By Mark Hensch | CP Contributor

Carl Medearis is a writer equally at home in East and West. Currently residing in Denver, Colo., he also spent 12 years in Beirut, Lebanon. These experiences have made the scribe a specialist on Christian-Muslim relations and a rare voice linking Americans with the Arab world.

Medearis' work on both sides of the Atlantic produced 2008's Muslims, Christians, and Jesus: Gaining Understanding and Building Relationships. It quickly gained popularity as an important guide for interfaith interaction, and has since been turned into a video seminar series for churches and missionaries that was released in September.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Medearis maintains that peace between Christians and Muslims remains vital as the number following each faith closes. With 9/11's legacy still looming large a decade later, he argues that Christians and Muslims must cooperate to keep the world safe.

Love Your Enemies from The Austin Stone on Vimeo.

Rev. Colin Chapman

The Bush Administration responded to 9/11 with "the war on terror." Anders Breivik committed his crimes on 22 July 2011 because he felt that Europe as a whole, and Norway in particular, had been naive in their response to Islam. Have we learned anything from what has happened in the last ten years about the way we think about Islam and relate to Muslims, and can we articulate a considered, long-term response to these events? This is my own personal check-list of ways in which I believe all of us in Europe – and Christians in particular – should be responding to these challenges.

1. Establishing genuine relationships with Muslims. Many of those who are most fearful about Islam have little or no personal contacts with Muslims. A recent doctoral researcher in the UK has concluded that "those who had ongoing friendships with Muslims tended to be more eirenic than those who had not lived in the Muslim world or had no Muslim friends." Perhaps, therefore, we need to be much more intentional in this area and ask ourselves "How can I/we develop natural relationships with the Muslims in my community?"
]]> 9/11 IN THE USA and 7/22 IN NORWAY: FACING OUR FEARS ABOUT MUSLIMS AND ISLAM

Rev. Colin Chapman

The Bush Administration responded to 9/11 with “the war on terror.” Anders Breivik committed his crimes on 22 July 2011 because he felt that Europe as a whole, and Norway in particular, had been naive in their response to Islam. Have we learned anything from what has happened in the last ten years about the way we think about Islam and relate to Muslims, and can we articulate a considered, long-term response to these events? This is my own personal check-list of ways in which I believe all of us in Europe – and Christians in particular – should be responding to these challenges.

