FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS: AN APPROACH FOR FUTURE

INTERFAITH DIALOGUES

Sid Sudiacal
Sid Sudiacal

Introduction

Turning on the television, listening to the radio, or hearing snippets from casual

conversations, it is easy to hear and even taste the palpable fear of our current North American

society against Muslims. The barrage of sound bites with the word “Muslim terrorists” has

potentially caused the masses to equate the two words together: somehow being a Muslim is now

equivalent to being a terrorist. To many the word “Muslim” conjures up horrific images of

airplanes crashing into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Yet, for others, this is

drastically different from the image that would ever enter their mind. Instead of burning

buildings, they have images of a community of loving individuals who exhibit humble

hospitality. This demonstrates an increasing need for Christians and Muslims to enter into a

dialogue with each other. This paper will provide a brief overview of the current state in

Christian-Muslim relations. Afterwards, it will examine the three different approaches that have

taken place within the Christian-Muslim community. Finally, it will advocate friendship as the

dialogical approach best suited to help bridge the gap between these two religions.

The need for dialogue: current attitudes towards Muslims

There is a rise of negative feelings towards Muslims. Bijlefeld cites two national polls

taken in March and April that attests to this fact. Between 2002 and 2006, there has been a 22

percent increase of people who held an unfavourable view of Islam.1 Another poll asked if they

agreed or disagreed with the statement “Islam encourages violence.” In January 2002, 14 percent

of people agreed with the statement. Four years later, this figure rose twenty percentage points.

1
Bijlefeld, "Christian-Muslim Relations: Developments of 2006 in Historical Context," 85.
Sid Sudiacal

The CBS poll would contend that the number is closer to 46 percent. Initial reports suggest that

the violence was primarily attributed to “radical Islam,” however, there is a growing view that

Islam itself encourages violence.2

These negative perceptions of Islam and Muslims show some disturbing results and

trends. One is a growing desire for the imposition of restrictive actions against the Muslims as a

specific group. The Gallup poll of 2006 reveals that

four in ten Americans think that Muslims should carry special ID. The USA-Gallup poll
was taken July 28-30, 2006. The Newsweek poll of July 11-12,2007, reports that more
than half of all Americans are "somewhat" or "very worried" about radicals within the
American Muslim community, and 52 percent are in favor of the FBI's wiretapping of
mosques.3
These attitudes are not restricted to the public sphere; they also manifest itself in the private

sphere. 31 percent of Americans who have never had personal contact with a Muslim said that

they would not want a Muslim to be their neighbour. Remarkably, the number drops down to 10

percent among Americans who personally knew a Muslim.4

These polls demonstrate the growing sentiment that “religion may be the biggest threat to

international peace and that Islam might be the biggest destabilizing factor to global security.”5

Siddiqui further states that

the rhetoric that accompanies such clichéd phrases as "Islam and the West," "Europe and
Islam," and "the clash between the Muslim world and the West" assumes a false
bipolarity between Muslims and the western world, as if the two are homogenous and
comparable entities. Furthermore, it fosters the continuous tension that whereas the

2
Bijlefeld, "Christian-Muslim Relations: Developments of 2006 in Historical Context," 85.
3
Bijlefeld, "Christian-Muslim Relations: Developments of 2006 in Historical Context," 87.
4
Bijlefeld, "Christian-Muslim Relations: Developments of 2006 in Historical Context," 95.
5
Siddiqui, "When Reconciliation Fails: Global Politics and the Study of Religion," 1147.
Sid Sudiacal

western world is progressive and civilized, the Muslim world is incoherent, political, and
archaic.6
The constant barrage of negative images that are being shown in the media has obfuscated the

difference between a small, but vocal, minority of people who commit acts of terror in the name

of Islam and the moderate Muslims who condemn these people who they believe have hijacked

the religion of Islam for their own selfish purposes.

Dialogue: Current assessment

The Second Vatican Council marked a remarkable turn in Christian-Muslim relations.

