Claimed, gathered and sent

Whether we like it or not, whether we are ready or not, religious pluralism is part of our world, of our country. Here is my response to the following scenario. Sarah , one of the high school youth in your congregation comes up to you after service on Sunday and says she needs to talk. She has a good friend who is Muslim who invited her to worship with her last Friday. Sarah went, and really enjoyed the service, but when she came home and told her parents that she had participated fully in the service, they told her she had committed idolatry, and forbade her from going back. Sarah was really upset, because the service had been very meaningful for her, and she really felt drawn to go back and learn more about Islam—was that a bad thing? Could she do that and still be a Christian? How would you answer her? I would express my understanding of Sarah’s feelings. Islam is an impressive faith when someone is a pious, good Muslim. Particularly if one’s own faith is lukewarm...

While working in Bethlehem in the 1980s with Project Redemption, we came to understand Islam as a Christian cult. Mohammad had gotten only a Nestorian view of Christianity. It was an incomplete picture. Mon. night at a Bible study/study of the Lutheran confessions at Emanuel , we watched a video taped lecture of Tim Wengert, on the confessions. Muslims are mentioned (called Mohammedens) in Article 1 of the Augsburg Confession , along with some other groups. Dr. Wengert explained Islam is considered a christogical heresy. I felt like I was back in Bethlehem! Even Luther and Melancthon viewed Islam as a Christian cult. Though we are divided on the person of Christ, we have numerous commonalities from which to build bridges. Picture from Photo Galerie German Fulbright.