Between Naivety and Hostility

Transcription

1 Between Naivety and Hostility

2 Early Models of Chris0an Responses The polemical model: John of Damascus ( ); describe Islam as a forerunner of the Antichrist and Muhammad as a false prophet. Wrote for Christians. The apologetic model: Timothy I ( ); Muhammad is worthy of all praise, by all reasonable people... He walked in the path of the prophets. Wrote for Muslims

3 Early Models of Chris0an Responses The crusader model: Pope Urban II (d. 1099), O what a disgrace if such a despised and base race, which worships demons, should conquer a people which has the faith of omnipotent God and is made glorious with the name of Christ! God wills it! Missionary model: St. Francis of Assisi ( ), Composed Two Rules: 1 st Witness of life or faithful presence, as sheep among wolves (Mat. 10:16); 2 nd open proclamation

4 Response to Missionary Face Trimingham: The missionaries made it their duty to attack and break down the Islamic religious system, and their method was developed accordingly They sought to prove to the Muslim by argument and controversy that Christianity was better. They failed, for they were fighting on the Muslim s own ground.

5 Response to Missionary Face W. Barclay: More people have been brought into the church by the kindness of real Christian love than by all the theological arguments in the world. And more people have been driven from the church by the hardness and ugliness of so-called Christians than by all the doubts in the world.

6 Response to Mys0cal Face The struggle is not against flesh and blood. But against principalities and powers. Taking the spiritual needs of people seriously and the anointing power and works of the Holy Spirit! Some forgotten truths to learn from Charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity?

7 Response to Ideological Face Church in the West should be just as concerned about aggressive secular and humanist forces that is seeking to push Christianity out of the public sphere The church needs to: 1). maintain a winsome prophetic voice in the public sphere; 2). Take active interest in Christian politicians and professionals to advocate for Christian values in their various vocations.

8 Responding to Islamic Militancy Joseph Cumming: It used to be commonly said that Islam was Satan s greatest masterpiece. I believe that is not true. I believe that Satan s greatest masterpiece was the Crusades. Why? Is it because the Crusades were the worst atrocity that ever happened in history? I think Hitler was worse. Stalin was worse. Pol Pot was worse. What is so horrible about the Crusades is that it was done under the symbol of the cross, that Satan succeeded in distorting the very heart of the Christian faith... Satan succeeded in taking the very heart of the Christian faith, and turning it around to mean not just something different, but to mean the exact opposite of what it was supposed to mean.

9 Responding to Progressive Islam Avoid the bate from the radicals to create an us- versus- them scenario Muslims attacked us. Respect Muslim right to interpret their texts the way they see fit. Qur an say HATE ME? reach out to progressives as potential allies in the fight against militant and ideological Islam.

10 Lessons from Luther and Calvin Both saw Islam as a threat to Christendom but regarded internal corruption in the church as greater threat. Muhammad/Pope; Turks/Papists Both regarded the Islamic challenge in terms of spiritual warfare, and the key to Christian victory in repentance, prayer and return to biblical teaching. Both allowed for military combat against the Turks; But insisted that war is the duty of the state not the church; "it should be fought at the Emperor's command and under his banner, and in his name

11 Using Superior weaponry Jesus: Put your sword back in its place for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. (Matt 26: 52) The lesson is that the only way to win a war is to use different/superior weapons/tactics from the enemy whose weapons include lies, conspiracy theories, hatred, fear etc Eph. 6:10-17: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God For our struggle is not against flesh and blood Stand firm then, with the belt of truth with the breastplate of righteousness with the gospel of peace... the shield of faith the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.