The Roman Catholic Church recognized Muslims as “holding the faith of Abraham and as

adoring together with Christians the one, merciful God.”7 Catholics and Muslims have also been

involved in an intentional inter-faith dialogue since 1988. Aasi comments that

Muslims of America are fortunate in that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops'
Secretariat of Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs has been very supportive in helping
to correct stereotypes and misunderstandings about Islam in general and American
Muslims in particular.8
Increasingly, Muslims in the U.S. are recognizing that interreligious dialogue can help in

combating misconceptions and stereotypes.9

In 2007, 138 Muslim clerics and theologians wrote “A Common Word” and addressed it

to the Christian leaders and community.10 In it, they expressed their desire for Muslims and

Christians to come together and work together for the common good because of their shared

6
Siddiqui, "When Reconciliation Fails: Global Politics and the Study of Religion," 1147.
7
Bijlefeld, "Christian-Muslim Relations: Developments of 2006 in Historical Context," 89.
8
Aasi, "Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the United States: A Muslim Perspective," 221.
9
Aasi, "Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the United States: A Muslim Perspective," 221.
10
The document, along with various Jewish and Christian responses, can be viewed at http://acommonword.com.
Sid Sudiacal

common ground: their desire to obey the two love commandments of loving God and loving

others that are inherent in both religions. Christians have received “the open letter as a Muslim

hand of conviviality and cooperation extended to Christians worldwide.”11 This is a hopeful sign

that both sides are willing to dialogue with each other to help prevent further bloodshed and

negative perceptions of each other.

Christian-Muslim Relations: Three different approaches

Because of the complicated and intricate relationship of Christianity and Islam, three

common approaches have emerged to try and address Christian-Muslim relations. The first one is

a confrontational approach. The second is a call to use secular ethics with no reference to

theology. The third approach is one of dialogue. This section seeks to give a brief delineation of

each approach.12

Confrontational Approach

The confrontational approach is best exemplified by Franklin Graham. During an

interview with NBC Nightly News on Nov. 2001, Graham commented that “the God of Islam is

not the same God. [...] It's a different God, and I believe it (Islam) is a very evil and wicked

religion." 13 This approach usually presents Muslims in an unfavourable light. They are also

often seen as the enemy of Good. The only way to confront the problem is through outright

suppression or the forcible submission of the other. The sweeping generalization of all Muslims

11
Attridge et al., "Loving God and Neighbor Together: A Christian Response to a Common Word between Us and
You," 215.
12
Bijlefeld, "Christian-Muslim Relations: Developments of 2006 in Historical Context."
13
As Bijlefeld notes, white evangelical Protestants are more likely to affirm that Islam is evil or cast in a negative
light. Bijlefeld, "Christian-Muslim Relations: Developments of 2006 in Historical Context," 89.
Sid Sudiacal

into one category (either “terrorist” or “terrorist-friendly”) is characteristic of those who

subscribe to this particular worldview. The rhetoric behind it is one filled with irrational fear and

ignorance.

While it cannot be denied that there are adherents of the Islamic faith who have

committed heinous acts under the name of Islam, there are also existing Muslims who do not

adhere to an Islamic ideology that fosters violence against non-Muslims. Ibrahim Hooper, the

director of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), reminded Muslims during the

Danish cartoon debacle of how Mohammed reacted when he was persecuted. In light of the death

threats, riots, and violent outrage of the Muslim community against a cartoonist who would dare

profane their revered prophet, Hooper tried to be a voice of calm amidst the noisy cacophony

that erupted. He reminded Muslims that when Mohammed received insults and violence from

non-Muslims, he responded with “patience and compassion.”14 He exhorts Muslims to do

likewise and follow the Prophet’s example.

