Posted on 11/30/2006 2:05:10 AM PST by Dallas59
To live peacefully with Muslims and Jews, Christians must put aside the notion that their faith requires the creation of a Christian kingdom on Earth, a Lipscomb University theologian told an interfaith gathering at the university.
"We are not going to get very far in our relationship with Jews or Muslims if we do not let go of this idea," Lipscomb professor Lee Camp said at Tuesday's conference.
The unusual gathering of several dozen clergy and lay people was devoted to resolving religious conflict in Nashville and around the world.
"We need to forsake the Christendom model," Camp said. "The most basic Christian commitment … is that we say we believe in the Lordship of Jesus. But, if we claim that, how can a Muslim or Jew trust us, if we say Jesus is the Lord of all Lords?"
Co-sponsored by the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University, the daylong conference was prompted by a desire to begin a dialogue about global religious conflict.
After five years of rising gas prices, disturbing privacy issues that followed the Sept. 11 attacks and the fear of terrorism, it became apparent that everyday life in Nashville is directly affected by religious conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, conference organizers said.
"We felt like the larger community is calling for this," said Larry Bridgesmith, executive director of Lipscomb's newly established Institute for Conflict Management.
Panelists representing different faiths presented their own views on how to begin to bridge the religious divide.
For Kahled Sakalla, a spokesman for the Islamic Center of Nashville, some of the answers lie in better education about Islam in the non-Muslim world.
Allah, the God Muslims worship, is the same God Christians and Jews worship, and the Quran recounts the same biblical stories of Mary and Jesus, he said.
"Yes, we have differences, but it's important to focus on commonalities," said Sakalla, one of four panelists representing different faiths who addressed the Lipscomb conference.
Mark Schiftan, rabbi of the Temple in Belle Meade, said he also believes people of faith must begin to look for common ground.
"If all of us believe we were created in God's image, then we have to believe that everyone else is also created in God's image," Schiftan said.
Charles McGowan, president of the Christian group Operation Andrew said: "It's important to us in Nashville that we be proactive. Religious leaders must engage one another if we are going to experience in this city the peace and calm we all desire."
But the issues that have divided the world's religions for millennia are so deep and fundamental — ranging from the question of whether the land of Israel rightfully belongs to the Jews and whether there is one way to salvation — that tackling them will require both dialogue with other faiths and a more introspective look at one's own beliefs, panelists said.
Some liberal theologians have suggested that different faiths are all variations on one another and that beliefs are all basically the same, a position with which Camp deeply disagrees.
Instead, he believes, Christians must not back away from their beliefs but further examine them and their own history.
First, Christians must examine their "sins of omission," he said — such as not taking the time to learn about other religions. Then they must look at their "sins of commission."
"We have such short historical (memory) spans as white Christians," he said. "There is a history of anti-Semitism, the violence and bloodshed of the crusades and cultural imperialism. We have to deal with the reality of what Christians have done, which in some cases has been to kill people."
Camp described himself as a conservative Christian but conceded his opinions may be viewed as "radical" by other evangelical Christians.
Christians must shed the idea that they need to promulgate a worldwide Christianity, he said.
"If I hold to a model of Jesus … what I've committed to in my baptism is loving my enemy," Lee said. "I'm committed to not killing you, but to serving and honoring you. It's an exclusive commitment to the way of Christ, not to the exclusive authority of Christ."
Sakalla said there may never be reconciliation on the fundamental theological divisions.
"Every religion has different teachings," he said. "For Muslims, it's: Do you believe in one God and that Muhammad" is his prophet? "I don't think we can teach individuals that the way you go to heaven in other religions is OK. You have to teach differences." •
AMEN!!!
WHich part of "We want you dead - now", do these clowns not understand?
Come on now. Don't you know that nuking people is one of the fruit of the Spirit?
"The most basic Christian commitment … is that we say we believe in the Lordship of Jesus. But, if we claim that, how can a Muslim or Jew trust us, if we say Jesus is the Lord of all Lords?"
I'm not real concerned about ANYBODY trusting me because of my faith.
Oh, that's right, Jesus said, "If they don't beleive in me, then nuke 'em." The reality is that history has witnessed a lot of death in the name of Christianity. Is it behavior Christ would condone, absolutely not. But it is part of our "human" history, and I belive why people have a difficult time trusting Christians at times, especially when Christians deny this history.
I don't know about anyone else, but when I read long, touchy-feely rants from some Christian theologians, I detect an underlying element of fear, great fear. They doth protest too much in the "can't we all get along" verbiage.
In other words, and reading between the lines, some of the clerical intellectuals are saying that the Christian common-folk lambs must lie down with the lions and if they are programmed correctly to get along with the lions they will not be eaten.
These religious elites are really saying "Do not disturb our well-structured lives, our impressive pulpits, our comfy ivory towers, our warm wood-paneled libraries with warnings of jihads. It's in our best interests to continue to encourage the multi-religion gospel so that we can keep the nervous lambs quietly munching the grass while our own lives remain secure and serene.........."
Leni
Mohammad plagarized the writings of the Christians and Jews and twisted them to teachings of murder and hatred.
The reality is that we lost many many more under the banner of atheism. What should we do about the atheists? Hmmm......
?????!!!
Change God's laws so that we can all sit around and sing Kumbaya?
That's a sin?
Sheesh. It's no wonder I can't find a church. All the ministers have been exposed to theologians.
"If I hold to a model of Jesus … what I've committed to in my baptism is loving my enemy," Lee said. "I'm committed to not killing you, but to serving and honoring you. It's an exclusive commitment to the way of Christ, not to the exclusive authority of Christ."
He'll make a fine and eager dhimmi.
WTF?
Roll on, Jedi Master, roll on.
Most Christians other than a few moonbats have done so (sometimes kicking and screaming, yes, but the relevant point is that they did).
Perhaps it would be offensive if you referred to him as Mr. Ratzinger, as you would seem to be catholic; however, when a person who is not catholic refers to him in this way, it should not upset you unduly.
The Lipscomb University theologian will be gone in a few years. The Bible will remain. Hmmm...decisions, decisions.
Basically, any organization with "interfaith" in its name or as a goal is put together to deny the Trinity, and salvation through Christ. Also, it's just the christian faith that is muzzled in interfaith gatherings.
Don't we all just LIVE for the moment when the erudite punch in!!
His title is Pope. Period. Whether you are Catholic, Jewish, Muslim..whatever.
MM
"Don't we all just LIVE for the moment when the erudite punch in!!"
Your point?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.