Tony says, They're Grrrrrreat
I love Tony Campolo, and I tell everyone to read his book, "Speaking My Mind: The Radical Prophet Speaks" because I resonate with so much of what he says. He tackles questions about Homosexuality, Women in ministry and Islam, and up till today, I think he's on the right track. Today, I think Tony is a great sociologist, but find out that he's not so well versed in Islamic studies. The short version is that Campolo thinks the Quran says more about peace, and the protection of Christians to worship Jesus, and Jesus Himself than it does about violence against the unbelievers. He's right, but it doesn't mean that all of those statements negate the verses referring to violence, of which there are many, but 2 in particular that people refer to. From a Biblical Hermeneutic it works. We see that the Old Testament also has verses and passages about violence, but we look at the OT through the lens of Jesus Christ, the gospel of peace.
In the Quran there is tons said about peace, and how great Jews are, and forgiveness, but there are also contradicting verses about killing, violence, and punishment of Jews, and Christians. How Muslims deal with the contradiction holds a key to understanding the passages.
Here's a brief explanation from the Muslim perspective: Muhammad, the prophet, began reciting the revelations from God (Allah) received through the angel Gabriel in Mecca where it was not readily received and he gained few followers. He migrated with his followers to Medina where he gained many followers, political power and strength for Islam. From Medina Islam began to conquer the world for the generation after Muhammad's death. Mecca, therefore, was a place of peace, and Medina, the centre for global conquest.
It's important to understand this because Muslims will resolve the contradiction in the Quran text by explaining that God made revelations to Muhammad in Mecca, the passages regarding peace etc., and revelations in Medina, in a context of conquest, regarding violence and killing etc.
So what's the problem? Well, the rub comes in the next piece of Muslim hermeneutic. It is called abrogation, which holds that if a later revelation of Allah appears to contradict an earlier revelation then the later revelation holds as the authorized revelation (in the sense of the new paradigm for living).
Still lost? Let me bring it together...The Quran chapter 9, given in Medina, verses 5 and 29 states that in order to advance the true religion of Islam you can kill Christians and Jews, "people of the Book" and everyone else. It is an open imperitave given to Muslims. But it's only chapter 9. There are 114 chapters in the Quran...Yes, but they're in order of size. Chapter 9 is the last revelation given to Muhammad, so it abrogates all other contradictary passages.
Tony got it wrong. While they're are many references to peace etc., these are all replaced, abrogated by the last revelation, and these stand as the directives for Islam. It is great that many modern Muslims would say they work from a Mecca context of the Quran, they still have to answer to the abrogated understanding of the Quran directives.
I love Tony, but he really got it wrong on these passages. He's right that we need to respond in grace and peace, and he's equally right that US foreign policy is wrong in it's approach of violence to resolve conflict as a Christian nation, under God, a God of peace. We need to tell the truth, but as we would with Christian sisters and brothers we need to tell it in love, tempered by grace declaring peace to our Muslim sisters and brothers also.
grace,
rZ
In the Quran there is tons said about peace, and how great Jews are, and forgiveness, but there are also contradicting verses about killing, violence, and punishment of Jews, and Christians. How Muslims deal with the contradiction holds a key to understanding the passages.
Here's a brief explanation from the Muslim perspective: Muhammad, the prophet, began reciting the revelations from God (Allah) received through the angel Gabriel in Mecca where it was not readily received and he gained few followers. He migrated with his followers to Medina where he gained many followers, political power and strength for Islam. From Medina Islam began to conquer the world for the generation after Muhammad's death. Mecca, therefore, was a place of peace, and Medina, the centre for global conquest.
It's important to understand this because Muslims will resolve the contradiction in the Quran text by explaining that God made revelations to Muhammad in Mecca, the passages regarding peace etc., and revelations in Medina, in a context of conquest, regarding violence and killing etc.
