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Can Muslims and Christians Have a Serious Conversation?

October 28, 2007

    In recent weeks a call has gone out from an impressive phalanx of Muslim scholars - both Sunni and Shia - around the world  to Christian leaders to engage in a conversation aimed at finding a "common word."  

    The letter, addressed to the world's top Roman Catholic, orthodox, mainline Protestant, and evangelical leaders, opens with a very simple declaration: "Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world’s population.  Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians."  [See news story:

http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-30106620071022].

    The offer sounds good.  After all, who would not want to sit down and discuss both historical and doctrinal "differences" in the hope that one could discover some common ground? 

    What makes this initiative even more significant is that it comes from an unprecedented and remarkably diverse array of Islam's own global heavyweights.   Christian academics, leaders of the Judeao-Christian religious establishment, and "ecumenical" organizations such as the World Council of Churches have been having their own "interfaith dialogues" with their Muslim peers for years. 

    But in the current post-9/11 climate when the specter of a worldwide resurgence of Islam is on everyone's minds these days in the West the idea of Christians and Muslims "making peace" rather than war on each other can be very appealing, particularly among those weary of seemingly endless and unproductive military conflict throughout the Middle East.

    As expected, leading liberal Protestants have welcomed the overtures of the 138 Muslim imams who signed the letter.  But the Vatican has been slow and standoffish in its response, while evangelical bigwigs have remained deafeningly silent, even while the magazine Christianity Today seems to have been doing some uncharacteristic pot-stirring among its historically conservative constituency to provoke discussion. 

    What seems to be missing in all these exchanges and commentaries is a close reading of the letter itself and what seems to be its "latent" as well as its "manifest" intentions, as an expert on interpretation theory might say .   The letter is without doubt quite carefully crafted and theologically nuanced from a predictable Muslim perspective.  Stylistically, it does not depart from familiar rhetoric of internal Muslim communiques, which leaves one's wondering if one of its own subtexts is as much promoting unity within Islam as engagement with the Christian world.  

    There is little, of course, in the language of the letter that any conscientious Christian could disagree with.  The letter emphasizes as its main "talking points" the Great Commandment of loving one's neighbor as well as the ultimate transcendence and unity of God.   Interestingly, it seems to strategically ignore the Jewish origins of what are supposedly distinctive "Christian" beliefs.

    As in most "serious" discussions that are truthfully predicated on the reality of painful conflict, the unspoken differences loom larger than the garden variety commonalities.   The dialogue between the two religions is going to have to be what the Ford Foundation once called a "difficult dialogue" if it is ever to bear fruit and not just end up one more exercise in feel-goodism or Christian mea culpas about the Crusades and th record history of modern Western imperialism.

    In many respects the hackneyed idea of a "clash of civilizations" is based on a genuine "clash of revelations," reflected in the profound difference in the core messages of the Bible and the Qu'ran, each of which claims to be "absolute" in its own way. 

    One cannot really sit down and "seriously" talk about how Christians and Muslims are obliged by their supposedly same God to love their neighbor if the holy book of the latter explicitly denies the truth of the foundational creeds of the former - the Qu'ran itself says the doctrine of the Trinity is false and that Jesus was not divine -  or if on the ethical plane Islam rejects Christianity's most radical premise and non-negotiable - that "God so loved the world" he sacrificed his own Son, and in the process demanded that we forgive even our worst enemies. 

    Islam teaches that one should show "mercy" on enemies, as does Judaism, but it won't go so far as to say we should "forgive" them.   That is not an incidental distinction between the faiths.

     In some ways many Christians and Muslims these days are sounding much like Rodney King after the devastating Los Angeles riots of 1992 when blacks attacked whites and white businesses after a white jury acquitted four policemen of brutally beating him during an arrest.  "Can we all get along?" King asked in a now famous plea that seemed sincere, but pointless after decades of racial animosity and injustice.

    Yes, we all can get along, but more than good intentions or thinking like the Beatles - "all you need is love" - will have to be brought to the table.

-CR 

Links

A copy of the entire letter from Islamic leaders can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/11_10_07_letter.pdf. 

More...

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/29/stories/2007102956271300.htm

            (Oct 29) The three-day Fourth Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive Sexual Health and Rights begins this week. Among the topics to be discusses will be the impact of religious fundamentalism on women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, activism of the Church in the West, Islamic tenets on sodomy and homosexuality, and child marriage. The executive director of TARSHI stressed the importance of issues relating to sexuality because it intersects gender, class, caste, religion, economics, law and culture.

