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Some Principles of Christian Mission to Muslims Loma Linda University TheScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research, Scholarship & Creative Works Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects 6-1983 Some Principles of Christian Mission to Muslims James S. D. Langford Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd Part of the Islamic Studies Commons, and the Missions and World Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Langford, James S. D., "Some Principles of Christian Mission to Muslims" (1983). Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects. 643. https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/643 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by TheScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research, Scholarship & Creative Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects by an authorized administrator of TheScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research, Scholarship & Creative Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract SOME PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN MISSION TO MUSLIMS by James S. 0. Langford This thesis is an effort to determine what principles should be formulated in Christian missfon to Muslims to lead them to the saving power of Jesus Christ. The subject matter has been divided into two parts: 1) information relevant to theological doctrines and 2) the recommendations or findings .. In the first part in regard to the doctrine of sin, Christianity advocates faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ as the remedy for His believers, while Islam believes that man is good by nature and Allah's remedy is the Quran. Consequently, Muslims do not recognize a- need for salvation in the Christian sense. Although there are differences, the Christian God is the same Being as the Muslim Allah. The claims that Muhammad was the Biblical Old Testament prophet from the brethren of Moses and the New Testament paraclete are examined and rejected. A Quranic reference to the second coming of Christ is discussed. Various reasons are presented to substantiate the certainty that the Bible has remained virtually unchanged. Lastly, in part one common a1 it i _es between Is1 am and Seventh-day Aav·ent ism i 11 ustra te how this Christian denomination has been successful in winning some Muslim converts. The recommendations of part two are based on principles of effective cross-cultural communication. Christians should delay the use of certain easily-misunderstood terminology. While the supreme objective is to present Christ, the doctrines concerning Christ are to be deferred in the presentation. The Muslim convert to Christianity should be encouraged to remain in his community as a continuing witness for Christ. Finally, every effort should be made to divorce Christianity from Western culture. A major problem in Christian-Muslim dialogue is the misunder- standing they each hold concerning the other and the polemic approaches each employs. This thesis attempts to suggest better understandings. 2 LINIVERSITY Lkc LOMA LINDA, CAUFORNIA LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY Graduate School SOME PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN MISSION TO MUSLIMS by James S. D. Langford A Thesis in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Religion June 1983 Each person whose signature appears below certifies that this thesis in his opinion is adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree Master of Arts. „ , Chairman Dalton D. Baldwin, Professor of Christian Theology An -es A. Haddad, Proféssór df Anthropology-Sociology ert Borge Sch.antz,\tecturqr in Mission ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank my guidance committee members for their help, but also want to emphasize to the reader that the responsibility for the conclusions in this thesis rests entirely with the author. I would like to express my gratitude for aid received from the studies at the in-depth, live-in, six-week summer 1981 ministry to Muslim course taught at The Samuel Zwemer Institute in Pasadena, California, of which Don M. McCurry is the Executive Director and primary teacher. However, for the much greater part an invaluable assistance was rendered from the books, lectures, and personal help from my Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, Dr. Robert C. Darnell. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 PART ONE THEOLOGICAL DOCTRINES I. SIN 5 Islamic Perspective 5 Christian View 9 Christian Guilt Versus Muslim Shame 15 II. SALVATION 17 Islamic Perspective 17 Christian View 18 III. GOD 23 Question of Whether God is the Same God in Islam and Christianity 23 Love of God 25 Unityof God 27 Christian Trinity 30 IV. MUHAMMAD WAS NOT THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET 38 V. MUHAMMAD WAS NOT THE NEW TESTAMENT PARACLETE 40 VI. QURANIC RECOGNITION OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST 45 VII. THE HOLY BIBLE 49 Muslims Reading the Bible 49 The Bible Unchanged 50 Muslim View of the Corruption of the Bible 50 Dead Sea Scrolls 56 Gospel of Barnabas Compared with New Testament Manuscripts 58 Development of the Quranic Text 59 Quranic Abrogation 61 Quran Says God's Word Cannot Be Changed 62 Quran Does Not Say Bible Was Changed 63 iv VIII- COMMONALITIES OF ISLAM AND ADVENTISM 66 Moral Law 66 Judgment Day Message 75 The Beast 76 The Mark of the Beast 82 Islam in Biblical Prophecy 87 Health 89 Diet 90 Abstinence from Liquor 92 State of the Dead 93 Entrance into Heaven 95 Adventist View 95 Islamic Perspective 97 PART TWO RECOMMENDATIONS IX. EMPLOY CROSS-CULTURAL EVANGELISM 100 Proper Planning 102 Encyclopedic References 104 Judaism 104 Christianity 104 Islam 105 Absence of Argumentation 106 Cultural Relativism 106 Ethnocentrism 108 Mutual Respect and Coordination 109 Bridge Building 112 Jesus Christ 112 The Quran 113 Christian Aid 115 People Group Approach 117 Group Conversion 118 Mass Media 121 Dialogue 121 Holy Spirit 123 X. DELAY THE USE OF CERTAIN PHRASES 125 Try to Avoid Anything Offensive 125 Son of God 127 Lord Jesus 133 Kingdom of God 134 Messiah Means Christ 135 God as Father 136 XI. PRESENT CHRIST 139 Do Not Attack Muhammad but Accent His Good Qualities 139 The Crucifixion 142 The Resurrection 148 Deity of Christ as the Incarnation of God 153 XII. ENCOURAGE MUSLIM CONVERT TO REMAIN IN HIS COMMUNITY 160 XIII. DIVORCE CHRISTIANITY FROM WESTERN CULTURE 163 REFERENCES 173 BIBLIOGRAPHY 204 APPENDIX I 214 APPENDIX II 215 vi INTRODUCTION From the time of the inception of Islam, the light of God in Christianity has had to contend with it as it has zealously attracted many devotees. The evangelistic task of Christian missionaries has been consistently thwarted by those who follow Muhammad and his book, The Holy Quran. Although propagation of the Christian Gospel has been pursued with profundity and fervor through the centuries, Muslims especially have persistently resisted it. Statement of the Problem The problem is to formulate principles which can be used by missionaries to Muslims at home and abroad so that Christian mission to them can be more effective. With a greater understanding of the Muslim's perception of Christianity, there is a better chance of gaining leverage with him as the eternal Gospel is presented in a manner which could be more appealing to him. Importance There is a very definite need for this study in that for fourteen centuries Muslims have adamantly resisted all forms of Christian evangelism. This actuality, plus the fact that over 800 million Muslims comprise approximately one-fifth of the world's population, makes their evangelization imperative in implementation of Christ's Great Commission. The main reason productive ministry to Muslims is so difficult is because Islam is more than a religion: it is a combination of religion and state and is a way of life. In some parts of the world even today a Muslim's conversion to Christianity 2 is considered an act of treason bearing the death penalty. Christians, therefore, can only do their best to present the Gospel, including the fall of mankind through Adam and Eve's original sin, draw attention to the love of Jesus Who was the Creator, and let the Holy Spirit activate the Muslim mind to perceive his need for God as the Redeemer of mankind. Definition of Terms As there are a number of terms which will be unfamiliar to the typical Christian reader, a glossary has been provided at the end. However, there are three important terms used in this thesis which will be discussed. Islamic "dawah" is the counterpart of Christian mission. The spelling of the word "Koran" has to some extent been replaced by "Quran." Pertaining to the words "Moslem" and "Muslim," both refer to the people who submit themselves to God as adherents of the religion of Islam. "Moslem" is the anglicized and older form while "Muslim.," being the transliteration of what the Arab would say, is predominantly used in academic writing today and is the accepted form. This thesis makes no attempt to transliterate Arabic words but uses a near English equivalent and treats the words as English words. Therefore Arabic words are not underlined and contain no diacritical markings except when used in direct quotations. (See glossary for transliterations.) Approach The approach of this study has been to utilize the perspective of cross-cultural communication of the Gospel to Muslims so that they may more readily identify with material that is specifically targeted to them. This thesis has been divided into two major parts: part one analyzes and compares theological doctrines which provide a back- ground for dissemination to Muslims of information concerning Christian- ity and God's word, The Holy Bible. Part two presents a number of recommendations for ministry to Muslims as an adaptation of the material previously investigated. PART ONE THEOLOGICAL DOCTRINES Part one is comprised, in particular, of chapters with informa- tion relating to the theological doctrines of sin, salvation, and God. The considerations that Muhammed was neither the Old Testament Prophet nor the New Testament paraclete are studied.
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