1. Establishing genuine relationships with Muslims. Many of those who are most fearful about Islam have little or no personal contacts with Muslims. A recent doctoral researcher in the UK has concluded that “those who had ongoing friendships with Muslims tended to be more eirenic than those who had not lived in the Muslim world or had no Muslim friends.” Perhaps, therefore, we need to be much more intentional in this area and ask ourselves “How can I/we develop natural relationships with the Muslims in my community?”
2. Challenging our fears and prejudices. One way to deal with our fears about the growing numbers and influence of Muslims is firstly to articulate them, and to talk them through with people who have a lot more to do with Muslims than we do. This should help us to recognize the important issues which really do need to be faced and to challenge the scaremongering about scenarios that are never likely to happen. We also need to be honest about our prejudices, which are related either to race, religion, culture or politics – or a potent mixture of all of these.
3. Learning more about Islam and Muslims. Fear is often a product of ignorance or prejudice. If governments in the West have realized the importance of ensuring that children in schools are made aware of other faiths, all our churches and voluntary organisations need to find ways of encouraging all their members to learn more about the faith and practice of Islam. This may require strong leadership from the top, and has implications for teaching at all levels – including preaching, discipleship teaching, and lay and ministerial training.
4. Understanding the diversity within the Muslim community. Ignorance and fear often combine to make us think that many Muslims, in their heart of hearts, are like the stereotypes that we see in the media. The basic core of beliefs and practice that are required of all Muslims is much more clearly defined than it is in the Christian community. But a moment’s reflection on the wide diversity that exists among Christians of different countries and cultures all over the world should convince us that there are likely to be similar differences among Muslims. They’re not all the same!
5. Listening to the concerns of Muslims about our societies. Because we’re incurably ethnocentric, we tend to think that the way we do things in our society is bound to be the best or the right way. So instead of constantly defending everything that we do, perhaps we need to listen more to what Muslims think about our societies. While they may sometimes be very affirmative – partly because of what they are glad to have left behind in other countries – at other times, their criticisms may help us to “see ourselves as others see us.”
6. Understanding our history of immigration. If we have at the back of our minds, ideas about the “purity” of our race or nation, we need our historians to remind us of the many different kinds of immigration that have taken place all over Europe for centuries. We also need our sociologists to help us to understand how immigrants (like the Irish, Poles, European Jews) have actually adapted to their new host countries. If some have refused to adapt or assimilate, others have done so quite quickly and with considerable enthusiasm.
7. Supporting those who are working more closely with Muslims. If we have no Muslims around us to relate to, or feel that we are unable to do anything practical ourselves, we should be helping those who are at the cutting edge in ways that we ourselves cannot be. Many churches and organisations working in multi-racial areas really do understand what the issues are and how to relate to the Muslim communities around them, and desperately need spiritual, moral and financial support for their hidden work which seldom hits the headlines.
8. Engaging in the public debate about the sensitive and divisive issues. Whether these debates are about immigration, quotas for asylum seekers, the hijab and the burqa, minarets or the admission of Turkey into the EU, instead of criticising from the sidelines, more of us need to be involved in these debates in the media. This may mean contributing to a phone-in on local or national radio, writing to a newspaper or meeting with our member of parliament. If we make excuses like “It takes too much time and work”, “It won’t achieve anything” or “Other people are better at this sort of thing that I am”, we should stop complaining about the ways our societies are changing. If we reject the models based on certain understandings of multiculturalism and those which seek to return to some kind of Christendom, do we have an alternative model to commend which is convincing and attractive?
9. Understanding the big international issues. One of the saddest things about the American response to 9/11 was that instead of stopping to ask themselves “Why are these people so angry and do they have good reason to be angry?”, they channelled their anger largely into “the war on terror.” But it’s hardly surprising that Palestinians feel angry that the only super-power in the world (the USA) has been unable and/or unwilling to persuade Israel to stop building its illegal settlements on the West Bank; and it’s hardly surprising that for many Arabs and Muslims the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is high up on their list of grievances against the West. So in our globalized world where everything is inter-connected, perhaps we need to be more aware – and perhaps more critical – of the policies of our governments regarding North Africa and the Middle East, Iran and Afghanistan, because these are bound to affect the attitudes of Muslims towards our countries.
10. Engaging in the “hard talk” with Muslims. We shouldn’t be surprised if Muslims are defensive when we challenge them over issues like honour killings, the equality of the sexes, the treatment of Muslims who convert to another faith, and the desire of some to establish a parallel legal system for Muslims that is based on shari‘a law. It’s sad when these are the first or the only issues that some want to talk about with Muslims. And it’s equally sad when others – out of ignorance, fear, excessive respect or political correctness – feel that it’s never appropriate to raise these questions. But if we have established meaningful relationships with Muslims and begun to practise some of the principles outlined here, we may have won the right to challenge them on these difficult issues. There certainly is a place of “hard talk”; but it should be only one aspect of our wider dialogue with Muslims.

While soundly condemning the atrocities of 9/11 and 7/22, therefore, Christians, Muslims and people of no faith are called to some deep soul-searching: Are there any ways in which what we believe and what we say in public could ever encourage someone else to commit crimes like these? In our democratic and pluralist societies, facing our fears and anxieties in ways like these should help us to live together as fellow-citizens – even when we differ profoundly in our beliefs. And for Muslims and Christians in particular, these responses may contribute to a real meeting of hearts and minds which enables us to bear witness to our knowledge and experience of God.

]]> http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/09/a-guest-blog-from-scholar-and-friend-colin-chapman/feed/ 1 http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/09/muslims-christians-and-jesus-dvd-promo/ http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/09/muslims-christians-and-jesus-dvd-promo/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:25:56 +0000 Carl Medearis http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/?p=949 ]]>
]]> http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/09/muslims-christians-and-jesus-dvd-promo/feed/ 0 http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/the-word-christian/ http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/the-word-christian/#comments Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:49:51 +0000 Carl Medearis http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/?p=944 ]]>
]]> http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/the-word-christian/feed/ 28 http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/initial-thoughts-on-my-new-cnn-article/ http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/initial-thoughts-on-my-new-cnn-article/#comments Fri, 12 Aug 2011 21:26:09 +0000 Carl Medearis http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/?p=929 CNN has asked me to write another article on the difference between "following Jesus" and simply "becoming a Christian." Of course, I'm happy to oblige. So....hope you don't mind, but I'd like to work this out a bit with you guys and let you make comments to help shape this article.
]]> CNN has asked me to write another article on the difference between “following Jesus” and simply “becoming a Christian.” Of course, I’m happy to oblige. So….hope you don’t mind, but I’d like to work this out a bit with you guys and let you make comments to help shape this article.

