Christian. Muslim. Friend.

Twelve Paths to Real Relationship

David W. Shenk

• Publisher: Herald Press
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9780836199055
• eBook ISBN: 9780836199512
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

Winner 2016 “Christianity Today Book Award” for Mission/Global Church catelogry.

Can Christians and Muslims be friends? Real friends? Even in an era of intense religious conflict, David Shenk says yes. In Christian. Muslim. Friend., Shenk lays out twelve ways that Christians can form authentic relationships with Muslims—characterized by respect, hospitality, and candid dialogue—while still bearing witness to the Christ-centered commitments of their faith.

Rooted in fifty years of friendship with Muslims in Somalia, Kenya, and the United States, this book will inspire readers with astounding stories of the author’s animated conversations with Muslim clerics, visits to countless mosques around the globe, and the pastors and imams who are working for peace.

These tried and true paths offer a compelling resource with practical application for mission personnel, Sunday school classes, and Christians who meet people of Islamic faith in their communities.

For a radio interview with David Shenk, which aired originally by Paul Ridgeway of KKMC Christian Talk radio, Twin Cities, Minn., click here and scroll to the bottom of the post

CHAPTER 1

Live with Integrity

The imam in the mosque is preaching against you. Be careful,” my friend Farah advised.

We had arrived in Somalia a few months earlier. I responded, “If he has something against me, I must meet him. Give me his name, and I will go to the mosque to meet him now. I have nothing to hide. Please arrange a meeting.”

Farah promised to bring the imam to our home. He came with some of his disciples, and Grace served them spiced tea and date cookies. The imam began, “There is a rumor in town that you hope to go to heaven when you die. If that is true, I will tell you how to get to heaven!”

I was astonished! This was not what I expected from an imam who I understood to be preaching against me. With a sense of relief, I responded quite emphatically, “That is absolutely true! Thanks for coming to tell me the way to heaven.”

The imam confided, “I thought Christians prefer hell to heaven. But the way to heaven is to submit to the five pillars of duty in Islam: confess the creed that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet, fast during the month of Ramadan, give to the poor, pray five times daily, and take the pilgrimage to Mecca, if possible.”

“Basically I do these five duties, and I can improve on those where I am weak,” I responded. “I would be delighted to go to Mecca as soon as I can make arrangements.”

“Praise God!” he said. “You have become a Muslim. Be a secret believer; do not even tell your wife, so that the mission does not stop your salary. And heaven might become your destiny.”

I pled, “I need to know my destiny. Please tell me the true way to heaven.”

“There is a balance scales,” he answered. “These duties go on the good deeds side of the scales. The wrong we do goes on the opposite side of the scales. No one knows which side is the heaviest: the good deeds or the wrong deeds. Even I do not know. However, Islam is the best hope that we know of.”

The integrity of the imam impressed me. I was startled by his confession that he had no firm assurance about his eternal destiny. I asked, “May I share with you what Jesus the Messiah says about this? Jesus says, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.’ He promises that he is the way. So which way should I choose? Jesus or another way?”

The imam was amazed. He said, “If Jesus has promised that he is the way, then I urge you to continue being a Christian!”

My friend Farah told me that after that conversation, when the imam heard someone speaking critically of me, the imam would say, “I have drunk tea in the home of David and his wife. We have talked about the deep things of God. And I am confident that man is going to heaven.”

That conversation happened in a context where it was illegal to propagate Christianity. Yet the commitment to integrity, which addressed the issues without a spirit of deviousness, opened surprising doors for authentic relationships.

Somalis often describe the Somalia Mennonite Mission (SMM) appointees as people of integrity. The Corinthians apparently said the same of the apostle Paul. He writes that God’s people avoid saying no and yes. There is no room for deviance. Rather, Christ is always “yes” to all the promises of God! In the same spirit Paul intended to keep his promises to the Corinthians.¹

Recall the fellows at the street-side tea shop who probed me with questions as we sipped cardamom-spiced black tea. Hollow answers would not cut it. The Qur’an warns against duplicity. It warns that Christian friendship with Muslims might be a facade with ulterior motives lurking beneath the surface.² The questions at the café that evening were not asked in hostility. They were honest questions. The fellows with me wanted to make it quite clear that motives such as bringing about the conversion of Somalis to the Christian faith would not be welcome.

I responded, “I am here by the appointment, or call, of God.” That answer intrigues Muslims. A strong theological stream in Muslim belief is that God directs all happenings. Being in Somalia by God’s appointment was, therefore, surprising and yet quite comprehensible to them.

Authentic witness

Nevertheless, my tea-table companions were concerned. Could it be that I thought the intention of God’s appointment was the conversion of Somalis to the Christian faith? If that was the case, then how could our acquaintance develop into friendship? The whole structure of the dar al Islam (region under Muslim rule) is, in essence, to protect the integrity of community.³ That includes protecting Muslims from any notions of leaving the Muslim community.

Muslims believe they have a duty to proclaim Islam to the whole world. In fact, within the prayer call from minarets around the world, Muslims proclaim their witness and their invitation. Here is an abbreviated expression of the call: God is most great, there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the prophet of God, so come and experience well-being; come and worship. A Muslim friend told me the prayer call is an urgent witness and invitation to all humankind.

In my walk with Muslims I find it is often quite difficult for them to acknowledge that Christians also believe we are called to bear witness. I have had scores of dialogues with Muslims, often in mosques. The calling of Christians to bear witness, and the freedom for people to accept the Christian invitation, are the most challenging issues that come my way again and again in dialogue with Muslims.