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            (Oct 28) A professor at Yale believes that the key to combating current climate problems is through a change in the sphere of the spirit, in the sphere of human conscience, which includes creating new models of behavior and a new set of values for the planet and humanity’s relation to it.  She also expresses optimism that many religious groups are starting to take a more proactive stance on the issues, and claims that religion has “The Five R’s” that can contribute to environmental solutions: reverence, respect, restraint, redistribution of wealth, and responsibility.

http://www.euronews.net/index.php?page=info&article=450680&lng=1

            (Oct 28) The Catholic church has concluded the biggest mass beatification in its history amid accusations that the ceremony is a slight against the Spanish government.  The Church recognized 498 Spanish martyrs who were killed during the Spanish civil war by militias opposing General Franco. The Spanish Catholic church insists that the ceremony was not politically motivated, but has attacked a proposed legislation by the Spanish parliament that condemns the rule of General Franco.

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            (Oct 27) Vietnam’s Ordinance on Belief and Religion, which took effect on November 15, 2004, has ensured the rights and obligations of individuals, religious organizations and State management agencies in faith practice for the past three years.  In that time, religion has grown quickly in the country. Religious membership increased to approximately 30 percent of the national population, licensed religious sects have expanded from 6 with 16 organizations to 10 with 29 organizations, and seminaries and religious training centers have become numerous.

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            (Oct 29) One man has made it his mission to increase Buddhism’s presence in Lebanon.  Currently, Buddhists comprise about .1 percent of the country’s population. Last year, Jahshan established the Buddhist Society of Lebanon, and he recently started “Progressive Buddhism,” which he describes as a new school of Buddhist thought.  He claims to have stripped away a lot of its rituals and more archaic principles in order to make Buddhism more usable in today’s contemporary environment.

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/10/384561.html

            (Oct 28) In response to the recent “Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week,” one columnist has suggested a counter “Christian/Jewish Fascism Awareness Week.” The claim is that the recent Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week is the Right’s attempt to escalate an anti-Muslim jihad, and that the Right has presented Muslim fundamentalism as the moral and historical equivalent of Nazism. In response, the author claims that we should examine the recent collaboration between the Israeli and U.S. governments and their promotion of a fascist agenda.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=156042

            (Oct 29) An international congress commemorating the 800^th anniversary of Molana Jalal ad’Din Rumi’s birth started in Tehran this past Sunday as scholars from around the world converged. Scholars from Germany, Canada, India, Japan, Russia, and France were among the attendees, as well as President Mahmud Ahmadinejad.

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_RelishArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173353275683&path=!entertainment!general!&s=1037645508970

            (Oct 28) There is a new front of modern feminism: a group of young women standing up for their right to modesty. According to Wendy Shalit, the feminism that was supposed to free women from the stereotypes forced upon them by a patriarchal society actually forced them to adopt the equally constraining stereotypical male attitudes toward sex and emotion. Instead, she claims that feminism should be about helping women achieve the right to choose who they want to be without facing judgment.

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            (Oct 28) Tension is rising between different congregations of Reform Jews after efforts to adopt a newly revised prayer book and get rid of the old one. The new book highlights disagreements about the direction of Reform Judaism, which was founded in the 19^th Century as a more rational approach to the faith.  The new prayer book is expected to be adopted by at least 300 of 900 congregations across the country.

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            (Oct 28) A small group of Amish in Wisconsin claims that requiring state-issued building permits is intruding on their attempts to maintain distance from outsiders. Their desire to be left alone is creating a bureaucratic nightmare for the town’s elected leaders, who claim that religion cannot exempt anyone from obtaining necessary permits. Most of the Amish in the area have obtained the permits, even if they don’t agree with everything a permit requires.

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            (Oct 28) A recent poll in Alabama reports that most of the state’s residents believe the devil exists, ghosts don’t, hell is hot, and Halloween is a non-religious holiday. The poll was conducted over the phone with 420 residents.

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            (Oct 28) Its almost time again for the annual “War” on Christmas. In response to the predictable anti-religious activities of the ACLU, WorldNetDaily has released an article advising people how to get a Christmas-defense kit and other items, including bumper-stickers, magnets and bracelets.

http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP175207

            (Oct 30) Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, director of the Center for Political and Strategic Studies of the Al-Ahram publishing house, ‘Abd Al-Mun’im Sa’id, has publicly criticized the Arab world’s silence regarding oppression of religious and ethnic minorities.  He claims that the one of the reasons for the absence of freedoms in the Arab world is that those who want freedom for themselves are unwilling to stand up for the freedom of others.

