Micah works at LifeWay and blogs at MicahFries.com.
Living in an area where one is in the religious majority changes the way you see the world. In America, those of us who are Christians often feel like the world is changing, and not in a way that is positive for us, but the truth is we are still part of the largest religious segment in our culture. Often, one of the most difficult things for a member of the religious majority to do is to accurately understand the faith of religious minorities. I see this happen all the time in the US as Christians struggle to understand those of other faiths. When I travel overseas I see the same scenario play out, only in those cultures it is someone else’s faith that often struggles to understand my own. In a US context, this is often played out as Christians attempt to understand Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Hindus, and so on. However, nowhere is this lack of understanding more prominent than Christian’s relationship with Muslims. This lack of understanding is problematic for Christians, in particular. As followers of Jesus, it is vital that we rightly understand and portray the faith of those we disagree with. There are two significant reasons why this matters.
It matters, first of all, because we are Christians. Our faith calls us to love those who are not like us, and even those who are against us. This is a distinguishing characteristic of Christianity. When we fail to rightly understand others, we fail to show Christian love by believing something about them that is not true. We fail to view them as God’s image bearers, as part of God’s creation, by not working to rightly understand who they are and what they believe. Beyond that, our integrity is at stake as followers of Christ. Perpetuating mischaracterizations of others may be popular on social media, but it fails when held up to the test of Christian character. Secondly, however, this matters because we are not just Christians, we are Christians who are on mission. Make no mistake about it. We desire every person on the planet to hear the message of Jesus’ gospel, and to believe in Christ for salvation. In fact, we believe this is the only way to be reconciled with God. We believe in the freedom for every person to believe as they wish, but we also desire to have the freedom to share Christ with them so that they might believe. When we fail to rightly understand those we disagree with, we impair our ability to be on mission and damage the possibility of leading others to faith in Christ.
So that begs the question, in a world that is swimming with misinformation, how do we rightly understand what others believe? Let me suggest four simple ways that have helped me.
1. Don’t use the media as the primary source of your information.
It amazes me to see Christians who loudly reject mainstream media portrayals of their own faith but who are then quick to embrace the same mainstream media portrayals of the faith of others. If, for instance, the media regularly gets it wrong about Christianity, why would we think that they’re getting it right about Islam? Stop using news channels, Facebook, Twitter and the like as your source of information about the theology and practice of those with whom you disagree. Your tendency will be to embrace anything you read which feeds your impression of their faith, and this will regularly be inaccurate. A helpful test as to the accuracy of reported information is this; if a majority of those who embrace the faith in question, disagree with the popular portrayal, the portrayal is probably a mischaracterization.
2. Read liberally from those who are in that faith.
Often, when we desire to learn about those of other faiths, we will look to find an author from our faith writing about other faiths. This is probably not the best option. As Christians, we would be suspect of a Mormon, or Muslim, authoring thoughts about Christianity. Just so, we ought to consider that those who are in another faith are probably the most appropriate experts about their own faith. Even better, however, would be to get a copy of that faith’s holy book, and study it yourself.
3. Attend a service or two of the faith you are trying to understand.
As I was trying to understand Islam better, one of the healthiest things I did was to begin attending a Friday prayer service at the local mosque. I obviously didn’t participate in their prayer time; I would sit in the back and just watch, but those who were part of the mosque were incredibly gracious and welcoming. I continue to learn more during these opportunities than I could in just about any other setting. If you want to understand another faith, and the faith allows visitors into their gatherings (and most do), attend a few and listen. You might be surprised what you learn.
4. Befriend and learn from those who are in that faith.
Finally, the best way I know to rightly understand the faith of those we disagree with is to become friends with those who are in that faith. This has been one of the healthiest exercises in my Christian walk. Like Jesus, who consistently spent time with those who were outside his faith community, we ought to be quick to be friends with others who might not agree with us. My experiences, gathered around a table, learning from those who are in another faith, have been among the most helpful and instructive times I have experienced. I am rarely more encouraged than these interactions with those who believe differently than I do.
