Christianity Today recently asked ten evangelical church leaders this question: Should Christians Fast During Ramadan With Muslims? Even someone as cynical about organized religion as me was surprised at the responses. Take the following quote by Ben Ries, pastor of Sterling Drive Church of Christ, Bellingham, Wash:
There’s such fragmentation between the Christian community and the Muslim community that it makes sense to me that we participate in something that is both inherently Christian and, for Muslims, inherently Islamic, to build bridges of peace.
Sadly, Mr. Ries is not alone. More than half the respondents seem to have a neutral, if not favorable view toward celebrating Ramadan alongside Muslims.
Call me a nimbus, but I don’t get it. Islam is founded on an explicit rejection of Christ as Savior and Lord. The Muslim concept of God is not the God revealed in Scripture. Ramadan is part and parcel of a false system of worship. So how in the world have we come to a place where Christians can worship unapologetically alongside Muslims?
Brian Mclaren is one of the reasons why.
As one of the leading voices in the Emergent movement, McClaren recently announced on his blog
This year, I, along with a few Christian friends (and perhaps others currently unknown to us will want to join in) will be joining Muslim friends in the fast which begins August 21. We are not doing so in order to become Muslims: we are deeply committed Christians. But as Christians, we want to come close to our Muslim neighbors and to share this important part of life with them. Just as Jesus, a devout Jew, overcame religious prejudice and learned from a Syrophonecian woman and was inspired by her faith two thousand years ago (Matthew 15:21 ff, Mark 7:24 ff), we seek to learn from our Muslim sisters and brothers today.
I’m not sure what’s more disconcerting, that Mclaren said Jesus “overcame religious prejudice” or that Mclaren called Muslims “sisters and brothers.” And this is one of the spokespersons for the Emerging church?
Something is really wrong.
Christians are doing a disservice to Muslims by not telling them the truth about their eternal state. I fear that in seeking common ground, we are destroying our own foundations. Building bridges is okay… provided the folks on the other side don’t have the pox.
Good grief. Unbelievable. So Jesus must be "fully human" to this guy and forget the "fully God" part. I could care less if they feel their fasting with Muslims will gain them some kind of favor with them. (Probably liberal in their politics, too.) But this quote is sickening. Off the mark. Ridiculous. (And this has nothing to do with Muslim people as individuals–this has everything to do with Christians who don't know who He truly is.)
I agree with both of you that this circumstance goes beyond a warm-fuzzy "understanding" to more of a capitulation.
Going back to your post about the devil, I think a better way to approach Ramadan is something I found out about through YWAM. There is a movement of 40 days of prayer for the Muslim world that is designed to coincide with Ramadan. It is not building bridges – it is spiritual warfare to see strongholds torn down. I've seen many reports of Muslims, being especially seeking during this time, having visions of Jesus and getting saved.
I would suggest this is a better way to show our care and concern for Muslims.
Jason, I love that idea. But it's over this year, right? I suppose we could still pray. And why not pray for Jews during Hanukkah?
But to the point … well, sort of. When we lived in Tanzania, we met a number of Muslims. One told us the common practice of Ramadan was to fast, yes, but that was only until 6:00. Then the feasting began. In other words, it had the appearance of sacrifice, but there was a lot of gluttony and drunkenness connected with the observation.
Whether that's true in the Arab world or not, in other parts of Africa, in Indonesia or the Philippines or not, I don't know.
But I wonder if these emerging Christians are ready to jump in with both feet. Will they also take a pilgrimage to Mecca? Rub the tummy of a Buddhist idol? Refuse to kill rats as the Hindus do? Seriously, are Christians supposed to follow all the religious externals of all other religions?
And yet, I thought the emerging church was opposed to the religiosity of Christianity. Other religion rituals are OK, it's just the Christian ones they object to?
To me this seems no different than serving Baal alongside Yahweh. YIKES!
Becky