Christians and Muslims …

Christian Century, Jan 11, 2005 by Jonathan C. Shenk

I APPRECIATE William Willimon's carefully worded, thoughtful discussion of the differences and similarities between the Christian and Muslim understandings of God ("Arguing with Muslims," Nov. 16). However, the CENTURY did Willimon a disservice by combining and oversimplifying some of his statements into a quote which they enlarged and set apart. The enlarged phrase, "The God Muslims worship is different from the one Jesus called 'Father,'" leaves a casual reader with the impression that Willimon believes Muslims and Christians don't worship the same God!

However, in his carefully nuanced article Willimon never makes this assertion. He does suggest that Muslims and Christians define and obtain "love," "justice" and "peace" in such different ways that "it's almost as if we were worshiping a different God" (emphasis mine). This nuance of understanding makes a huge difference. Mark Twain said that the difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between "lightning bug" and "lightening bug." With a war in Iraq already taking on shades of the Christian U.S. fighting against Muslim Iraq, we don't need any catchphrases like "we worship different Gods" to add fuel to the flames of religious intolerance.

The suggestion that we worship different Gods also offers a limited understanding of who God is. Certainly the Qur'an and the Bible lift up different aspects of God. God is complex and multifaceted. Even as Muhammad takes a more violent stance at times, the Qur'an dictated to him by God begins each of its 114 Suras or Chapters with the phrase, "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate." It would be presumptuous for Christians to assert that we have the full picture of God and that any insights beyond those parameters suggest that others are worshiping a different God entirely.

A more helpful approach to "arguing with Muslims" would be a shared understanding up front that there is but one God whom we both worship. We come to know this God in a variety of ways, some in agreement and some in disagreement. And then we enter into dialogue to gain insights from each other about this wondrous God we worship together.

Jonathan C. Shenk

First Presbyterian Church of Dutch Neck,

Princeton, N.J.