A prominent theologian expressed concerns this week about the recent Christian response to a historic Muslim letter in which signers appeared unclear about their Christian identity and different beliefs of God.
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(Photo: Baptist Press / Rachel Lloyd)R. Albert Mohler Jr. gives the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary report Wednesday, June 13, 2007, to messengers at the SBC Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
The letter, titled “Loving God and Neighbor Together: A Christian Response to a Common Word Between Us and You,” failed to clearly define the Christian understanding of God as the trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, pointed out R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, on his national radio program Tuesday.
Mohler explained that Muslims also believe in Jesus but only as a prophet, not as the son of God. Therefore, Christians must distinguish what kind of God they believe in when responding to the Muslim letter, which emphasized love for a common God.
“We don’t believe that Jesus Christ is our hero. We don’t believe that Jesus Christ is merely our prophet. He is Prophet and Priest and King,” Mohler said, according to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Towers news service. “He is the incarnate Son of God. He is the second person of the Trinity. He is the Lord over all. Any minimization of that is a huge problem.”
The high-profile Southern Baptist theologian was responding to a full-page letter endorsed by nearly 300 Christian leaders that appeared in a December issue of The New York Times. The letter was drafted by scholars at Yale Divinity School’s Center for Faith and Culture in response to an October letter signed by 138 Muslim scholars, clerics, and leaders that encouraged Muslims and Christians to work more closely for world peace.
At the heart of the Muslim letter was the “common ground” that believers of both faiths share – love for God and love for neighbors.
Signers of the Christian letter included Rick Warren, founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., and author of The Purpose Driven Life; Bill Hybels, founder and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill.; Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals; and David Neff, editor-in-chief and vice-president of “Christianity Today” Media Group.
Mohler did not sign the letter.
The SBTS president was also disturbed by the Christians’ request for forgiveness of sins committed against Muslims, including the Crusades and excesses in the war on terror.
“I am sure that all kinds of sin went on with the Crusades on both sides,” he said. “But I am not going to apologize for the Crusades because I am very thankful that the Muslim effort to reach a conquest of Europe was unsuccessful.”
“Otherwise, we would be speaking Arabic on this program right now and we would be talking about the Muslim continent of Europe and potentially even of North America.”
The war on terror, he also noted, is the responsibility of the United States so he was “not sure” why Christians are apologizing for that as a sin against Muslims.
“I don’t think that is the right way to put it,” Mohler said. “I don’t think we associate the United States of America with the Christian church. For whom are we apologizing and for what are we apologizing?”
But others disagree with Mohler, including members of his own Southern Baptist denomination. Continue >>
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For Christians, Muslims are funny people. They said Muhammad is their prophet and is a perfect human being. But why oh why does every Muslim after their prayer (salat) always plead to their God Allah to give Muhammad the high place in his grave, a position that was promised to Muhammad during his lifetime.
Please check out this verse from Sahih Bukhari, and I guarantee you the translation is perfect
Allahumma rabba hazihi ad-da'wah at-tammah wa as-salati al-qa;imah, ati Muhammadan al-wasilah wa al-fadhilah wab'athhu maqaman mahmudan allzi wa'adtah (Sahih Bukhari)
To Khanson and all the Muslim liar, you are the doubt casting serpent of Genesis 3: 4-5
Why would anybody want to convert to Islamism when Muhammad himself cannot get to this good position in his grave? Certainly very funny.
Muhammad himself is just another dead people and is going to answer to God about his actions
Galahad, and John 14-6: Continue teaching the Truth in love. Yeshua is Messiah!!!!!!! Maranatha!!!!!!!!!!!!!
john14-6
There are some good Christians who do not agree with you.
Galahad
None of the Arab and Islamic scholars claim that Jesus Christ was an Arab. Certainly he was born to a Jewish lady Maryam (Mary). Islam did not appear in the seventh century but it has been the religion of all the Prophets starting with that of Adam; the first man created by Almighty the-God. It is a fact of life and of history that Adam was a Muslim and he practiced Islam (Shalom/Peace) with Almighty The-God.
Who is that Moubarak who wants to change the history to suit his views. Could you give some references?
Islam does not say that Christian and Jews adulterated the-bible but The-Qur’an says they did. Well you can refute the charges but who could refute the charges made by The-God in His Last testament The-Qur’an. It means you cannot blatantly refuse it but see it yourself in 1000 versions of bible co-written at least forty different human authors.
Arab did not appear in the seventh century they were before the times of Abraham Certainly Ishmael Ben Abraham married in the Arab tribe of Mecca. Mind you Ishmael was also not an Arab but a descendent of Abraham. The first wife of Moses was Arab; this wife is the same lady when Moses received the first confirmation of his being Prophet in Tuwa Valley (Sinai).
John 14-6
Islam scholars say that the prophets of the Old Testament and Jesus Christ himself are Muslims and that they have taught Islam before Muhammad was born and they say too that Jesus Christ was Arab!
That is complete nonsense! Islam appears in seventh century after Jesus Christ! After and not before! There are 700 years between both! Jesus Christ was not An Arab Jew but a Jew period! Our Hebrew inheritance and our Christian inheritance are ours, they are not Arabs!.. Muhammad was born in 570 after Jesus Christ and died in 632 after Jesus Christ….Do you know that Moubarak has made efforts upon one verse of the Quran to prove that the Virgin Mary was not a Jew but Arab?!!! Do you know that Islam says that Adam and Eve are Muslims? How can it be? I knew that sometimes there existed retroactive laws I didn’t know that a religion could take another religion inheritance and desecrate it and say blatantly that it is theirs by their God’s Law… Islam says that Christians and Jews have adulterate the Bible but the Jews existed and lived in Israel since the beginning of times, and the Bible is that old too …and Arabs only appeared in History in the seventh century.
