Church

Archbishops sends Muslim scholars reflection on A Common Word

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has welcomed A Common Word and provided a substantial reflection on it in a letter sent this week to Muslim religious leaders and scholars.

The Archbishop’s letter, entitled ‘A Common Word for the Common Good’, comes after a period of worldwide consultation within the Anglican Communion and across the Christian denominations, most notably in last month’s meeting of Church representatives and scholars in London.

Dr Williams has announced that, in collaboration with Cambridge University, he is inviting a group of Christian and Muslim leaders and scholars to a conference in October that will mark the anniversary of the publication of A Common Word.

In a context of scholarly engagement with the issues the gathering will seek to consider a programme of practical steps to deepen mutual understanding, action and friendships.

In his letter Dr Williams said, "We are deeply appreciative of the initiative you have taken and welcome A Common Word Between Us and You as a significant development in relations between Christians and Muslims."

He reflected on what he calls “the hospitable and friendly spirit” of the original letter, acknowledging it as a timely initiative "given the growing awareness that peace throughout the world is deeply entwined with the ability of all people of faith everywhere to live together in peace, justice, mutual respect and love".

Added: Sunday, July 20, 2008, 23:59 (BST)

Dr Williams acknowledged that Christian belief in the Trinity is "difficult, sometimes offensive, to Muslims". Offensive? Why is the Archbishop so concerned about what muslims find offensive about Christianity? I could point out a thousand things Christians find offensive in islam. But the Archbishop has no time for the apprehensions of Christians these days. He has been 'championing' the islamic cause and its 'concerns' of compatibility with Christian theology for some time now. The Anglican Chruch in Britian is losing members day by day and is at a point in time where the next generation has no interest in Church or Christianity. The Archbishop should be more concerned where the Church will be in the next 10-20 years, rather than continuing his futile policy of islamic appeasement.

Nick, Cochin, India

Added: Thursday, July 17, 2008, 18:09 (BST)

The Archbishop appears to have omitted one vital point in his measured response to A Common Word - that the heart and uniqueness of Christianity is Christ. Omit the centrality of Christ and you might as well omit the rest as well. Without Christ, and all he means, Christianity simply ceases to be Christianity, since we believe that it is only by faith in Him that any man or woman can be saved. Islam, on the other hand, has no Saviour, and therefore no hope. Can there ever really be common ground between us?

Michael KEMP, Swindon, England

Added: Wednesday, July 16, 2008, 19:28 (BST)

The Archbishop is really apologising on the behalf of Christians for BEING Christians! And this to people who worship 'Allah' (Al'Llah=Dagon=BAAL), and use a bastardised form of the Torah and the New Testament to justify its beliefs. In the newspapers, it says that he apologises for the Crusades (they were started by P(e)OP(l)E(S) for their own purposes). It is, by and large, true that (Middle Eastern) people were 'forced into accepting (Catholic) Christianity at the point of a sword' - however, the Arab Nations started it when they invaded the Byzantine (Roman) Empire, at the Battle of Ajnadain, in AD634, some 400 years BEFORE the First Crusade and some 1300 years before the modern State of Israel was established! Basic facts that Islamic scholars keep quiet about, while bleating on about the injustices of the Crusades! Also, extreme Islam did invade and conquer a lot of Southern Europe, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent in the Middle Ages. Italy, the Germanic States, a lot of Russia and the UK escaped, for the most part, and experienced the Reformation, which ended the Crusades and the Knights Templars as a military force, and ushered in a relative period of stability, punctuated by internal squabbles and religious arguments! However, we must remember that the New Testament is also the New Covenant, validated by the Blood of Yeshua, God's Son, for the salvation of all mankind, something muslims do not accept, nor taught about. The Gospel is a stumbling block to many, and closed to the worldly wise. It doesn't do away with the Law but writes upon our hearts and we now live under grace. That does not give us leave to depart from God's Word; it tells us not make treaties with other nations and put their gods AS EQUAL WITH THE CREATOR GOD, EL SHADDI - that goes for 'Allah'! This is what, under Williams' leadership, the CofE is in danger of doing, and putting us (further) under God's judgement. We should not withhold the Gospel from muslims, as there are many who receive the Truth of Jesus daily, and we should give them sanctuary within our doors, but we must realise that the Qu'ran has a veneer of acceptence and equanimity overlaying the creed of violence to non-muslims. It has no redemption, no grace, mercy, salvation, propitiation for sin, it has a refusal of Jesus' divinity ( Mary bore Jesus under God's guidance, but was only a good man and prophet, nothing more), and His being made the perfect sacrifice for us all - only conditional acceptence by God through works, and that the whole world be must be made muslim, by force if necessary, and all non-muslims relegated to the status of 'dhimmis' (second class citizens - slaves, even to the muslim elite). Where is the 'Common Good' in that? Muslims don't help other muslims in need, as evidenced in the recent natural disaster - in'shalla, as they say - unlike Christianity, which reaches out to help, even under the guise of humanitarianism, in the first instance. This is just one example of practical Islam, what happens is the 'will of Allah', and dismissed. Where is the common ground in this? Finally, the Creator God of the Torah, the Father of Emannuel, the Messiah, Prince of Peace, Yeshua, the Christ, our Saviour, is NOT the distant, uninvolved, demanding, punishment-advocating, death-dealing god of the Qu'ran. YHWH may have needed to be strict, as recorded in the OT, dicsiplining and correcting His children as a father does, but His demand that our sin be paid for was met by His Son, the second aspect of the Triune God, the third being the Holy Spirit, The god of the Qu'ran has not done or been this - nor will he. There is no, spiritually speaking, common ground.

Chris Maguire, Ventnor, IoW

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