A Response to the Responce - A Common Word....

Recently there was a response made to an open letter sent “To leaders of Christian churches everywhere” by 138 Muslim scholars and clerics. The response made in no way represents, as the letter states “The worldwide Christian community”. This letter is a non Christian response and therefore could not represent anyone who is in Christ Jesus. The response was written by scholars at Yale Divinity School's Center for Faith and Culture and endorsed by approximately 300 other “Christian” theologians and leaders. Amongst the signatures you will find the names Rick Warren and Bill Hybels.

The people who signed ask forgiveness from Ar-Rahim, the all merciful one, a name for Allah, for sins committed against Muslims in the Crusades and the war on terror. As you read through the response letter it becomes evident that the authors and endorsers of the letter believe that the god of Islam and the God of Christianity are the same. This is a lie and I know from personal experience that Muslims would agree. I have yet met a Muslim that would agree that Jesus is God. No common ground here at all.

They go on to write that “the future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians”. This again is a lie. According to the bible Jesus Christ is our peace, apart from Jesus there can never and will never be true peace. According to these folks peace will come by compromise. Let’s take a little Islam and a little bit of Christianity and a bit of this and that and create a god that we can all worship together. The bible has a word for this, IDOLOTRY. Creating a god to suit yourself is idolatry. No common ground here at all.

The letter continues with quotes of Muhammad and Jesus. What struck me as I read this part of the letter was that it seemed that the authors would like you to believe that Muhammad and Jesus had equal authority. As a Christian who believes that Jesus is God there is no other authority under, in or above heaven. The Muslims that I know would not give Jesus equal authority as Muhammad. They would say Muhammad is THE messenger of god. No Common ground here at all.

John 1:1-14 states:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was  the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

It would appear that Rick Warren and Bill Hybels do not believe what the bible has to say about Jesus. He is God and there are no others!