To fight against the negative stereotyping of Muslims, efforts must be made to

demonstrate that “while Muslim thinking is not monolithic, the majority of Muslims today

uphold a vision of moderation that is far removed from the images of polarization and

confrontation disseminated by the news media.”15 Kimball notes that “one overriding impression

14
Laird, "Loving Our Neighbor, Honoring Muhammad," 79.
15
Taji-Farouki, "Muslim-Christian Cooperation in the Twenty-First Century: Some Global Challenges and Strategic
Responses," 173.
Sid Sudiacal

remains front and center: the large majority of Christians and Muslims continue to view each

other with "detailed ignorance.”16 He goes on to say that

most Christians in the West are aware of many details, ideas, images, and sound bite
impressions of Muslims; and vice versa. Far too few have a broader, more coherent
framework of understanding, a way to comprehend the religious, political, historical, and
economic context connected to high profile events conveyed through different media.
The problem is exacerbated by the heavy dependence for news on television, a medium
that tends to emphasize the most dramatic and sensational events.17
This is, in my opinion, an apt and succinct evaluation of the current situation. Too often, the only

point of contact we have with Muslims or Islamic ideology is through the media. Such a facile

and shallow understanding of Muslim can and will lead to detrimental and destructive results.18

Secular Approach

Christians and Muslims have not been friendly theological bed-mates. While both are

monotheistic in nature, the refusal of Muslims to acknowledge the divinity of Jesus Christ has

proven to be a cause of strife and turmoil between the two religions. Because of the incendiary

nature of religious ideas among these two Abrahamic faiths, future cooperation should remove

16
Kimball, "Toward a More Hopeful Future: Obstacles and Opportunities in Christian-Muslim Relations," 379.
17
Kimball, "Toward a More Hopeful Future: Obstacles and Opportunities in Christian-Muslim Relations," 379.
18
Kimball speaks of a class exercise that he has employed for the last 20 years. “Toward the end of the term,
students go out into the community in teams of three in order to interview people whose religious traditions they
have been studying. In addition to discovering that their community is a microcosm of our religiously diverse world,
students are often invited into homes. Experiencing the hospitality of others, family life that often parallels their own
experience and conversing in depth with some well-informed and some not-so-well-informed people of other
traditions is invaluable. While reporting back to the class, many students indicate that this exercise was among the
most instructive in their college experience. Years later, many students say that the assignment was the first step in
what has become a process of awareness and inquiry they pursue well beyond college.” Kimball, "Toward a More
Hopeful Future: Obstacles and Opportunities in Christian-Muslim Relations," 381.

Personally, I know that my views on Muslims have been heavily influenced by living amongst them for two years.
Had I not lived in a predominantly Muslim society, I am quite confident that this paper would have a more
confrontational tone and espouse a negative view of Islam and its followers.
Sid Sudiacal

all references to theology.19 Joint activities should be framed as a common act of common good

for others. Since Christianity and Islam cannot agree on a theological common ground, an appeal

to secular ethics is made.

Since Christianity and Islam both believe in One God, could it not be argued that they

serve the same God? Shouldn’t this fact inform both faiths that they do have a theological

common ground from which they can both proceed? The Roman Catholic Church remarked that

“the Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and

subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has

spoken to men.20 This is a tacit acceptance that both Catholics and Muslims serve the same God.

Some would also argue that throughout history, many voices have risen in agreement with this

statement. However, many voices have also risen to reject such a claim.21 While the Catholics

may promote the idea that they serve the same God, many in Protestant circles would be less

inclined to offer such statements.

In both traditions, there are people who subscribe to either fundamentalist or liberal

interpretations. The fundamentalist stance “requires that other people and societies accept not

only the set of values upheld, but equally the worldview from which they emanate”; both

“fundamentalist Christianity and militant Islam each display this approach.”22 On the other hand,

“liberal religious positions ... apply religious resources to problems resulting specifically from

19
Bijlefeld, "Christian-Muslim Relations: Developments of 2006 in Historical Context," 89.
20
Nostre Aetate, 3.
21
Bijlefeld, "Christian-Muslim Relations: Developments of 2006 in Historical Context," 90.
22
Taji-Farouki, "Muslim-Christian Cooperation in the Twenty-First Century: Some Global Challenges and Strategic
Responses," 171.
Sid Sudiacal

the operation of global society and its dominant instrumental systems.”23 Because of the

difficulty in providing a theological common ground for these two parties, perhaps it is best to

remove all theological reference and focus instead on secular ethics as the means for mutual

cooperation.

