Is it Wrong to Call the Christian God 'Allah'?
One of America’s pre-eminent evangelicals is challenging the advice of a retiring Roman Catholic Bishop in the Netherlands who has raised eyebrows worldwide by suggesting Dutch Christians pray to “Allah”.
by Michelle Vu, Christian Today US Correspondent
Posted: Friday, August 24, 2007, 7:57 (BST)
One of America’s pre-eminent evangelicals is challenging the advice of a retiring Roman Catholic Bishop in the Netherlands who has raised eyebrows worldwide by suggesting Dutch Christians pray to “Allah.”
Last Monday, during an interview with a Dutch TV programme, 71-year-old Bishop Tiny Muskens promoted the idea of Dutch Christians calling God Allah, believing that it would ease much of the conflict between the Christian and Muslim faiths. Muskens contended that God doesn’t mind what He is called and the arguments over what to call Him is an invention of man.
“Allah is a very beautiful word for God. Shouldn’t we all say that from now on we will name God Allah? …What does God care what we call Him? It is our problem,” said Muskens, according to The Associated Press.
Dr R Albert Mohler, Jr, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, argues that it is inappropriate for Christians to call God Allah because of irreconcilable theological differences associated with the name Allah and core Christian beliefs.
The key condition behind calling the Christian God Allah is that Allah must refer to the same God as the one in the Bible. However, this requirement presents “a huge problem for both Muslims and Christians”, contends Mohler.
The theologian pointed out that the Qur’an explicitly denies that Allah has a son, and Islam considers the idea of a triune God to be blasphemy.
“Thus, from its very starting point Islam denies what Christianity takes as its central truth claim – the fact that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father,” wrote Mohler on his web blog Wednesday.
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Added: Friday, August 31, 2007, 22:28 (BST)
Psalm 2:7 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
7I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
How can u claim tha Jesus is the only begotten son?
here is the quotation that was posted on your site.
"“Thus, from its very starting point Islam denies what Christianity takes as its central truth claim – the fact that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father,” wrote Mohler on his web blog Wednesday."
So How many beegotten son did god have?
zaf, uk
Added: Thursday, August 30, 2007, 21:49 (BST)
Please remember that not all Dutch Christians applaud the dubious statement made by the bishop. In our Christian community in Zutphen but also elsewhere in our country it has even been condemmed. Kind regards from Zutphen.
Victor Honig, Zutphen, The Netherlands
Added: Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 14:35 (BST)
Who is Allah that you are supposed to pray to? The same Allah of the Muslims ? For Dutch Christians to call the God of the bible Allah is intended to appease who? They should not state that they believe in the God of the Bible openly to prevent confrontation? Why should it be confrontational in any case? Islam is peaceful, is it not?
Consider Mat 10:33: " But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."
If it is suggested that they are not denying the God of the Bible, come on !!
andre, Pinetown
Added: Wednesday, August 29, 2007, 12:42 (BST)
If you can call him Allah, then why not call him Bhagvan (as they call him in India). It makes no sense to call him Allah if in fact we can call him Jehovah, or Elohim. Is someone suggesting to call him allah so that we can please the arab muslims ? I too am a Catholic but i think it is very very improper for any Bishop to call our Abba Father as Allah !
Minguel, Kuwait
Added: Sunday, August 26, 2007, 21:55 (BST)
Who do you claim to be God? Jesus, Buddah, Allah, etc.
JengoPop, Salt Lake City, USA
Added: Sunday, August 26, 2007, 18:56 (BST)
God does care what He is called, He has many names. No wonder secular society does not want anything to do with religion as a whole.
What a pity, that we cannot even agree on what God's name is.
Mila, Ocala Fl USA
Added: Saturday, August 25, 2007, 0:41 (BST)
The use of this term for God does not represent the Biblical God.
It would be important for Christians to not use this word because it does not represent the Biblical God. To avoid confusion there should be a distinction between the pagan god of Islam and the true God of the Bible.
Allah= Has no gender (not male and not female)
"He" is used only out of respect and dignity - not for gender
Allah = Always singular - Never plural
"We" is used only as the "Royal WE" just as in English for royalty
Allah =Means "The Only One to be Worshipped"
JHamilton, US
Added: Friday, August 24, 2007, 18:21 (BST)
As a Christian theologian and minister who sub-specialized in Islamic studies and who has lived in the Middle East, I think that this entire matter is silly on at least two counts: 1) For non-Arabic speakers to call God Allah is no more sensible than referring to him in any other language besides their own vernacular. Should the Dutch call him "Dieu" in order to please the French? BUT 2) Get a clue, Christians, there were Arabic-speaking Christians for centuries before Islam, and "Allah" is Arabic for God. To say that Arabic-speaking Christians should avoid "Allah" because Muslims are non-Trinitarian (and therefore supposedly are not talking about the same God) not only flies in the face of history, it also would require Christians to stop using not only the word "God," which after all is only "god" capitalized, but also to avoid sharing any terminology with Jews, since Jews aren't Trinitarian either. It appears to me that Muslims, liberal Christians, and conservative Christians are in a contest to see who can be the most idiotic, and that conservative Christians intend to win at all costs.
Ed, Phoenix, AZ, USA
