Top evangelicals praise Christian-Muslim talks

[Uthman]

Two prominent evangelical Christians praised their dialogue with Muslim leaders on Thursday at the end of a three-day conference seeking ways to ease tensions between the world's two largest faiths.

Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, and Geoff Tunnicliffe, World Evangelical Alliance international director, said some in their ranks had criticized their participation as a concession to Islam.

But both told the final session they were able to openly discuss their religious differences with Muslim participants while agreeing to work to find more common ground with them.

"Our differences are deep and real," said Anderson of the Washington-based association.

"But I have been especially impressed this week with the comfortable candor with which Muslims and Christians have clearly stated their own doctrines to one another."

"It has been good to sit together and build new friendships," said Tunnicliffe, who is based in Vancouver.

Evangelicals and Muslims are not natural partners. Some Muslim preachers charge U.S. evangelicals with waging war against Islam and trying to convert them. Some evangelical preachers accuse Muslims of worshiping a false god.

Evangelicals have also generally been less active than other Christians in dialogue with Islam. "This is not part of our normal repertoire," said David Neff, editor-in-chief of the widely read evangelical magazine Christianity Today.

But the conference, organized by Yale Divinity School and the Common Word group of Muslims scholars who invited Christians to the groundbreaking dialogue, let participants explain their beliefs without trying to reconcile them.

NOT FOISTING FAITH ON OTHER

"In this dialogue, we are not discussing doctrines or creeds," said Mohammed Bechari, secretary general of the Islamic European Conference. "We are just trying to find common ground for religions to work together as intended by God."

In their final statement, participants affirmed their support for freedom of religion and mutual respect, important points for Christians who say Muslim-majority countries curtail rights of religious minorities and for Muslims who accuse Western societies of widespread prejudice against Islam.

In the statement, the 140 conference participants said they wanted to organize an annual week in which Christian and Muslim clergy would preach to their congregations about the positive aspects of the other faith.

They also plan further such conferences in the Common Word dialogue project, which was launched last year by 138 Muslims scholars of varying sects and nationalities who wanted to speak up for mainstream Islam and against Islamist extremism.

"The intention behind the Common Word is not to foist the theology of one religion upon another or to attempt conversion," the statement declared.

It denounced a recent statement by al Qaeda that Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah should be killed for hosting an interfaith conference this month in Madrid.

Tunnicliffe said evangelicals and Muslims share the common fate of being "stereotyped and stigmatized in the media."

"Just as we promise to seek to move beyond the stereotyping of Muslims found in the media, can I ask you, my Muslim friends, to get to know us beyond what is reported in the newspapers and television programs?" he asked.

Source

[Uthman]

[MustafaMc]

I am glad to see this kind of open dialog between Muslims and Christians - particularly the "Evangelical" ones. I won't state names, but some Evangelical preachers that I have heard on the radio and seen on the TV are vehemently opposed to Islam. Hopefully, much good will come of this and at the very least they will see that Muslims aren't worshiping a false god, but rather the One God that they too worship.

[Izyan]

I am glad to see this kind of open dialog between Muslims and Christians - particularly the "Evangelical" ones. I won't state names, but some Evangelical preachers that I have heard on the radio and seen on the TV are vehemently opposed to Islam. Hopefully, much good will come of this and at the very least they will see that Muslims aren't worshiping a false god, but rather the One God that they too worship.

The problem is you are getting a false sense of Chistians and christianity from tv. Just like Islam have their fanatics like Al Queda we have our own like Pat Robertson and the 700 Club. These people are not representative of us and most of their followers are older white people that don't know any better.

[The_Prince]

The problem is you are getting a false sense of Chistians and christianity from tv. Just like Islam have their fanatics like Al Queda we have our own like Pat Robertson and the 700 Club. These people are not representative of us and most of their followers are older white people that don't know any better.

art thou white

[Izyan]

art thou white

Being Iraqi I am very brown

[czgibson]

Greetings,

Largely a positive story - hopefully some good will come of it.

Of course, the lunatic fringe is still in evidence:

It denounced a recent statement by al Qaeda that Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah should be killed for hosting an interfaith conference this month in Madrid.

Who do these idiots think they are helping?

Peace

[جوري]

I don't like this at all.. I just don't trust them.. what they say to your face is one thing and stab you a million times in the back by way of internet or TV or whatever means.. They contrive and feign being good and dramatize how great they are.. look we are all for dialogue, but theirs is a religion that doesn't allow for it..

Please give me a break.. we are at war with these people, a war of their choosing, as far as I am concerned there is nothing left to be said!

[Izyan]

I don't like this at all.. I just don't trust them.. what they say to your face is one thing and stab you a million times in the back by way of internet or TV or whatever means.. They contrive and feign being good and dramatize how great they are.. look we are all for dialogue, but theirs is a religion that doesn't allow for it..

