Beth O
January 18th, 2008, 05:00 PM
SOUTHERN BAPTIST LEADER CONCERNED ABOUT CHRISTIAN-ISLAM DIALOGUE
(Friday Church News Notes, January 18, 2008, www.wayoflife.org
fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Al Mohler, Jr., head of the
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, expressed concern this week on
his radio program about the recent statement issued by Christian
leaders in response to a Muslim paper entitled "A Common Word between
Us and You." The Christian response was drafted by professors at the
very liberal Yale Divinity School and signed by nearly 300 Christian
leaders of all stripes, including "evangelicals" such as Rick Warren,
Bill Hybels, Leith Anderson (president of the National Association of
Evangelicals), and David Neff (editor-in-chief of Christianity
Today). Mohler rightly stated that the response failed to identify
the fact that Muslims do not worship the same God as Christians and
they do not accept Jesus Christ as risen Lord and only Saviour.
Mohler also said he was disturbed that the response asked forgiveness
for "sins committed against Muslims, including the Crusades and
excesses in the war on terror." Mohler said: "I am sure that all
kinds of sin went on with the Crusades on both sides. But I am not
going to apologize for the Crusades because I am very thankful that
the Muslim effort to reach a conquest of Europe was unsuccessful"
("Influential Theologian Troubled by Christian-Muslim Dialogue,"
Christian Post, Jan. 12, 2008). He observed that since the war on
terror is the responsibility of the United States he doesn't know why
Christians should apologize for it. He said, "I don't think that is
the right way to put it. I don't think we associate the United States
of America with the Christian church. For whom are we apologizing and
for what are we apologizing?" With these points we could not agree
more heartily and we are thankful that Mohler is willing to speak out
and exalt Jesus Christ as Lord and expose Islam's error. At the same
time, Mohler's statement and its context also remind us of how deeply
compromised the Southern Baptist Convention is. First, it is a mixed
multitude. On the one hand you have Rick Warren, one of its most
prominent pastors, signing such a wretched document, while on the
other hand you have one of its most prominent men reproving the
document. If that is not an unholy mess, I don't know what is! And we
are not talking about a difference on minor matters. Second, instead
of plainly identifying the signers of this document as the heretics
and deep compromisers they are and calling for separation from them
in a truly biblical fashion, Mohler spoke of them in friendly terms
and "recognized the good intention of the signers of the Christian
letter." That is the Southern Baptist way. It is the Billy Graham
Convention. It is New Evangelical to the core, having renounced
biblical separation long ago. But God's Word warns that those who
refuse to separate from error are destined to be influenced by it.
"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (1
Corinthians 15:33). "And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to
meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the
ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon
thee from before the LORD" (2 Chronicles 19:2).
(Friday Church News Notes, January 18, 2008, www.wayoflife.org
fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Al Mohler, Jr., head of the
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, expressed concern this week on
his radio program about the recent statement issued by Christian
leaders in response to a Muslim paper entitled "A Common Word between
Us and You." The Christian response was drafted by professors at the
very liberal Yale Divinity School and signed by nearly 300 Christian
leaders of all stripes, including "evangelicals" such as Rick Warren,
Bill Hybels, Leith Anderson (president of the National Association of
Evangelicals), and David Neff (editor-in-chief of Christianity
Today). Mohler rightly stated that the response failed to identify
the fact that Muslims do not worship the same God as Christians and
they do not accept Jesus Christ as risen Lord and only Saviour.
Mohler also said he was disturbed that the response asked forgiveness
for "sins committed against Muslims, including the Crusades and
excesses in the war on terror." Mohler said: "I am sure that all
kinds of sin went on with the Crusades on both sides. But I am not
going to apologize for the Crusades because I am very thankful that
the Muslim effort to reach a conquest of Europe was unsuccessful"
("Influential Theologian Troubled by Christian-Muslim Dialogue,"
Christian Post, Jan. 12, 2008). He observed that since the war on
terror is the responsibility of the United States he doesn't know why
Christians should apologize for it. He said, "I don't think that is
the right way to put it. I don't think we associate the United States
of America with the Christian church. For whom are we apologizing and
for what are we apologizing?" With these points we could not agree
more heartily and we are thankful that Mohler is willing to speak out
and exalt Jesus Christ as Lord and expose Islam's error. At the same
time, Mohler's statement and its context also remind us of how deeply
compromised the Southern Baptist Convention is. First, it is a mixed
multitude. On the one hand you have Rick Warren, one of its most
prominent pastors, signing such a wretched document, while on the
other hand you have one of its most prominent men reproving the
document. If that is not an unholy mess, I don't know what is! And we
are not talking about a difference on minor matters. Second, instead
of plainly identifying the signers of this document as the heretics
and deep compromisers they are and calling for separation from them
in a truly biblical fashion, Mohler spoke of them in friendly terms
and "recognized the good intention of the signers of the Christian
letter." That is the Southern Baptist way. It is the Billy Graham
Convention. It is New Evangelical to the core, having renounced
biblical separation long ago. But God's Word warns that those who
refuse to separate from error are destined to be influenced by it.
"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (1
Corinthians 15:33). "And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to
meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the
ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon
thee from before the LORD" (2 Chronicles 19:2).