His Spirit.
scitsonga, thanks for the response and as I have said in other posts I pray that God will reveal Himself to you in such a way that you will have no doubt there is a God and desire to enter into a personal relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, take care and thanks again, reveileb.
wrhalver "How is that you have no way of knowing? We all have a way of knowing. Please explain."
Unless god taps me on the shoulder and says hey, I have my doubts. What makes you so sure?
"If we are "luke warm" then God wants to spit us out."
My thoughts and ideas are what they are, thats how I was made,. A skeptic, so what.....
hey believer, well youir friend sounds like a wise person. scitsonga is actually agnostic spelled backwards except I had to add an s because CP blocked me from posting for reason unknown to me.
Have a good day.
The Bible says all you have to do is look at the wonder of nature as it speaks of a creator. Why do you think the enemy wants to discredit creation so bad even if he has to grasp at straws to do it?
Did you hear about the sasquatch that's been in the news? Someone said the blood tests show it's a cross between a human and possum (truth can be more funny sometimes!). I would think the evolution crowd would be trying to discredit this with all they have as it would really throw a wrench in the evolution theory!
scitsonga
You mention in your comments...." I have no way of knowing."
How is that you have no way of knowing? We all have a way of knowing. Please explain.
scitsonga, I had an agnostic friend in college who told me he didn't know if there was a God or not, but just in case he wasn't going to do anything to get Him mad. By the way you never told me what's behind your ID name, scitsonga?
wrhalver , Here is what it means to me to be an agnostic:
god(s) might exist, god(s) might not exist. I have no way of knowing.
scitsonga
You have said....
didn't say i accept the existence of god, nor do i deny the possible existence. perhaps you dont understand the meaning of agnostic.
I would like to hear your definition.
To at least acknowledge God's existance is being Agnostic. To deny God's existance altogether is being atheist. This decision would be an example of being hot or cold.
Your indecision leaves you look warm. God spits out those who are luke warm, just as He did with the nation of Israel.
halver "You accept the existence of God, but you question and perhaps even deny the power and authority of God."
didn't say i accept the existence of god, nor do i deny the possible existence. perhaps you dont understand the meaning of agnostic.
john14 "So tell me what such a brilliant, jaded, agnostic is doing trolling a Christian message board?"
not jaded, just curious, thanx for asking
dreamcatalyst--
Maybe there are some men at the conference who have done what you say. Their efforts are noble, and I would not denigrate them. But I would remind them of the following, 2 Corinthians 6:14, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?"
scitsonga
The bible tells us that we are to be "hot or cold" as opposed to being "luke warm". If we are "luke warm" then God wants to spit us out.
You accept the existance of God, but you question and perhaps even deny the power and authority of God.
You are really missing out.
I happen to know several of the men dedicated to the Common Word dialogue and each of them has dedicated decades of their lives to bringing Muslims to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. They have lived in poverty incarnationally among Muslims of North Africa and Asia to see Jesus worshipped in their native language and culture. Maybe you don't agree with every line, or even the methodology of the Common Word, but I can assure you that the intention is to remove cultural and religious barriers that have hindered the spread of the gospel in these countries.
scitsonga--
So tell me what such a brilliant, jaded, agnostic is doing trolling a Christian message board?
yada, yada, yada, my religion is superior to yours...LOL. Agnostic is really the way to go.
wrhalver--
Oh, I recognize who we're truly up against. And the religion he created is called Islam. One need only look at the God they call "Allah" in the Koran to see what he is like. He bears no similarity to the Judeo-Christian God whatsoever, not in the Old or New Testament.
Christians should have nothing to do with Islam apart from trying to save as many Muslims as possible by leading them to Christ. That's it.
This is what happens when naive university lecturers and students tried to accommodate and understand the proselytizing lies of the Muslims world in order to convert them to Islam. They would tell you that black is actually white if that would make you say the shahadat
john14-6
Remember that it is not flesh and blood we fight against.
It is principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places.
Christians need to be listening for the lies that can be generated from any faith, and even within the Christian community itself.
We must have ears to hear the Holy Spirit which only proclaims the truth.
Who are these so called "Christian and Muslim leaders"?
Who do they represent? Not me of my family or anyone I know. Are the disgruntled, former Baptist, emergents
at it again? These preachers kids should have to live in
the real world before they are given a platform to misrepresent Christ and His teachings.
Luke 9:26
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Amen, brother Sookhdeo, about time someone spoke up and told it like it is! I am so tired of seeing Christians playing the good dhimmi in the face of Islamic aggression and intimidation. Christians need to stop trying to "understand" Islam and spend more time *standing up* to Islam. Islam is responsible for the worst persecutions of Christians around the world and it's time Christians start saying so, vocally and courageously.