Recently, a dialogue has sprung up between the Christian and Muslim world. In response to a papal invitation to dialogue, a group of Muslim scholars penned, “A Common Word Between Us and You.” A Christian response, written by (among others) Miroslav Volf has been stirring controversy. Many (including myself) have been troubled that, in accepting a legitimate invitation to converse, some prominent evangelicals have sacrificed basic issues of Truth and faithfulness to the Gospel. Among the signatories were Leith Anderson (president of the NAE), Rick Warren and Bill Hybels.
Pastor John Piper says it better than I could. What do you think?
Are we supposed to comment on whether or not we think J. Piper says it better than you?!
A very good distinction and description of what’s missing in that particular document … Jesus Christ.
Jen B.
Jen
January 26th, 2008
It’s scary right now, but in a way it’s good. The church is going to be further split on something like this. But maybe that’s okay. It will clear up the gray areas.
Bottom line: all of the counsel of God will stand or none will eventually be left. For too long we’ve compromised on true doctrine…eventually there is a snapping point where there are no distinctives left.
peace,
Tony
twoodall
January 28th, 2008
one question, was Piper responding to the NY times article, or the Christian response? do you have a link for this document?
not gonna lie, Piper probably said it better than you would have done Adam. I think you both would have gotten your point across, he just happened to do it so calmly and easy going.
ahh, but i would like to see the adam video response as well:-)
he pretty well summed it up. either you believe and accept everything or you don’t. there is no straddling the fence. seems pretty straightforward to me. unfortunately, alot of churches in america today feel the need to feed people cotton candy that is rotting us out. a life of cotton candy doesn’t seem to satisfying in the End, huh?
brick
January 29th, 2008
Adam:
You’re better looking than John Piper though…so maybe you should use his voice-over and lip-sync a response and video tape that.
Thoughts?
twoodall
January 29th, 2008
I agree that Adam is much better looking, but I’m pretty biased…
Jen
January 29th, 2008
Wow! I’m totally flattered, guys! Maybe Piper and I can work out some kind of lipsync library of theological profundity! His amazing thoughts, my good looks. Maybe we have something going here!!!
BTW, I need to go back to Composition 101. I honestly wasn’t asking if I could say it better than Piper, ‘kay? Just wanted to know what you thought about Piper’s response. But, I’m glad my confusion elicited such an “America’s Next Top Model” set of posts!!!
Brick: Piper was responding to the Christian response.
Administrator
January 30th, 2008
hold the phone. you watch “american’s next top model”????? that’s one thing i can say i’ve never seen although i do know what you’re talking about.
well, jen saying you’re better looking than piper isn’t a surprise. i’d really worry if she said he was better looking to be honest.
do you have a link for this document though? i’d be somewhat curious to read it. tho, i don’t know where that free time would come from these days. oh well…its probably covered enough in the video.
peace out!
brick
January 31st, 2008
This is major big time good stuff. I was in interior Argentina recently where I was eating breakfast in a large hotel. An Argentinean man gleaned from my accent and total lack of Spanish that I was an American. In a deep and booming voice, before all gathered in that hotel restaurant he began to attack me and the United States for being a war mongering nation. After he had vented I told him I had one question for him. When did he plan to convert to Islam? His answer was “Never.” I said my answer was the same but that Islam, true Islam, did not see it that way. For true Islam I must convert or die. Islam teaches that to make a treaty with an infidel is good as it gives you time and cover to gain the resource necessary to kill the infidel. There is nothing short of a life and death struggle going on. As Christians I believe that we should accept that war was declared on Christ and all He stood for from the beginning of His time on Earth. He said it would be that way until He comes to make his enemies His footstool. I agree with Pastor Piper that we should try to tell Muslims along with all nations the unadulterated plain truth about Christ and we should be doing so until we die or He gets here, whatever comes first. If we do so it appears we will have a pretty good chance to pick up that cross Jesus referred to and carry it until we no longer have breath. Good job Pastor Piper. Thanks for letting me spout off.
Sugar Land Steve
February 1st, 2008
ONE MORE FOLLOW UP:
Just got this alert from citizenlink:
The president and two other administrators of prestigious Wheaton College have asked that their names be removed from a controversial statement staking out so-called common ground between Christians and Muslims.
President Duane Litfin made the announcement in Friday’s edition of The Record student newspaper, saying he’d “moved too quickly” in endorsing the flawed document. Provost Stanton Jones and Chaplain Stephen Kellough followed suit in having their names removed.
The Christian response to the October initiative from 138 Muslim scholars and leaders — A Common Word between Us and You — was led by scholars at Yale Divinity School. It prompted strong criticism from prominent evangelical leaders, including Dr. Albert Mohler and Dr. John Piper, who objected to its apology for the Crusades and other “sins of Christians,” and its theological problems, like leaving the deity of Christ open for discussion.
MY RESPONSE
Why are evangelical leaders so quick to pull the trigger on signing these kinds of accords? Is it because a lot of our leadership are wanting to appear legit in the eyes of the “big boys club” (i.e. ivy leaguers)?
Administrator
February 12th, 2008
Bottom line: this document doesn’t glorify Jesus Christ, which should be the primary purpose of any document. Has anyone read the excellent reply by the Syrian leader? That is on target as well.
Kay
February 21st, 2008
http://www.acommonword.com/index.php?page=responses&item=53
A sample:
“…When we talk about the love of God in Christianity, we mean God’s love for humanity and human’s love of God. In the letter, the love of God in Islam is actually closer to the fear of God in Christianity. The concept of God’s love for humanity in Christianity has no similarity in Islam as this concept in Christianity refers to the Doctrine of Salvation, which is the core of Christian faith…”
Precisely!
Kay
February 21st, 2008
Great response, Kay!
Administrator
February 21st, 2008