Dialogue

However, there are Christians and Muslims who “are convinced of the crucial

significance of an ongoing dialogue on theological issues.”24 “A Common Word” is a document

that locates its dialogue with Christians within a theological framework. It speaks of the two

things that both religions hold in common: love of the One God and love of others. The two love

commandments that both religions share in their Sacred Scriptures can potentially be the

hermeneutical key to unlocking our current theological stand-still. Migliore opines that

by viewing the twofold love commandment as "what is most essential to our faith and
practice," "A Common Word" also underscores the inseparability of love of God and love
of neighbor. This binding of the two loves is affirmed alike by Torah, Gospel, and
Qur'an. The significance of agreement on the inseparability of the love commandments
for future dialogues among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam cannot be overestimated.
While the letter does not expand on how these two commandments are interlocked and
how we are to understand their relationship, it has in effect made this relationship a theme
for future study and dialogue.25
By grounding our conversation within the two love commandments, it truly provides us with a

common ground from which we can proceed. This grounding situates us within our own

particular tradition while still providing us with the impetus to cooperate and embrace others.

23
Taji-Farouki, "Muslim-Christian Cooperation in the Twenty-First Century: Some Global Challenges and Strategic
Responses," 171.
24
Bijlefeld, "Christian-Muslim Relations: Developments of 2006 in Historical Context," 89.
25
Migliore, "The Love Commandments: An Opening for Christian-Muslim Dialogue?," 325.
Sid Sudiacal

Both religions have the ability to use their own religious structure to frame the problem space

and formulate their own theological responses that promotes love, peace and justice of the other.

Dialogue: A critique

One of the problems with the current dialogue in Christian-Muslim relations is that it

tends to see world events with a religious lens. It fails to take into account other issues such as

economic, political, social, psychological factors. Siddiqui talks about how the Israeli-

Palestinian conflict “has now used religion to its very extremities on both sides, because that is

the last refuge in which to mobilize anger and action.”26 Saleh comments that “recent research

on Palestinian suicide militants has failed to consider the full range of stressors leading to

suicide attacks.”27 Both of these authors would suggest that it would be wrong to interpret some

of the current events that we are seeing as religious wars. Instead, they find their problems in a

host of other factors that are not in any way related to religion. If religion is not the main culprit

in understanding these events, should we seek to solve these events through it?28

Friendship: A dialogical approach to Christian-Muslim relations

In addressing the relational gap between Christians and Muslims, Farina argues that “the

most critical need is for us to ... replace mistrust with friendship.”29 If we truly want to bridge the

strained relations that usually mark Christian-Muslim relations, then friendship as a dialogical

approach is the best means to achieve this purpose. Friendship moves us from merely tolerating

another person’s presence into embracing that person for everything that they are. We embrace

26
Siddiqui, "When Reconciliation Fails: Global Politics and the Study of Religion," 1149.
27
Saleh, “Palestinian Suicide Attacks”, 8.
28
Siddiqui, "When Reconciliation Fails: Global Politics and the Study of Religion," 1151.
29
Farina, "Beyond Tolerance: Interfaith Friendship as Ethics in Action," 81.
Sid Sudiacal

their flaws, imperfections, and eccentricities. The individual is seen as a person and treated as

such. Friendship allows us to be vulnerable with each other and show the love of God to another

human being.

True friendship comes from God. It can be argued that

friendship with other people is derived ultimately from friendship with God. In this belief
there is theological common ground in Christian and Muslim tradition. We see this
especially in the writings of Thomas Aquinas and Hamid Al-Ghazali. Though Aquinas
and Al-Ghazali vary in their methods of theological exploration, they share a common
interest in teaching how charity, which is God's friendship with human beings, is the
essence of knowledge and moral guidance.30

Through friendship, we have the opportunity to display God’s attributes that He has so lavishly

demonstrated towards us to another person. Peace, love, justice, forgiveness are but some of the

divine qualities that needs to exist in a healthy and thriving friendship for it to succeed. The lack

of these virtues in a friendship will ultimately lead to the descent and death of the friendship. It

is “through this virtue that humans grow in their potential for fulfillment in this life.” It is

through friendship that love finds its seeds of growth.

