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March 2003, Page 8.
Index of articles.
Questions:
index,
Funerals,
Sex & Archbp,
Yoga,
Deny Santa?
Study Islam?
Children & HC?
Race & Faiths:
index,
Iraq,
Bussing,
Islam,
Zimbabwe,
Islam?
Iraq (2).
In this issue:
(March 2003)
Vicar's Letter,
Annual Meeting,
Lent Course,
Why study Islam?
In our "Questions to the clergy" slot, John will try to answer any query you throw at him, without hesitation, deviation or repetition...
Why get us to study Islam?
Q. Why have you had the housegroups studying Islam this term? Muslims aren’t interested in our faith so why should we take an interest in theirs?
A. You are right that our housegroups have spent three sessions following the day’s training on “Understanding your Muslim neighbour” (January’s Link, p4). You’re also right that most Muslims don’t wish to study the Christian faith: this is because they think the Qu’ran develops the best of Christianity and discards the worst. Muslims need to be helped to see Christianity as it really is rather than how they imagine it to be - but we can’t help them without understanding them.
There are three reasons why I think it is worthwhile for Christians to do these studies:
1. We learn more about our own faith by seeing how it compares with other beliefs. The differences between Jesus’ teaching and what the Qu’ran says help us to see more clearly what Jesus meant. (A good example of this is how Jesus focussed on the inside of a person when the Judaism of his day, and Islam today, focusses on what we eat.) In fact, you’ll see that our housegroup notes were really studies about Christian beliefs: we saw what the bible says about topics arising from aspects of Islam.
2. Jesus wants us to share our faith, and we can’t do this is a sensitive and attractive way unless we find out how the other person regards us and what he/she feels about our views. One reason Muslims aren’t interested in Christianity is they think they already understand it, because Muhammad came later than Jesus and fulfilled his teaching. If we know they think this, it helps us to give answers that make sense to them when the conversation arises.
3. It’s up to us to make the first move in hospitality. If a new person moves into our street, we old-established ones should be the people who call and ask if they need any help finding their way about, hoping this will lead to friendship. A little understanding of culture and beliefs helps a great deal here. I hope the studies help us to be more friendly to people we meet in Bradford.
John Hartley