If you have ever read the book "1984” written by Orwell, you are familiar with the concept of the department of adulteration of the History...Read Bat Ye’or.
"There exists no evidence that the New Testament came from the purported original apostles or anyone else that had seen Jesus."
You have some reading to do, this statement shows a blatant lack of scholarship. Check out "Evidence that Demands a Verdict" or "The Case for Christ"
khanson, your information about the Bible is just wrong. You should look at what real scholars say and not militant atheists or Muslims say. The epistles were written no later than 60-70 AD, and the Gospels are nearly unanimously believed to have been written before the end of the end of the first century.
Anyways, if you challenge Jesus' own claim of divinity, then you have to explain why the Jews were so outraged by it, to the point of calling for His death?
As well, the Bible that we have is the most historically attested written work from all of antiquity. If you deny the truthfulness of the Bible, you might as well deny all of antiquity.
As well, Muhammad cannot just come along and say, "Oh the Christians corrupted the Bible" Because it only takes one more step for me to say, "Oh the Muslims corrupted the Quran".
And, the vast amount of evidence is against your position, the death and Resurrection are the best explanation for what happened. And you cannot just assume that Paul made up the Trinity, Paul was deeply involved with the other apostles such as Peter and John, and Paul would not have lasted long if he was spreading false rumors.
First of all Khanson, you need to explain why the early Christians worshipped Jesus, and why Jesus accepted their worship. If He was not God then He would have been the worst of all sinners for this, but we know this is not true. Also, if He wasn't put on trial and crucified for the raidical claim of being God, then why was he? Thirdly, what do you make of Jesus' statement when He says, "Before Abraham I AM" Jesus also never came out and said He was the Christ, rather He gave His followers enough information to infer it.
khanson--
You called me a liar, and said I was spreading "Christian lies" about Mohammed when I said he ordered assassinations and then reveled in the news of those assassinations. Then I posted to you the authoritative hadiths from your own traditions wherein Mohammed is shown to have ordered assassinations and then rejoiced in the results (I only posted two examples, there are many, many more). You never responded to this. Why?
Why do you ignore the truth and then go on to post long winded theological statements from the Koran? Please stop quoting all this Islamic mumbo-jumbo to me from the Koran. That is not an answer. Because I do not recognize the Koran as authoritative in or about anything. In my opinion, the Koran is a book of lies written by an evil man who may have been under the control of demons or the devil (I believe he was demon possessed, myself). I have given you plenty of arguments to prove this point.
Now, if you cannot have a rational discussion based on logic and reason, without constantly quoting the Koran, then there is nothing further to discuss. You are the only one here who thinks the Koran is of God. Yet I have presented you evidence from your own faith and traditions that Mohammed was not a righteous man, nor was he a prophet of God. He probably received the Koran from the devil or demonic powers (as I have already laid out in a prior post). No one who is a prophet of God orders "assassinations". God is not an assassin. Assassination is *murder* (and it is cowardly) - which is directly against the sixth commandment - you do believe in the Ten Commandments, don't you?. Your prophet could not be an assassin - order assassinations and *permit deceit to be involved* in the murder of another human being - and still be from God (since he never repented of any of this according to the hadiths). When David committed a murder, the prophet Nathan was sent to rebuke him and call him to repentance. (And God punished David severely for his actions.)
khanson, I urge you to consider what you believe and the religion you are following. Use your intellect and reason. No man like Mohammed, who did what Mohammed did, could be from God. You know this is true. I make this argument from your own religious sources. I speak the truth to you in love. Please consider what I am saying.
Jn 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
According to holy scripture, the Holy Ghost (Spirit) is the Comforter. Notice that the Comforter comes in the name of JESUS, will teach all things, and will bring to remembrance what JESUS said.
Ac 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Notice how the Comforter is to help one witness. Witness who and why? Jesus Christ, because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, the only begotten Son of God, who offers redemption for all.
Jn 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Khanson,
Firstly, Christians are strict monotheists, you show a lack of understanding of the concept of the Trinity if you deny this. Secondly we have many, many, learned theologians who reject the Quran and accept the Bible. You are talking about interpretations and you have to give a good reason why anyone should accept your interpretation over another.
Second, you are right that Jesus did talk about immediately sending the Comforter, and the Comforter is the Holy Spirit, as is evidenced from Pentecost. The context is clear, it is most certainly not Muhammad.
"Whosoever he may have been should have been kept as a role model for whole of humanity till the day of Judgement. "
Where did you get this from? The Bible doesn't say this anywhere and the idea of one who comforts does not connote that he should do anything other than aid. Your liberality with words is somewhat difficult to accept.
For that matter you last quote says quite well why Muhammad certainly cannot be the one, is Muhammad alive and with us today? I do not mean his teachings, I mean him. The verse did not say that his teachings would be with you forever, but that the comforter would be with you forever. This is definitely the Holy Spirit.
Islam
"religious system revealed by Muhammad," 1818, from Arabic, lit. "submission" (to the will of God), from root of aslama "he resigned, he surrendered, he submitted," causative conjunction of salima "he was safe," and related to salam "peace."
Muslim means one who surrenders.
Khanson, Islam literally means submission, at best it means peace after submission. But of course this is not real peace, it is only forced peace. I can be at peace with anyone who is completely submissive to me.
Chris333
You are the denier without knowledge: Islam means peace and you ask any Islamic scholar, you would be refuted. If you persist on denial, who could guide you: None.
Khanson, Islam means submission it does not mean peace... you do not seem to be learning this.