Muslin-Christian relations are characterized by deeply rooted, historical, cultural, and racial misunderstanding, suspicion, and racial misunderstaning, suspicion, and even loathing. (M. Volf) According to the results of the largest international religious surveys in history (as outlined in a recently-published book by John Esposito and Dalia Mogahed), 60 percent of Christians harbor prejudice against Muslims and 30 percent of Muslims reciprocate. However, an effort called A Common Word Between Us and You was launched on October 13th 2007 initially as an open letter signed by 138 leading Muslim scholars and intellectuals (including such figures as the Grand Muftis of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Oman, Bosnia, Russia, and Istanbul) to the leaders of the Christian churches and denominations of the entire world, including His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. In essence it proposed, based on verses from the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran, that Islam and Christianity share, at their core, the twin golden commandments of the paramount importance of loving God and loving ones neighbor. Based on this joint common ground, it called for the peace and harmony between Christians and Muslims worldwide. Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all you mind, and with all your strength.(Deuteronomy) The second is this, you shall love your neighbor as you shell love yourself. (Leviticus) There is no other commandment greater than these. (Jesus) Non of you has faith until you love for your neighbor what you love for yourself. (The Prophet Muhammad) Such love was to be characterized as generous and self-sacrificing.... giveth wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor-due and those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the pious. (Al-Baqarah, 2:177) There is obviously much more information on this topic. For example, there is an excellent book called A Common Word: Muslim and Christians on Loving God and Neighbor. It is edited by Miroslav Volf, Ghazi bin Muhammad, and Melissa Yarrington. I would love to have your thoughts.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:16:30 +0000
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