Shenk provides us with an illustration of how friendship can break down barriers

between Christians and Muslims. He tells the story of an encounter between a Christian pastor

and a Hizbullah commander. The commander gruffly told him that since he is a Christian, he can

kill him. Paying no attention to his threats, the pastor returned time and time again to converse

with him as they had tea together. Many Christian workers came to Banda Aceh to help in the

post-tsunami reconstruction and so the pastor invited the commander along with his leaders to

join the relief effort. Remarkably, he agreed. They joined the Christian teams in rebuilding the

battered city. The commander and the pastor even slept in the same room. As a result, they

30
Farina, "Beyond Tolerance: Interfaith Friendship as Ethics in Action," 87.
Sid Sudiacal

became friends. “One evening around the evening meal, the commander began to weep. He said,

"When I think of what we have done to you, and how you reciprocate with love, my heart has

melted within me!" He confided to the pastor, "I have discovered that you Christians are good

infidels."31

This story provides us with a practical outworking of what friendship as a dialogical

approach to Christian-Muslim relations can potentially look like. In many ways, it is a

significant departure from our current approach towards Muslims. The current approach relies

heavily on apologetics that seeks to transform someone’s current thinking and beliefs. It is about

logically proving that Jesus is the Son of God and refuting the Muslim’s assertions against

Christianity. Friendship as a dialogical approach has at its goal to transform the heart and the

will rather than the mind. The friendship allows for disagreements to occur without the

pronouncements of condemnation against the other. It is the gentle and firm love of the other

that will ultimately affect and cause a revolution and transformation of ideas and beliefs.

Dialogue: Next steps?

Success in future interfaith dialogues lie in the ability of truth, tempered by love and

grace, to be an integral part of the process. It will be a disservice to the followers of both

religions if their respective interlocutors choose to avoid potential conflict by trivializing, or

even downright ignoring, their differences. "True love confronts friends when they go wrong.”32

The confrontation should take place in an atmosphere of acceptance and recognition.

31
Shenk, "The Gospel of Reconciliation within the Nations of Wrath," 3.
32
Alford, "Unapologetic Apologist: Jay Smith Confronts Muslim Fundamentalists with Fundamentalist Fervor," 36.
Sid Sudiacal

Ayoub remarks that

the need for mutual recognition and acceptance is a long-term goal which should always
guide our efforts towards fruitful spiritual, moral, theological and social dialogue. Mutual
acceptance must not stop at recognizing, and even accepting, the existence of the other as
a fellow human being and a good neighbor. Rather, Muslims and Christians must accept
each other as friends and partners in the quest for social and political justice, theological
harmony and spiritual progress on the way to God, who is their ultimate goal.33

This need for “mutual recognition and acceptance” can best be actualized through challenging

both Christians and Muslims to engage in a friendship with each other. It is under the aegis of

friendship that a culture of trust and love can be established and nurtured between Christians and

Muslims. Friendship provides the proper conditions for such relationships to not only grow, but

thrive as well.

Conclusion

In an article by Salam al-Mariati, he argues that “it is the moderate voices of both worlds

(the West and Muslim), and both religions, that will be the bridge of interdependence and mutual

understanding.”34 Further exhortation is made in making sure that dialogue does not “spiral

down to the encapsulation of our social fears, contradictions, and biases, on the one hand, or to

float in the clouds of platitudinous mutual complements on the other.”35 True dialogue cannot

remain in the theoretical and abstract; there needs to be concrete expressions of it and it should

be transformative. The Reconciliation Walk that took place in 1996 is a tangible expression of

this sentiment.36

33
Ayoub, "Christian-Muslim Dialogue: Goals and Obstacles," 315.
34
Mariati, "Christian-Muslim Relations in North America: An Activist's Perspective," 373.
35
Mariati, "Christian-Muslim Relations in North America: An Activist's Perspective," 373.
36
Siddiqui, "When Reconciliation Fails: Global Politics and the Study of Religion," 1145. “The Reconciliation
Walk, which took place in 1996 from Cologne to Turkey to mark the Crusaders Walk, in which Christians
Sid Sudiacal