Whenever I take leaders from here on trips to the Middle East, the first, and by far, most controversial thing everyone runs into is the fact that they are meeting some Muslims who claim to be “following Jesus” but have not become “Christians.” Talk about semantics – everyone’s head spins. What does this mean? And then…we get into the fact that I rarely would call myself or identify myself as a “Christian” even here in the States, but also prefer the label “Follower of Jesus.”

Is this new trendiness? Emergent? Trying to avoid persecution and appear in some way acceptable to the culture – either in the Muslim world or in the Post-Christian western world? Or…maybe it’s just me trying to create a buzz – as we saw with the first CNN article, controversy sells. Although not sure what it was “selling” since I don’t get paid for that type of thing, but….

There are three reasons why I think it works better, has more integrity, and is actually more biblical to NOT call yourself a “Christian” and DO call yourself a “Follower of Jesus.”

1. Pragmatically, the word “Christian” doesn’t mean what we’d like it to mean – or maybe even, should mean. It just doesn’t. Serbians are all Christians – is that what we mean? And so are the drug lords south of the border – they’re all Catholic, which is a type of Christian. Most of Sub-Saharan Africa is Christian. Eighty-five percent of Americans still self-identify as Christian. For 2000 years, many have called themselves Christian that haven’t been following Jesus in any way – do we really want to use that term?

It’s slightly provocative, but I refer you to the word “gay.” I could insist it means that I’m happy. And it does. And I am. So am I gay? In the way the culture uses that word today, no. I’m not gay. I’m just happy. And happily married to my female wife.

So it is with Christian. I can insist that it means someone who’s life has been changed by the power of the gospel. That I love God and love people. That I follow the ways and teachings of Jesus and have been transformed from the inside-out. That I have given my life to love and obey the commands of my savior – primarily to love and serve. I can insist that “being Christian” means that. But since the culture doesn’t see it meaning that, why not use words that communicate to the hearer what we actually mean, rather than insist on words that for sure communicate the wrong thing.

In the Middle East, as in much of the world, being Christian means that you are pro-American. Probably conservative in your political outlook. Pro-war. Anti-choice. Anti-gay rights. And someone who wants your money for some cause and makes you feel guilty that you don’t go to church on Sunday. Now…to be fair, I know very few Christians of any stripe that really live all of that out in such negative ways – but I’m speaking here of perceptions. And whether this is reality or not, doesn’t actually matter. This is what many think a Christian is.

2. It has more integrity to call yourself – and actually be – a follower of Jesus, for the reason I just stated. If the words I use for sure don’t describe to the hearer what I mean – and if I know that – then I lack integrity in using that word or phrase. I am, in fact, actually trying to follow Jesus. It’s really not a title. It’s a descriptor. I am literally wanting to follow him. He’s real. Tangible. This is what I do. It’s who I am.

Now, I could say that “being Christian” is all of those things as well, and of course, you’re free to think and say that. But since only those of us who are in this category even know what we mean by the word “Christian” (and even that is debatable), then why use it.

Let’s say what we mean, and do what we say. Describing who you are and what you live for is far more powerful than simply using a one-word noun anyway. Let’s actually be people who are so committed to and so in love with Jesus, that we really do follow him!

3. The Greek word from which we derive Christian is used three times in all the Bible. Twice in Acts and once in 1 Peter. Jesus never uses is. Once it is simply a passive statement that “they were first called Christians in Antioch.” Someone called them that – very likely as a derogatory term. Then Paul and Peter each use it once to describe the negative state they’re in so that others can see it’s okay to suffer – EVEN if someone has labeled you as “Christian.” They are not saying suffer because you bear the label of “Christian”, but were both making the point that if you do in fact suffer for following this new and better way of the Messiah, don’t be ashamed – whatever they call you.

No where is “Christianity” mentioned in the Bible. It’d be hard to show that Jesus came to start a new religion. In fact, many of us grew up in churches where we say “it’s not about religion, but about relationship.” But then we go right back to talking about Christianity.

See we’ve learned to play an unfair game. Remember you’re SAT or ACT tests where they have questions like:  This is to that, like that is to this. So this is what we do: Muslims are to Islam, like Jews are to Judaism, like Christians are to Christ. Do you see it? I often share this and people miss the point.

We cheat. While we put Muslims, Jews, Buddhist, Hindus and everyone else in a category that makes them adherents to a religious system – we take ourselves out of that. We still use the religious word “Christian” but we would never say that a True Christian is someone who adheres to the religious systems of Christianity. No, we would say that we follow Christ. Which we do – so why not just say that. Once again, say what we mean and mean what we say!

What’s the one thing Jesus called his followers to – every time? From the first time he saw the fishermen by the shores of Galilee to the last time he spoke with John? To follow him. “Come, follow me”, he said. It was an invitation. Not a command. An open invite. A very compelling one that ends in causing you to “lose” that which you don’t really have anyway – your life…and gain, what you could never have without Jesus – true and lasting life, now and forever. What a deal.

