Posted by M. Wright | Filed in: Religion
More than 100 leading Muslim scholars have signed a letter inviting Christian leaders “to come together with us on the common essentials of our two religions.”
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.
The basis for this peace and understanding already exists. It is part of the very foundational principles of both faiths: love of the One God, and love of the neighbour. These principles are found over and over again in the sacred texts of Islam and Christianity. The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him, and the necessity of love of the neighbour is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity.
You can continue reading the letter here, or download the PDF.
It looks like a good start to me. What’s your take?
October 11th, 2007 at 9:52 am
I think this is great - I just wish that Christians would have had the courage to make the first move. I fear that the fundamentalist fringes of both groups will do everything they can to sabatoge this move. Maybe we need to bring in Jimmy Carter to negotiate ;)
I believe that there is the possibility for peace between Christianity and Islam. The problem often arises in the third-world countries where the conflict is ostensibly between Christianity and Islam, but is actually a continuation of the tribal warfare which has existed in those countries for centuries. Those with a desire to fight will latch on to any reason which can be used to motivate followers.
October 11th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Every Muslim I have ever met acknowledges the divinity of Jesus Christ. Islamic orthodoxy requires that when Jesus’ name is spoken, it must be followed up with the same PBUH (peace be upon him) enunciation as with the Prophet Mohammed.
October 11th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Agree with James Wood on the tribal aspect of the problem. Actually, after reading Aymaan Hirsi Ali’s interview in Reason it seems almost hopeless, yet we’ve had periods in the past where we all “just got along”. Of course, that was before WMDs.
While I think mutual understanding is a good thing I suspect part of this outreach is itself a jihad–Christians understand things quite well. We aren’t out there yelling “Glory to Christ” when the bomb goes off killing women and children. All the understanding in the world cannot change the radicals, it can only temper our otherwise normal visceral reaction to them. As long as this is understood going in, then I’m fine with the discussions.
October 11th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
Good luck on that. If we’re inclined to be this friendly to the Jews then I’m sure it will be a veritable love-in with the Muslims.
October 14th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
That actually brings up a good question: why didn’t they address this letter to the Jews?
October 18th, 2007 at 7:57 am
I would be very interested to hear the Muslim definition of “neighbor”.