CHRISTIAN clergyman Pastor Steve Chalke has claimed that those Islamic teachings are closer to those of Jesus Christ than what is preached in many churches in the west following a comparative study into both faiths.
In a recent interview, Pastor Chalke, the founder of the Oasis Charity, told religious newspaper Christian Today, that what a lot of churches preach is distant from what Jesus taught when he was alive. His comments followed the release of his new book, Radical, in which he explained how he had come to the conclusion that Muslims and Christians worship the same God.
Pastor Chalke said: “I know some emphasis in Islamic teaching come closer to the teaching of Christ and the Bible than some teaching in Western churches. Ultimately, the full interpretation of who Allah/God is can be seen through Jesus.
“Islam and Christianity are two very different faiths and there are huge differences between the two but as individuals, we all worship different shades of the same God. There are Christians who worship a militant, violent God and there are Christians who worship a God who doesn’t want women in leadership.
Describing Islamic beliefs as very attractive, Pastor Chalke insisted there was significant common ground that must be explored. He added that the tabloid representations of Islam were permeating the Christian church.
“There are Christians who worship a God who says if you are gay you will burn in hell and there are Christians who worship a God who does not believe in global warming. If we say Islam is an evil religion and they worship a different God and Christianity is the only way to heaven then we are heading for World War Three.
“If we went into a pub tonight and asked people what Christians believe they would say six-day creationists, anti-gay, anti-abortion, boring, if you die before you’re baptised you will go to hell. The tabloid media have led people to misunderstand Christianity and pastors now have to spend half their time de-mythologising Christianity,” Pastor Chalke said.
He cited the theologian Miroslav Volf, who took a similar line in his book Allah: A Christian Response. Pastor Chalke added that the problem is Christians do not know any Muslims and everyone is scared of Muslims except the one who sits next to them at work.
According to Pastor Chalke, Muslims believe in Jesus as one of the great prophets of God and that he is the son of Mary but not the Son of God who was conceived and born miraculously. Pastor Chalke revealed that in the Koran, Jesus is called Isa and he is also known as Al-Masih (the Christ) and Ibn Maryam (Son of Mary).
He added that as for his crucifixion, Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified but was lifted up to heaven. Muslims also believe that Jesus will come back to earth before the end of time to restore peace and order, fight the Anti-Christ (Al-Dajjal) and bring victory for truth and righteousness.