But we have to choose to follow. Not join a religion. We could be followers as part of the Crowd – they loved Jesus. Or we could be a little more serious and be part of the Curious. Or…we could join the Committed. All “followers of Jesus”, but at various stages in the journey.

May we join the throngs who adored him – the Crowds who followed because of what Jesus did for them. He fed them. Healed them. Taught them and loved them. But may we move beyond the crowds and explore more intimately for ourselves. Who is this man? Where is he going? Why does he seem to care? And why should I commit myself to him?

Finally, once you’ve received and accepted his invitation to follow him with your whole life and you gain everything, let me know, and we’ll walk together – in the company of so many others around the world who love this man: The Messiah, Christ Jesus from Nazareth.

]]> http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/initial-thoughts-on-my-new-cnn-article/feed/ 24 http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/interview-with-ground-zero-mosque-imam-abdul-rauf/ http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/interview-with-ground-zero-mosque-imam-abdul-rauf/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 22:07:41 +0000 Carl Medearis http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/?p=919 I had a delightfully fun interview this morning with Imam Abdul Rauf of the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque." About 70 minutes on the phone. He was so engaging, open, interesting and downright easy to talk to. I think our paths will cross again!
]]> I had a delightfully fun interview this morning with Imam Abdul Rauf of the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque.” About 70 minutes on the phone. He was so engaging, open, interesting and downright easy to talk to. I think our paths will cross again!

I asked him the fun, easy questions like, “Where are you from?” Egypt/Kuwait. “When did you come to America?” 1965. Then bigger and broader questions like, “Do you have any regrets about starting this Cordoba Center/Park51 Mosque?” And…did the criticism hurt and feel personal? To…do you think Christians acted like Christ during this process?

I also asked the ones I always get asked: “Why don’t more Muslims stand up and speak out against the few radical, crazy Muslims? And/or if they are, why aren’t their voices heard?”

I also asked (against my judgement, but everyone always asks me this question): “Are you willing to stand up for the rights of Muslims in Muslim countries to convert to Christianity if they want to…and then build churches in places like Saudi Arabia?” (To which he immediately answered yes to both, and went on a long discussion about how the Qur’an explicitly states that this should be a right everyone has, and the countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia that don’t allow that are not being true to the faith).

I asked him if he supports Hamas. Without hesitation he said NO and went so far as to call them thugs and thieves. I suggested it needed a more complex and nuanced answer (like I would give), but he didn’t budge. The full answer was NO.

We talked about Jesus. (He said he was drawn so much closer to Jesus through this process, as he too was feeling crucified – an interesting thing for a Muslim to say.)

And so much more….the juiciest parts will be left for the project that I did this for – you’ll have to wait and see on that one!

“WHY do I do this?” some ask. Good question. And why do I not “call them out” and “tell them the whole truth” as one Radio interviewer said to me just yesterday….

A couple reasons:

1.  I want to treat the “outsider” with as much grace as Jesus treated the outsiders. He seldom (sometimes, but seldom) gave hard or direct answers to them. He was typically more nuanced with the “other” and harder on his disciples – and hardest on the religious types.

2. I don’t want to shut the door to future conversations. Keeping doors open is much of what I’m about in these types of discussions.

3.  I want to honor him. I asked him for an hour of his very busy time – he graciously gave it to me – and so the last thing I want to do is be rough on him.

Could I have said/asked/done more? Of course. And frankly, I often wonder when I’m finished with such a conversation, if I should have said more (just being honest). But I pray and trust and try to follow as best I can.  I read through the whole book of Matthew this morning – beginning to end – in preparation. Not sure why, just felt I should. Then prayed. Talked it through with Chris in the backyard, and made the call. (Aaron Taylor also helped and was on the phone call.)

May Jesus, who comes full of both Grace and Truth, give us the measure of both as we need them!

]]> http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/interview-with-ground-zero-mosque-imam-abdul-rauf/feed/ 4 http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/why-are-we-so-angry-about-hell/ http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/why-are-we-so-angry-about-hell/#comments Wed, 03 Aug 2011 19:57:44 +0000 Carl Medearis http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/?p=914 An article I recently wrote for the Huffington Post. You can also view this article here.

As an author that travels and speaks in evangelical circles, I read constantly. About two books a week, along with subscriptions to 10 or more magazines and the usual diet of blogs and news. It's a busy pace, but I have a good reason for it. I speak to about 100,000 evangelical Christians a year, and people are always asking me what I think about the latest book.