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            (Oct 29) A federal judge has refused a request to bar schools in Illinois from observing a moment of silence.  The suit came in response to the school district’s Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act, which allows students to have a moment of silence at the beginning of every school day if they wish to. The judge has told Rob Sherman, who filed the suit, and attorneys to come back November 14 to examine the issue again.

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            (Oct 29) Iraq’s prime minister has vowed to protect and support the country’s Christian population, which has been rapidly diminishing as Christians flee sectarian violence. USCIRF has warned that certain Iraqi Christian communities may be cease to be if the U.S. government does not intervene to protect Iraq’s Christians.

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            (Oct 30) Canadian Prime Minster Stephen Harper has drawn ire from the Chinese government after following the footsteps of President Bush and German Chancellor Merkel and publicly meeting with the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama praised Canada’s harmonious multicultural and multiracial society as well as the country’s strong support for human rights, but expressed his disagreement with the war in Afghanistan.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/article3109874.ece

            (Oct 30) The British Ministry of Justice has reported that attacks on ethnic minorities have soared in the country over the past year, confirming claims by the Muslim population. The director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies believes the increase could be tied to the rise of far-right groups and recent rhetoric concerning the war on terror.

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           (Oct 29) In a belated response, the Vatican has rebuffed the Oct. 13 letter sent by 138 Muslim religious leaders and scholars. Cardinal Tauran, the President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in the Roman Curia claims that real theological debate with Muslims is difficult as long as they view the Quran as the literal word of God. Since the same critique can be made of many Christian theologians, it is possible that the Vatican is simply not interested with dialogue with Muslims unless they stop believing the Quran is a revealed book.

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            (Oct 29) The recent “pact of honor” between Moqtada al-Sadr and Abdul Aziz al-Hakim may be a significant step towards stability in Iraq.  Al-Sadr and al-Hakim are two of Iraq’s most influential Shiite clerics. The two clerics have pledged to enhance relations between their groups and promote the legal-political order of post-Baathist Iraq, which could give new life to al-Maliki’s government and curtail potential violence in the south.

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            (Oct 25) The co-founder of the Muslims for Progressive Values stated this week that religion and science have different aims.  According to Pamela Taylor, religion seeks to encourage us in endeavors that heighten our moral sensibilities and expand our relationship with the divine, while science seeks to describe the natural world and how it works.  She finished her argument by claiming that together, religion and science can form a powerful motivation for environmental activism.

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            (Oct 25) This article discusses how Tanzania has experienced religious harmony not found anywhere else in Africa, and encourages readers to continue using their religion as a tool for maintaining peace and resolving conflicts among nations. Instead of causing conflict, President Kikwete noted at an international inter-religious conference in Italy that religion can be a voice of reason to help nations resolve their differences and conflict.

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            (Oct 25) Myanmar’s Religion Minister addressed the country’s Buddhist monks this week, apologizing that some monks were caught up in the crackdown, but also claiming the government response was unavoidable. The minister also accused rogue monks of masterminding the mass protests and blamed President Bush for manipulating Myanmar’s monks.

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            India’s Supreme Court has ruled that all marriages must not be registered, with no religious exceptions.  In the decision, the Supreme Court stated that marriages may be made in heaven, but they must be registered on earth. The decision hopes to deal with the problem of people denying their marriages during litigation.  Currently, only about three percent of marriages each year are registered. The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board is criticizing the court’s decision, claiming that marriage is a religious affair.

http://www.earnedmedia.org/ird1025.htm

            (Oct 25) The United Methodist Church is deliberating over a number of controversial issues this week, including the re-appointment of a transsexual pastor in Baltimore.  Of the 19 different items to be discussed, a number of them deal with sex and gender identity. The United Methodist Church officially does not ordain into the ministry practicing homosexuals or those who are sexually active outside of marriage, but does not yet have an official stance on trannsexuality.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/242734/Forced_marriage_linked_to_suicide_conferende_is_told

            (Oct 25) A conference in London examined the relationship between forced marriage and suicide in Britain and India.  The conference was presented with harrowing stories of coercion and violence by parents and family against women forced into marriage against their will. According to the article, South Asian women living in Britain have a suicide rate two to three times above the average. The British government has pledged to clamp down on the practice of forced marriages.

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             (Oct 25) Are you familiar with the Celtic roots of Halloween?  If not, this article may present a good introduction. The Celtic seasonal holy day of Samhain, which occurs around November 1^st, is an end of the harvest celebration and marks the beginning of everything dying and going back to the earth.  The celebration included lighting bonfires, sacrificing animals, and bringin ancestors’ skulls out.  Skulls were particularly revered as holy objects as the Celts believed the soul resided in the skull.

