CAN ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY COEXIST?

Many years ago, I sat in a group of community leaders in a suburb of Sydney preparing to discuss youth crime. A fine looking black bearded man introduced himself as a Muslim Imman. I responded warmly and he smiled. The next question came left field. "Why don't you come over to the true religion - Islam. It's a beautiful religion, so simple - it's 'submission' to Allah."

I replied softly, "I'm very happy in my Christian faith."

His face changed and he looked me in the eye, waving his finger in the air, " I can tell you that Australia will become and Islamic state, whether it takes 10, 50 or 100 years."

A year or two later my workplace collaborated with another agency and I found myself co-leading a variety of groups with a strong feminist Muslim woman - no hijab, no restraint in challenging Islamic authorities over treatment of women, including female genital mutilation. It was a steep learning curve for me.

The question of compatibility between Islam and Christianity continues to sit on my shoulder. It's never far from my thoughts.

John Anderson recently raised this question with two experts in this field.

Dr. Mark Durie and Dr. Richard Shumack to explore the complex relationship between Islam and Western culture, drawing a contrast between Muhammad’s leadership, shaped by military endeavours, and Jesus’s Gospel of peace. They discuss how Islam’s foundational texts—the Quran and Hadiths—emphasise submission and sacred struggle, which stands in tension with Western values like freedom and the rule of law. A lack of theological literacy in the West obscures the roots of current challenges, including Hamas’ extremism and rising anti-Semitism.

click link:  https://johnanderson.net.au/can-islam-co-exist-dr-mark-durie-and-dr-richard-schumack/

The interview is a little under 2 hours but well worth the time.

https://johnanderson.net.au/can-islam-co-exist-dr-mark-durie-and-dr-richard-schumack/