]]> An article I recently wrote for the Huffington Post. You can also view this article here.

As an author that travels and speaks in evangelical circles, I read constantly. About two books a week, along with subscriptions to 10 or more magazines and the usual diet of blogs and news. It’s a busy pace, but I have a good reason for it. I speak to about 100,000 evangelical Christians a year, and people are always asking me what I think about the latest book.

Over the past few months, one of the most common questions I get is what do I think about Rob Bell’s book Love Wins. Is Rob Bell right that hell is figurative and might not be forever? Or is John Piper right that everyone that hasn’t personally accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be eternally tormented in literal flames of fire?

I don’t appreciate it when people duck important issues by being wishy-washy, so let me say upfront that I lean toward the belief that hell is a real place for those that reject Jesus. The nature of hell is less clear, but the reality that the scriptures teach of something very bad happening after death to those who consciously reject Christ is quite clear.

Unlike most authors who write on this site, I actually — cue the boos! — like John Piper. Love him or hate him, Piper is an excellent expositor of Scripture. He knows how to build his case from Scripture, and how to remain firm in his convictions. I admire that in a person.

I also appreciate what Rob Bell has done with Love Wins. I pre-ordered the book long before the date of its actual release, so when Amazon delivered the book to my door, I ripped open the box, started reading — and couldn’t put it down. One of the things that struck me was how similar Rob Bell’s approach to Scripture is to John Piper’s. Both authors present diametric opposite views of hell, yet both authors rely heavily on Scripture to prove their case. John Piper relies on one set of Bible verses to prove his case. Rob Bell relies on another set. Bell’s critics like to say that he doesn’t believe in the authority of Scripture, but I didn’t get that impression at all after reading Love Wins. I think that Rob Bell takes the Scriptures very seriously. I don’t think he’s trying to sell a watered-down version of the Gospel so that he can make a name for himself, as some of his more cynical critics claim. I think that Rob Bell is as firm in his convictions as John Piper is, and for all I know, he could be right.

Actually, I hope he’s right.

Something that’s been troubling me lately about this whole discussion is how often Christians have come up to me and said things like, “What if Rob Bell is right? I mean. If everyone gets into heaven eventually, then what’s the point in talking about Jesus to people?” Some of them even look disappointed at the possibility that hell might be empty and heaven might be full. It’s almost as if they want God’s grace to be limited to Christians only. My question is this: WHY does it matter? Would it actually change how I live my life if everyone is saved in the end?

I would like to think that it wouldn’t.

A well-known pastor/theologian said of Rob Bell’s book, “If you adopt universalism, then we no longer need the Church, we don’t need Christ, or the cross.”

Really??

So the only reason Jesus came is to die? Clearly Jesus died and rose again, and that’s important, but is that the only thing Jesus came to do? What about his life? What about his teachings? What about the way he taught us to treat outsiders? Or how to treat the least of these? Isn’t that important too? I like to ask people, “What if it turned out to be true that everyone will make it to heaven in the end, would that de-motivate you? Would you still attend your weekly Beth Moore Bible study? Would you still talk about Jesus with others? If not, then are you telling me that the only reason you’re in church is because others aren’t making it to heaven?”

It’s true that some people are motivated by fear. I would assume that some people do begin to follow Jesus because they are afraid of going to hell. And I would guess that some of my Christian friends are motivated to share their faith so that these others will NOT go to hell. But overall, fear is a poor long-term motivational force. Love is the greatest motivator of all. I’m sure this is a controversial point, but we need to get beyond whether John Piper or Rob Bell is right. Loving God and loving people is the greatest commandment and far more important than whether or not there is a literal hell. Our motivations for wanting hell to exist (or not) might expose something inside of us that needs to become more like Jesus. After all, the one thing that Jesus clearly and always focused on were our internal motivations.

Whether people without a relationship with Jesus go to hell and burn, or go to some other place without God or simply cease to exist — that’s not good. Perhaps if we spent less time thinking about what and where that place is, and more time loving our neighbor, and even our enemies, the ones who might go “there” won’t.


]]> http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/why-are-we-so-angry-about-hell/feed/ 4 http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/907/ http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/2011/08/907/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:54:32 +0000 Carl Medearis http://www.carlmedearis.com/blog/?p=907 Click here to listen to my recent interview discussing Speaking of Jesus on the You Get the Blessing radio program with Bob Beltz and Bo Mitchell. (Sunday, July 10, 2011)]]> Click here to listen to my recent interview discussing Speaking of Jesus on the You Get the Blessing radio program with Bob Beltz and Bo Mitchell. (Sunday, July 10, 2011)
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