Borelli reflects that “Christians and Muslims often judge one another by the

extremists.”37 “Christians and Muslims have let the extremists too often do all the talking in

public discourse.”38 Despite the onslaught of images of Islamic terrorists that pervade the media,

it is important that we become critical about the “truth” that it presents about the followers of

Islam. We must constantly be on guard against negative stereotyping of an entire culture based

on the actions of a few. The confrontational approach to Christian-Muslim relations has resulted

in further alienation and isolation of the other. To appeal to secular ethics and remove all

theological reference to ensure mutual cooperation is to promote tolerance of the other, but not

full acceptance of the other. Dialogue is the means by which both religions can learn how to

understand and find mutual acceptance and recognition. Friendship as a dialogical approach with

Muslims can result in building a culture of trust between Christians and Muslims. Through

friendship, both Christians and Muslims can fulfill their desire and the command to love the One

God and love others.

apologized to Muslims for the atrocities of the Crusades, is one such example. The 2000 mile, three year walk across
Europe, through the Balkans and Turkey, then south to Jerusalem, finished with an apology to 200 Muslims. The
purpose was to heal old rifts between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and by lifting the Cross, the message was
that the Crusaders had "betrayed the name of Christ by conducting themselves in a manner contrary to his wishes
and character."
37
Borelli, "Christian-Muslim Relations in the United States: Reflections for the Future after Two Decades of
Experience," 327.
38
Borelli, "Christian-Muslim Relations in the United States: Reflections for the Future after Two Decades of
Experience," 327.
Sid Sudiacal

Bibliography

Aasi, Ghulam-Haider. "Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the United States: A Muslim Perspective."

Currents in Theology and Mission 33.3 (2006) 213-22.

Alford, Deann. "Unapologetic Apologist: Jay Smith Confronts Muslim Fundamentalists with
Fundamentalist Fervor." Christianity Today 52.6 (2008) 34-37.

Attridge, Harold W., Miroslav Volf, Joseph Cumming, and Emilie M. Townes. "Loving God and
Neighbor Together: A Christian Response to a Common Word between Us and You."
International Journal of Frontier Missions 24.4 (2007) 215-17.

Ayoub, Mahmoud M. "Christian-Muslim Dialogue: Goals and Obstacles." Muslim World 94.3
(2004) 313-19.

Bijlefeld, Willem Abraham. "Christian-Muslim Relations: Developments of 2006 in Historical

Context." Currents in Theology and Mission 35.2 (2008) 85-99.

Borelli, John. "Christian-Muslim Relations in the United States: Reflections for the Future after
Two Decades of Experience." Muslim World 94.3 (2004) 321-33.

Farina, Marianne. "Beyond Tolerance: Interfaith Friendship as Ethics in Action." Religion East
& West 2 (2002) 83-89.

Kimball, Charles. "Toward a More Hopeful Future: Obstacles and Opportunities in Christian-
Muslim Relations." Muslim World 94.3 (2004) 377-85.

Laird, Lance D. "Loving Our Neighbor, Honoring Muhammad." Review & Expositor 105.1
(2008) 67-83.

Mariati, Salam al. "Christian-Muslim Relations in North America: An Activist's Perspective."

Muslim World 94.3 (2004) 373-75.

Migliore, Daniel L. "The Love Commandments: An Opening for Christian-Muslim Dialogue?"

Theology Today 65.3 (2008) 312-30.

Saleh, Basel. "Palestinian Suicide Attach Revisited: A Critique of Current Wisdom."

Available at http://www.monitor. upeace.org/pdf/suicide_attacks.pdf. Accessed on 11
December, 2010.

Shenk, David W. "The Gospel of Reconciliation within the Nations of Wrath." International
Bulletin of Missionary Research 32.1 (2008) 3-6.
Sid Sudiacal

Siddiqui, Mona. "When Reconciliation Fails: Global Politics and the Study of Religion." Journal
of the American Academy of Religion 73.4 (2005) 1141-53.

Taji-Farouki, Suha. "Muslim-Christian Cooperation in the Twenty-First Century: Some Global

Challenges and Strategic Responses." Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations 11.2 (2000)
167-93.