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            (Oct 25) This article examines the recent tension that arose over the cartoon of Muhammad in Sweden. The article attempts to place the whole issue in context and argues that free expression, even that which angers groups and is considered blasphemy, is and should remain protected by law.

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            (Oct 26) U.N. special rapporteur for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, has expressed that while objective criticism of religion is a human right, but outright defamation is not. Defamation often is often based in belief that one’s religion is superior, according to Jahangir. As of yet, U.N. member states have been unable to reach a consensus on the defamation of religion issue. 

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            (Oct 24) As Mitt Romney continues his presidential campaign, there has been a widespread effort to clarify what Mormons see as misunderstandings about their beliefs.  In this article, the head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission examines what Mormonism is from his point of view. Among his statements are his comparison between Joseph Smith and Muhammad and his consequent view that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth Abrahamic Religion.

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=October2007&file=Local_News200710263172.xml

            (Oct 26) This article examines the differences between the perception of Al Qaeda in America and the Middle East. Specifically, the difference is between viewing it as a part of the power struggle in Saudi Arabia and viewing it as a global terrorist movement. In the Middle East, there is a feeling that the West has misused Islam for political and economic reasons.

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/newsindex/display.var.1789555.0.muslim_inmates_offered_ham.php

            (Oct 26) Muslim prisoners are considering suing after they were given ham sandwiches for lunch during Ramadan last month. In Islam, Muslims are forbidden to eat ham and pork at all times, and doing so during Ramadan would be even worse.  The Prison Service denied that ham was given to the prisoners, but admitted to a menu mix-up and claimed it was corrected straightaway. Prison Service guidelines state that prisoners must have a diet that meets the requirements of their religion.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071025/ap_on_re_mi_ea/bin_laden_tape;_ylt=AvG5frXIj4O_auZOGJ3tH.Os0NUE

            (Oct 25) Al-Jazeera has come under attack by Al-Qaida sympathizers after releasing Osama bin Laden’s latest audiotape.  Sympathizers are outraged, claiming that Al-Jazeera has misrepresented the tape by airing excerpts that criticize mistakes by insurgents in Iraq. Analysts see the reaction as militants’ surprise and dismay at bin Laden’s words and possible divisions between different groups. This is the first time that Bin Laden, recognized as the spiritual leader, has been seen confessing mistakes.

http://au.christiantoday.com/article/iran-holds-its-black-church-as-symbol-of-tolerance/3383.htm

            (Oct 27) Iran is again denying charges of religious intolerance made by the U.S. government. Iran claims that tolerance can be seen in the Black Church, which it holds to be a symbol of the co-existence of different religions and ethnicities. The article claims that Armenians in the region of the church believe they are treated like any other Iranian.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20071027/NEWS/710270422/1326

            (Oct 27) An eclectic Zen master in Japan is mixing traditional with very modern.  Under flowing black robes and brown bib that identify him as a Budhist priest, Ohio-native Brad Warner wears baggy jeans and a “Kiss Army” t-shirt, and he doesn’t do funerals or have his ceremonies memorized. Warner is an American priest and was asked by his teacher to receive Dharma transmission while he was a student at Kent State University.  However, for all of the eclectic nature, his message is very traditional: just sit and let the mind shut off.

http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/oct/26/muslims_and_dalits_discriminated_corporate_india.html

            (Oct 26) Many Indian organizations as well as NRIs based in the U.S. and Canada are calling for the immediate dismissal of the state government in Gujarat after news that many top Sangh parivar leaders linked to the current administration admitted to their active role in the massacre and ethnic cleansing of Muslims in 2002. Also on this page, a recent study claims Muslims’ chances at getting a call for a job interview can be reduced to as low as 33% compared to candidates with high caste Hindu names.

http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19562&Itemid=2

            (Oct 27) A U.N. independent human rights expert Asma Jahangir said this past week that religious beliefs should never be an acceptable excuse for carrying out criminal actions that encroach on the rights of others. Jahangir also told the General Assembly’s Social, Humanitarian and Cultural (Third) Committee that religious intolerance continues to rise and moderate voices are often marginalized. Jahangir urged governments worldwide to attempt to combat the underlying problems instead of over-regulating.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=52e2814c-aa8a-4043-9ae2-c213ea7719d9&k=88003

            (Oct 27) If adopted, new legislation by Canada’s Conservative government will require all citizens’ faces to be visible while voting in a federal election.  Religious reasons will not be valid exception. The only exceptions allowed will be in situations of health concerns. However, it could be possible to enforce such a matter by taking the voters into separate rooms to show their faces. Such an application would be up to the chief electoral officer.

 -Richard Bishhop, Researcher.