As I have tried to rightly understand those who I disagree with, I have found that it has helped me to love others the way Jesus loves me, without condition, in every state possible. What’s more, it has opened up innumerable opportunities for me to share the gospel of Jesus. As I show genuine interest in their faith, those who I spend time with have, in turn, shown genuine interest in my faith. What is more, they trust me to share with them my faith, understanding that I’m sharing with them as a friend, not just someone who wants to sell them a bill of religious goods and services. Finally, let me encourage you to clearly call out other followers of Christ who are spreading mischaracterizations about other faiths. It is harmful to our collective witness, and does violence to our faith, to treat other faiths dishonestly. It is not a threat to our own Christian faith to stand up in defense of those who may disagree with us, in fact, it is often exactly the opposite. We can regularly be like Jesus when we are willing to defend those who may rarely agree with us.
Excellent Post, Micah! I think we can also use this as we circle closer to our own beliefs…It does nobody any good when we mis-represent the beliefs or practices of Roman Catholics, or Anglicans, or Presbyterians, or Wesleyans, or Free-will Baptists, or Reformed Baptists. I was once challenged by another Baptist because he said I was “defending Catholics”, when I was really simply trying to correct some accusations that had been made against them. I used this example: ***If I had a Roman Catholic neighbor who was accused of killing and eating his own children, but I knew he didn’t… Read more »
Are you defending Catholics?
I’m glad he clarified that “eating children” would have significant theological ramifications.
Well done Micah! For anyone living in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area who wants to see an example of what he is talking about, join us November 16 at this event: http://www.summitonfaith.com If you want to attend from outside the area, contact me at jrainey@bcmd.org and I’ll send you info on travel and lodging options.
Micah, I really like the attitude you put forth in this post. Love without conditions is a very difficult proposition for most people, and in the context of differing faiths, love seems to disappear in the discussion. I think you have covered the mainstream faith groups, yet there is a word of caution to throw out there as well when it comes to more fringe faiths, or offshoots of these mainstream faiths. The Apostle Paul’s warning of ” not to have fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness” should be heeded in all instances, because after all we are dealing with… Read more »
Micah,
I think someone with “another gospel”, especially those who are devout in another gospel, are unlikely to change. Those who are weak in another gospel might change or those who don’t believe anything might change, but those who are devout in another religion has about as much chance of changing as a Baptist switching to be a Muslim. Micah, I’m not saying don’t try, I am saying it would take a very knowledgeable person with a particular calling on their life to have any chance of being successful.
I’m a little stunned at that statement.
I guess we should be glad Barnabas and Saul did not adopt that attitude in Antioch when the Spirit called them to go and preach the Gospel.
The world is full of people who have converted from one faith to the other. There are, unfortunately, people who have left the Christian faith for false gospels, but there are also Buddhists, Musliims, Hindus, Atheists and many other faiths that have come to Christ and found saving grace.
Wow. I’m a little shocked.
Dave,
I didn’t say it was impossible.
The Apostle Paul would agree that it is not impossible, even for him to be changed from his Christian killing, irritable self.
God does the saving anyway. We do the going, finding, and explaining of the Gospel. That takes all the pressure off of our perceived persuasiveness.
Not impossible? I think it is impossible. Can a person enter a second time into their mother’s womb and be born?
“Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
The Gospel is the POWER of God unto salvation
Jess, I think you are generally right. Hard hearts generally remain hard unless, however, something supernatural occurs. That is why I think this issue is so vitally important. We live in an increasingly pluralistic society, and find ourselves increasingly surrounded by those of other faiths. If we believe in the power of the gospel, and we believe that God has commanded us to love those who are not like us, and to take the gospel to them, we have a mandate to take the gospel and go to everyone, regardless what logic might tell us about the likelihood that those… Read more »
Micah and Jess, One isn’t closer to becoming a Christian because their heart is less hard than someone else. Once a person has willfully sinned, they have rejected God, and they have become blind to Him and the Gospel truth, namely that only by the mercy and grace of God can they be saved, and that through Jesus Christ. Now this blindness is only taken away by the Spirit. And in taking away a person’s blindness, God opens their eyes to His glory in the face of Jesus the crucified and risen One. In other words, when God opens your… Read more »
Mike, I agree totally with what you are saying. I’m just wondering if other religions say the same thing about us. Maybe other denominations say the same about us. We say we are right, and no other denomination or religion can come close to us because we have the true gospel. We even argue points among ourselves which I think is a good thing. My point is that we have Baptists that convert to other faiths and religions, and some other religions and faiths convert to Baptists. It appears to me that we are just swapping converts, should we not… Read more »
Jess,
You said,
“It appears to me that we are just swapping converts, should we not focus on those that do not practice any religion and yet not give up on those who do?”
I am not sure of the point you are trying to make.
It seems like you are saying that the non-religious folks are a better bet to make converts, but we shouldn’t totally reject witnessing to the religious folk.
Is that what you mean?
Jess,
I think the answer to your question depends on the answer to the question, “Is Jesus Christ the only way to God?” If Jesus is the only way to God, then everyone needs to know that no matter whether they are Baptist, another denomination, another religion, or have no official religion.
Sure, you see people converting to this or that denomination or religion. However, those that truly convert to Christ will remain in Him for they are kept by the Spirit.
Micah,
Without a doubt we should love our neighbors and be compassionate towards them. However we should not adopt a rose colored attitude about what their objectives are in society.
Micah, I like very much what you have written here. It accords with my conviction that the “golden rule” should very much guide how we participate in inter-religious dialogue and evangelism. Every religion deserves to be critiqued in its ideal form rather than by caricature. We have to believe that the Truth will manifest itself against all falsehood. I don’t want people of other faiths to critique Christianity by the worst expressions of it found in the media, or even in myself. Have them look at Jesus and critique him! Those caught up in other faiths are probably not stupid… Read more »
This is a thoughtful article and worth considering. Christians shouldn’t misrepresent those of other faiths or feed the popular mischaracterizations. However, if objectivity and truth regarding such faiths as Islam is the goal, can that really be achieved through the steps recommended in this article? Maybe it can and I’ve just misunderstood. But it seems to me that the article suggests that we can get a more accurate view of Islam by getting closer to Muslims who are on the gentle side of that faith—as if the more evil and violent groups were by that violence automatically unqualified to represent… Read more »
Micah, Ken, and all, One does not have to know another’s religious beliefs to be a good witness for Christ, and to love them as a person. That is because these two things are different in most respects. One respect in which they are the same is that both are expressions of love. For the lost need the Gospel or they will perish. And people need love. Now to love them as a person really has no need of religious understanding because people everywhere have the same needs, generally. They need food, water clothes and shelter as well as non-physical… Read more »
oops…
this…that determines their ‘salability’ by our apologetics, …
should be…that determines their ‘savability’ by our apologetics,
savability
Mike, I believe we do find ‘nuanced’ or ‘contextualized’ gospel presentations to people of different beliefs in the book of Acts. From that it seems that a gospel message ‘tailored’ to a specific worldview might be more effective than a general one.
Kevin, The tailored message simply builds on the general one. I’m not advocating that apologetics aren’t used by God. I think of it like this. The ‘general’ or basic Gospel is the foundation, the seed that must be planted. From there God brings water to the seed by various means, some which are apologetics. But in the end, the Gospel offends the sinner. And it is in the offending that God in His mercy and by His love turns the person from being offended by the Gospel to being offended by himself and his sin. So in one sense, we… Read more »
Most Muslims I know think of ISIL in representing their faith as we would think of Westboro Baptist Church representing ours. In other context and another discussion with an imam several years ago, he said to me, “There is a difference in ‘Islam’ (i.e. the religion) and a ‘Muslim’ (i.e. one who practices Islam). One is perfect, and the other is not.” Of course, I disagree with his perspective, but that statement helped me understand his beliefs greatly. It is interesting that I would make much the same statement about ‘Christ’ and a ‘Christian.’