So what's the problem? Well, the rub comes in the next piece of Muslim hermeneutic. It is called abrogation, which holds that if a later revelation of Allah appears to contradict an earlier revelation then the later revelation holds as the authorized revelation (in the sense of the new paradigm for living).
Still lost? Let me bring it together...The Quran chapter 9, given in Medina, verses 5 and 29 states that in order to advance the true religion of Islam you can kill Christians and Jews, "people of the Book" and everyone else. It is an open imperitave given to Muslims. But it's only chapter 9. There are 114 chapters in the Quran...Yes, but they're in order of size. Chapter 9 is the last revelation given to Muhammad, so it abrogates all other contradictary passages.
Tony got it wrong. While they're are many references to peace etc., these are all replaced, abrogated by the last revelation, and these stand as the directives for Islam. It is great that many modern Muslims would say they work from a Mecca context of the Quran, they still have to answer to the abrogated understanding of the Quran directives.
I love Tony, but he really got it wrong on these passages. He's right that we need to respond in grace and peace, and he's equally right that US foreign policy is wrong in it's approach of violence to resolve conflict as a Christian nation, under God, a God of peace. We need to tell the truth, but as we would with Christian sisters and brothers we need to tell it in love, tempered by grace declaring peace to our Muslim sisters and brothers also.
grace,
rZ
3 Comments:
Rick
Your post re Muslim views should open the eyes of many.
The concept that the last revelation does away with any contradictory previous revelations should clear up many misconceptions that readers have about "peace loving" Muslims.
It makes Muslim Expansionism and the use of terror against Christians and Jews understandable.
While there may be many moderate Muslims who would prefer to live in peace and harmony with those of other faiths they have been hijacked by the Jihadists and others.
History saw this happening many centuries ago whenh Islam expanded to the point where the Christian Nations reacted with the Crusades.
As Christians we need to react to this Muslim Expansionism where the rights of others to believe different than the majority (Muslims) is being forcibly denied.
It may be that a Just War is hard to wage in this day and age but the other alternative is to allow for Islam to take over the world as we know it and have Taliban like regimes in many countries. I shudder at the thought.
We, those who follow Christ, who have a commission to bring the Good News to the World need to use force to ensure the right to evangelize. I am not suggesting evangelizing by force but am suggesting that the West needs to be fighting the insidiousness of Muslim Expansionism.
Thanks for explaing abrogation so clearly.
Well, that's interesting, but my intention was not to incite violence or hate against Muslims. You would be hard pressed to prove a thesis that we should use force to push the right to evangelize. You would be incorrect in posing a "just war" theory as Christian. That is rooted in Babylon, not Christianity. Paul argues, rather, we GIVE UP our rights as Christians. The world uses force. We need to come at it from a different angle. Jesus was crucified against ALL of His rights and without defense.
peace,
rZ
Rick
I suppose it is easy to think I am suggesting the prime reason for standing up to and resisting with force the Islam Expansionists is to have the right to evangelize.
The resistance and Just War would be to protect the lives of the innocents who differ from the followers of Islam who view that
they must kill those who refuse to give up their faith and become Islam. It would also be to protect the citizens of those Western Nations who are being targeted by these extremists.
I would agree with you that as Christians we may have given up our rights to wronging personal attacks but as citizens of the West and other countries we also have a responsibility to protect the innocent.
Pacifism and the rejection of the Use of Force is not the only way for Christians. Force needs to be used to resist evil. Christians need to be part of the Armed Forces of countries they live in.
While I agree with you that as much as possible we should be at peace with others I also remember the part of that phrase " as much as is possible". There are situations where Force is needed and required.
Of course, Rick, you must realize that I amk speaking as a person who wrked for Corrections Manitoba for 20 plus years as a Correctional Officer , Manager and Security Operations Specialist.
Persoanlly, I have had to Use Force to enforce the law and regulations and protect others on many occasions. That fits well within me Christian Experience and does not take away from my being compassionatte and loving.
John
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home