Here's a statement from the Church of Ireland's Guidelines for Interfaith Events & Dialogue.
"All our encounters with
people of other faiths must be based on the Christian
principles of faith, hope and love. They ought also to
be based on respect for human rights, tolerance of difference
and openness to new experiences and fresh
learning. When we welcome the stranger, we can often
find we are entertaining angels (Genesis 18: 1-15) and
even encountering Christ Himself (Matthew 25: 35,
38-40)."
I totally agree with the aspect that when we encounter other faiths we ought to conduct ourselves in faith, hope & love, with respect and tolerance.
I remember sitting in the lobby of 'Le Meridian' Hotel in Cairo having a friendly and informative discussion with a Muslim friend about the differences in our beliefs. It was good natured in tone and I believe in heart. Also in relationships with many non-Christian's & Roman Catholic friends I try to conduct myself in grace & love towards them; though uncompromising the truths of Scripture.
But here's the thing I have difficulty with in the above statement;
In talking of our 'Interfaith' dealings, or hospitality to other religions, we cannot use texts such as Matt 25:35,38-40 or Gen 18:1-5.
Surely these texts apply to the complete stranger, yet fail if we know that this person is of a different religion than Christianity. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is the only way to God & Heaven, Jesus Himself declared "I am the way the truth & the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me." And so all other religions are false & so in opposition with the teachings of Christ.
So when we are with those whom we know to be non-Christians (from the atheist to those of a different religion) we should conduct ourselves in grace & love towards them, yet it remains pretty obvious that we are not entertaining Angels, and that that person is not Christ!
*Update 29-05-08: After a light read of the whole document, I found a couple of other statements I may have issues with but also a fair bit of good advice.
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
About Boaly
Gary has been involved in printing the Scriptures for 20 years, enjoys photography and rambling online
4 comments:
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I think you're right these are not the best texts to use certainly not the Matthew passage.
I think it is OK to offer hospitality to folks of other religions, based on common humanity, but certainly not on such a basis as "principles of faith, hope and love".... as well as that my big problem is with offering it to those who claim to be Christian but by their lives/conduct/practice and theology in effect deny that to such we are to offer no hospitality at all,
2 John 1:7-11 “7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”
I would also worry about this clause....
"openness to new experiences and fresh
learning."
I am to have zero openness to any experience not permitted/prescribed in the Bible...and quite frankly no one can bring me fresh learning in spiritual terms unless they are basing their learning upon the Bible..and other religions do not do that.
Paul -
12:52 pm
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Yeh, just to clarify when I said
"I totally agree with the aspect that when we encounter other faiths we ought to conduct ourselves in faith, hope & love, with respect and tolerance."
I would mean my conduct to be faith in Christ, Hope in Christ and Love for Christ & for them as human beings.
Not that I would share in faith with them or that my hope is in the same place as theirs. Nor that my love for them would be that of a brother in Christ but of a 'neighbour' or as you rightly say based on coomon humanity.
I should have clarified that on the post.
Gal 1:8 sprung to my mind about those who 'preach any other gospel', whether thats a so called 'christian' gospel or another religion.
& I was tempted to say that the only angel we'd find with another religion would be a fallen angel, & the only christ we'd find in another religion is an antichrist but hey - I just said it now!
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a huge Amen to your comment Paul.
Just to quote Mr Spurgeon:
"To be plain, we are unable to call thaese things christian unions, they begin to look like confederacies in evil... It is our solemn conviction that where there can be no real spiritual communion there should be no pretence of fellowship.
Fellowship with known and vital error is participation in sin." -
1:15 pm
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I knew what YOU meant fine...I have doubts about what the COI means! :-)
Paul -
2:33 pm
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Yeh I would have similar doubts myself!
Its easy to see the step from this to the question the Church of England are asking about evangelizing other religions.
Sad but i'm wondering what will come up in reading the rest of this document? -
2:40 pm
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