Please give me a break.. we are at war with these people, a war of their choosing, as far as I am concerned there is nothing left to be said!

I know what you mean because Jesus went rampaging throughout the New Testament. By the way how many wars did Muhammed wage versus Jesus?

[aamirsaab]

I know what you mean because Jesus went rampaging throughout the New Testament. By the way how many wars did Muhammed wage versus Jesus?

How many assasination attempts were made on Muhammed versus Jesus?



Edit: Whilst I am glad that there seems to be some sort of cohesion going on between the two faiths, I must admit acceptance to skye's point: there's a lot of backstabbing going on (and there always will be). God willing, this will be a good start but as the saying goes: Trust in Allah, but don't forget to tie the camel.

[shible]

If it was War the primary goal. then we could only find various creatures roaming around.

The only thing that's keep us as Humans and allows us to evolve is what we call Reasoning.


So try to come up with all possible healthy outcomes .


We know that there were many good threads closed for the same kind of replies and responses.

Well this is not a game to determine who closed most number of posts using their talented replies.


But it's about seeking more and more to make ourself feel Matured.

[جوري]

I know what you mean because Jesus went rampaging throughout the New Testament. By the way how many wars did Muhammed wage versus Jesus?

You are very ineffectual in your arguments.. by way of the crowd that takes the time to read TMZ only to wonder why such palvar exists.

If you want to learn any particular subject matter. I suggest you start with a properly sourced book than peddling in rhetorical frippery on a forum?

Jesus didn't hang around long enough to establish what he needed to, Do any christians actually wonder why a god would prophecize his own second coming if he had done things right the first time? as a result all that is left of his legacy are man-worshippers, who wish to indoctrinate the rest of humanity into the dark ages by way of crusades and its many forms!

cheers

[Izyan]

You are very ineffectual in your arguments.. by way of the crowd that takes the time to read TMZ only to wonder why such palvar exists.

If you want to learn any particular subject matter. I suggest you start with a properly sourced book than peddling in rhetorical frippery on a forum?

Jesus didn't hang around long enough to establish what he needed to, Do any christians actually wonder why a god would prophecize his own second coming if he had done things right the first time? as a result all that is left of his legacy are man-worshippers, who wish to indoctrinate the rest of humanity into the dark ages by way of crusades and its many forms!

cheers

Don't muslims also predict the second coming of Jesus and the rise of the Mahdi? If Muhammed was the completion why does God have to send Jesus back?

[Izyan]

How many assasination attempts were made on Muhammed versus Jesus?



Edit: Whilst I am glad that there seems to be some sort of cohesion going on between the two faiths, I must admit acceptance to skye's point: there's a lot of backstabbing going on (and there always will be). God willing, this will be a good start but as the saying goes: Trust in Allah, but don't forget to tie the camel.

Well at least on big attempt. Is it an attempt if they succeed?

[جوري]

Don't muslims also predict the second coming of Jesus and the rise of the Mahdi? If Muhammed was the completion why does God have to send Jesus back?

Indeed.. however, Jesus isn't our God.. God is immaculate and doesn't die! and usually finishes what he started without foresaking himself in the process! Jesus PBUH is a prophet who indeed will come back to fulfill his calling, and die as all men do as such is the lot of men!

cheers

[Izyan]

Indeed.. however, Jesus isn't our God.. God is immaculate and doesn't die! and usually finishes what he started without foresaking himself in the process! Jesus PBUH is a prophet who indeed will come back to fulfill his calling, and die as all men do as such is the lot of men!

cheers

Sister why suck anger? I hold no ill will toward Islam even though I no longer practice. Don't you know your venom does more to chase people away from Allah than towards Him?

[جوري]

Sister why suck anger? I hold no ill will toward Islam even though I no longer practice. Don't you know your venom does more to chase people away from Allah than towards Him?

I don't believe that!..
If you are fickle to be driven away by words no matter how little or much charged, then you have no business being a Muslim in the first place!

We have wasted empires on fickle Muslims and apostates-- I have no interest in handling folks with kid gloves hoping they'll yeild.. Every soul is held in pledge of its own deeds.. the time has come for the rest of us to wake up!

cheers

[Izyan]

I don't believe that!..
If you are fickle to be driven away by words no matter how little or much charged, then you have no business being a Muslim in the first place!

We have wasted empires on fickle Muslims and apostates-- I have no interest in handling folks with kid gloves hoping they'll yeild.. Every soul is held in pledge of its own deeds.. the time has come for the rest of us to wake up!

cheers

So be it just remember Allah is the ultimate judge. End of discussion

[Muezzin]

Um... topic, folks?