MCLEAN (ABP) — A letter asking for peace between Muslims and Christians received a warm welcome from leaders of the Baptist World Alliance Oct. 17.
Signed by more than 130 Muslim scholars, theologians and clerics, the 29-page tome asked for cooperation in working for peace and religious freedom. It was sent to 27 Christian leaders worldwide.
In a public response to the letter, BWA president David Coffey of Great Britain said he was not surprised by the request for respect and goodwill — he had discussed the possibility of such a letter during his September visit with King Abdullah II of Jordan.
Having just returned from the Middle East, he said, he is “deeply conscious” of the need to affirm the call for goodwill.
“I am concerned wherever Christians or those of any faith are denied full religious liberty,” he said. “Religious liberty includes the right for all persons to freely worship and live their faith without fear and prejudice. I know the BWA will be seeking to foster and develop the understanding of tolerance and respect expressed in the letter and that any future conversations will truly advance the cause of religious liberty and global peace.”
Neville Callam, the general secretary of the Baptist alliance, emphasized its support for principles of religious freedom and his conviction that “all human beings are created in the image of God,” who calls them to love one another.
Both Callam and Coffey said they expect to release a full response to the letter after consulting member groups of the alliance, which includes more than 200 Baptist unions and conventions worldwide.
The scholars' letter is dated Oct. 13 to mark the Islamic holiday of Eid al Fitr (the end of Ramadan) and the one-year anniversary of a letter to Pope Benedict from 38 Islamic scholars that criticized his speech in Germany that many Muslims believe derided Islam.
Citing the Quran and the Bible, Muslim leaders said the basis for understanding between the two faiths already existed in the shared recognition of “One God” and the mandate to love one's neighbor.
“Whilst Islam and Christianity are obviously different religions,” the statement said, “it is clear that the Two Greatest Commandments are an area of common ground and a link between the Quran, the Torah and the New Testament.”
The letter is replete with citations from both Muslim and Christian scriptures emphasizing the oneness of God, but is not a call for Christians to abandon their belief in the Trinity, said Muzammil Siddiqi, chairman of the Islamic Jurisprudence Council of North America and one of 16 American signatories.
“Even though the interpretation of [God's] unity is the Trinity, the foundation is unity,” said Siddiqi. “It's monotheism, even though we do not agree with every interpretation of monotheism.”
Nearly a quarter of the signatories were from North America or Europe, although the two continents are home to a tiny fraction of the world's Muslims. Siddiqi said that should not be construed as a lack of support from leaders in traditionally Muslim countries.
With additional information from RNS