Kevin, I have heard this same thing from people about two different Islams, or some such proposition. I think the analogy between ISIS and Westboro is problematic. For one, what ISIS is doing, Mohammed had done himself throughout his life. What Westboro does, Jesus NEVER even hinted at. Just as you cannot understand Christianity apart from the Bible, and the Central figure of Its message, you cannot understand Islam apart from the Koran and the Koran’s central figure Mohammed. To try in these modern days to reinvent Islam simply is not possible. The Islam of say, Saudi Arabia, operates under… Read more »
Jack, I don’t mean to be argumentative, but I have never found it much benefit to tell people they believe something that they don’t believe. What I end out with is a caricature of their beliefs — even though I might be technically correct in what their official dogma is. What I do know is that associating them with people that they go to great efforts to distance themselves from wins me no relationship points. Any bridge I might have to share with them further is probably now destroyed. When witnessing to a Catholic I need to find out what… Read more »
I think it can be as simple as if we let people talk about their faith, it opens the door for us to talk about ours. Understanding another’s faith may give us an angle to share ours. A person’s faith is an integral part of their life. Showing an interest can help demonstrate that we don’t just see them as a person, not just a potential convert so we can put a notch in our belt.
Bill, I think you meant to say: Showing an interest can help demonstrate that we [don’t just] DO see them as a person, not just a potential convert so we can put a notch in our belt. And i agree. But my point is that [interest in their life] is not necessary in sharing the Gospel. Paul singing in the jail. Peter preaching to the masses. Paul at his trial declaring that he wished all were like him but for the chains. It is not our interest that gives them a better chance to be saved. But at times it… Read more »
Mike,
Not necessary in every case, true. Necessary in some cases, probably.
Bill,
We agree.
No, our interest doesn’t give them a better chance to be saved, but it may give us a better chance to share our faith.
Bill,
Yes it might, in some cases.
I do believe we should take the gospel into all the world. I also believe we are losing America in the process. Let me explain why I have such an opinion. 1. Many people have become weak in the faith. Many people have a false faith. Many people are morally bankrupt. All of this is happening within the four walls of the congregation. 2. When I moved from the mountains to Western Ky. 25 years ago, I lived in one community 5 years and another community 20 years. No one, I repeat no one, has been to my home visiting… Read more »
Jess,
Why do you think our churches are filled with many people who have a weak of false faith?
[Not arguing with you, just asking]
That’s weak OR false faith.
Mike, I believe one of the reasons, if not the biggest reason is that many churches, if not most churches prey on little children. The children are talked into becoming a member of a particular church by a verbal profession, and not a positive possession. I guess I am too old fashion for the modern church. I still believe God has to be the one who does the calling and not man. Many of these children grow up with no moral values in their heart. They can recite scripture but it’s meaningless to them because they do not genuinely have… Read more »
Jess, I agree, it is one of the problems. That is not to say that all children who make such a profession are not saved. I remember as a catholic lad going through confirmation that theologically was supposed to be me, now older and more conscious of spiritual truths, *confirming* my baby baptism. Everyone in my catholic school had to go through it, it was expected. No one sat down with individually and asked us if we truly understood what we were doing. maybe that was the job of the parents, and if so, my parents failed miserably. But they… Read more »
Mike,
You hit the nail on the head.
Jess, I agree with what you are saying. And it is a sad thing. I asked a Christian brother after church two Sundays ago if he could articulate the Gospel. He said no. If he can’t tell a brother in church the Gospel, how is going to be able to do it in a hostile world where the forces of darkness will have him surrounded and seeking to prevent him from witnessing? Listening is was an elder who agreed with me that many of our members would struggle with that very thing. [I go to Parsons Baptist Church, but I… Read more »