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Technorati“Many of us have chided Muslims for their unwillingness to address the culture fostered by their co-religionists which breed violence and death in our world in the name of Islam,” wrote the former missionary with over 25 years of work in the Muslim world, according to the Baptist Press.
“This is the first time I have seen a document from Muslim scholars seeming to respond, in the aftermath of a violent clash between East and West, with a request for a reasoned discussion between Muslims and Christians. Such documents need a response,” he contends.
Edens said Muslims misunderstand the Bible, Christ and Christianity and the best way to clarify the confusion is through close conversation.
“From my experience where Islam is dominant, our witness with individuals is hurt when Christian leaders refuse such offered conversations,” the former missionary said.
At the end of his program, Mohler recognized the good intention of the signers of the Christian letter but still held onto his concerns.
“Now, I want to be very clear: we should have nothing against a conversation. But I don’t think this is the way to get into the conversation,” Mohler clarified.
“My concern is that when Christians enter the conversation with Muslims we must enter the conversation as Christians,” he said. “I think when you address a letter to Muslims and refer to God in their terminology then there is a big problem…when Christians enter a conversation, we have to show up as Christians.”
Christians believe in the God who reveals Himself through the Trinity and the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the theologian said.
“This is the God who very clearly identifies Himself and says, 'I am this and I am not anything else.' If you disagree about the identity of Jesus Christ, then you disagree about the identity of God," he added.
“The most important issues about the dialogue with Muslims is that Christians are very clear about the Gospel,” Mohler said. “It is not enough just to say, ‘we renounce violence.’ It is important, but it is not enough.”
