In my last post, I discussed the difference between Christian and Islamic views of politics. These differences are very serious. Furthermore, as you add the exclusivity claims of both religions and the view of secularists that view both religions as unable to come to any truth-claims, politicians wonder how we won't come to blows in some "clash of civilizations."
Michael Horton at The White Horse Inn ("The Mission Statement", begin about 8:50) disagrees with the conclusion that there will be a class of civilizations. Horton says, "It's only a clash of civilization, Christian and Muslim, if Christianity is equivalent to Modernity. [The clash] is Islam versus Modernity, not versus Christianity because Islam is simultaneously a missionary-political faith. When Christianity has been, over centuries of its history, like that it has been unfaithful to the New Testament. When Islam does it, it is being faithful to the Qur'an.
Ken Jones makes a good point when he says that Christians need to do a better job a living as neighbors of different faiths, and different cultures. "We are either trying to Americanize them along with their religion and we've been intolerant," says Jones, "or at that other extreme we've been absorbent so that religious differences have been minimized, but that idea of pluralism is not something we've done a good job at."
People fear Christian involvement in politics in the public arena because there is [wrongly] a sense that the advance of Christianity equals the elimination of political toleration for all groups. However Horton points out that Christians have to preach what the Bible teaches us:
Christians need to articulate that we believe in political and religious pluralism, and can't defend coercion of others by political force, but reserve the right of free speech to preach what we believe. Christianity equals peace and non-coercion by force.
Michael Horton at The White Horse Inn ("The Mission Statement", begin about 8:50) disagrees with the conclusion that there will be a class of civilizations. Horton says, "It's only a clash of civilization, Christian and Muslim, if Christianity is equivalent to Modernity. [The clash] is Islam versus Modernity, not versus Christianity because Islam is simultaneously a missionary-political faith. When Christianity has been, over centuries of its history, like that it has been unfaithful to the New Testament. When Islam does it, it is being faithful to the Qur'an.
Ken Jones makes a good point when he says that Christians need to do a better job a living as neighbors of different faiths, and different cultures. "We are either trying to Americanize them along with their religion and we've been intolerant," says Jones, "or at that other extreme we've been absorbent so that religious differences have been minimized, but that idea of pluralism is not something we've done a good job at."
People fear Christian involvement in politics in the public arena because there is [wrongly] a sense that the advance of Christianity equals the elimination of political toleration for all groups. However Horton points out that Christians have to preach what the Bible teaches us:
"[26 ] For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, [27 ] but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26-27 ESV)"However as Horton points out that Christians are not executing that judgment, we are proclaiming forgiveness and grace so that people who are under that wrath--like ourselves--will not be under it on "that day."
Christians need to articulate that we believe in political and religious pluralism, and can't defend coercion of others by political force, but reserve the right of free speech to preach what we believe. Christianity equals peace and non-coercion by force.
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