The community of Islam believes Islam is God’s eternal instruction about what we should believe and do. That eternal instruction is unchangeable. This means Islam is the first, middle, and final religion of humankind. How, then, could anyone consider leaving the final religion? It is difficult to find space within the Muslim worldview for anyone who is Muslim to choose another way.

Conversion away from Islam was on the mind of the district commissioner in the town where we moved after our arrival in Somalia. My assignment was to develop a thriving boarding middle school. It was illegal to propagate Christianity. We could not invite students to Bible studies. If someone wanted to engage in a Bible study, we would ask the inquirer to sign a statement saying this study was at their request. Our plan was to show the police these signed statements if we were ever questioned about the Bible studies.

Giving account to the authorities

I was in my midtwenties. I reveled in the challenge and opportunities before us. Then I was brought down to earth by a directive from the district commissioner to appear in his office. The enormous office was filled with people. In the presence of all, the officer confronted me. “It has been reported to me that some of the students in your charge are becoming Christians. That is against the law. I am ordering a full investigation. I can assure you, this will stop!”

I was concerned that an outcry of “Allahu akbar!” (God is most great!) might ensue. I prayed silently, “Holy Spirit, Jesus promised you will tell us what to say in such circumstances. So please hurry! There is no time to spare.”

I asked to have all those in the office leave, except for one witness. The officer agreed with the good sense of the request. Only the chief of police remained. Then I responded, “I will not comment on whether students have become believers in the Messiah. Only God knows the heart. So do your investigation and decide for yourself what is happening. As for the Mennonite mission teachers, we serve at the school as guests in your country. We are grateful for the privilege of serving and working with the Somali people. As guests we seek to obey the laws of your country.

“However, I have a problem, and I need your advice,” I continued. “When I first believed in Jesus the Messiah many years ago, the Spirit of God filled me with joy and love. I cannot ignore this gift from God. Occasionally a student comes to me saying, ‘I see in you the gift of joy and love. I believe the gift comes from the Christian faith within you. Please explain this faith to me and lead me to become a believer.’

“What should I do? If students come to me asking for a Bible study, what is the right response? If you wanted to believe, could I or the government prevent you? Are you not after all a free man? How should I respond to these students?”

The commissioner interjected, “You are right. I am a free man. No one can determine my faith for me. As for the students, continue just as you are doing. You are doing well. There will be no further investigation.”

That event was a trust-building asset. The trust was developed upon the foundation of truthfulness. On one occasion I was with a high-level government education officer—I believe he was the minister of education. At that time I was the director of the mission. I told him we were committed to openness and integrity in all areas.

Then I commented, “We as the Somalia Mennonite Mission want to serve in ways that are respectful of the laws of the land. That is a special challenge for us in the light of the law prohibiting propagating the Christian faith. So I would like to share how we seek to work within the law.”

He replied, “No, do not tell me how you function. We know how you function. Continue as you are doing. If you make a mistake we will inform you. But do not make mistakes.”

Go home if you hope my people will become Christians

A key aspect of integrity in Muslim societies is addressing the prevailing suspicion that evangelism is the real motive for the arrival and presence of Christian service personnel. Recall that this was the first question that came my way at the street-side tea kiosk in our early days in Somalia. It was also the concern of the officer who was launching an investigation into our school with regard to students becoming Christians. The suspicion often lurks that the reason for the Christian presence is evangelism, not just service. This was the concern we met in Somalia.

Christian witness was also the concern I encountered in the Philippines. Colleagues and I were visiting in Mindanao in the southern Philippines, where there have been episodic wars between central government forces and Muslim separatist groups. One of the Mennonite agencies had placed a Canadian peace emissary in that village. We were introduced to the village and then had a fine dinner in the home of the sultan as a tribute for the work of the peace emissary.

During the dinner several of the sultan’s sons broached the question with nervous coughs. “What is the real reason for your presence in our town?”

Their kindly father, the sultan, pressed the matter further. “I am the descendant of many generations of sultans, whose responsibility generation by generation has been to assure that this town remains Muslim and no one leaves the Muslim community to become a Christian. We appreciate the work of your emissary, but if perchance you are hoping persons from this town become Christians, that is religious imperialism, which I will never tolerate. In that case you should go home!”

Of course, for the sultan, Christianity meant much more than belief in Jesus. He viewed Christianity in the same way he viewed Islam, namely as a comprehensive geopolitical system. In Mindanao those different systems had been in conflict for decades. For him anyone who was joining Christianity was joining the imperial system of the enemy. It is for that reason that, in conversation with Muslims, I usually avoid identifying myself as a Christian. Rather, I refer to myself as a believer in Jesus the Messiah.

We were rather shaken by the broadside from this gentle and pious sultan. It was obvious that he feared our service might be a tool for proselytizing. Some of my Christian colleagues might respond to such concerns by declaring, “Oh my, no! We would never expect a Muslim from your village would become a Christian. We are only here as service workers. We would discourage any Muslim from becoming a Christian.”

What, then, happens if a Muslim does decide to become a Christian? Huge questions of trust burst into the arena. The integrity of the service workers would indeed be in question.

Since I was the fellow with the gray beard, eyes turned to me to respond to the sultan. I silently interceded, “Lord, lead out in this conversation!”

I began, “Thanks for expressing your concern. I want to make four comments. First, we all agree Christians and Muslims should never proselytize. By that we mean using money or other inducements for people to change their religion. We abhor and condemn such practices anywhere in the world.

“We agree with the assertion in the Qur’an: ‘Let there be no compulsion in religion!’⁴ The Bible also proclaims the freedom of the person to choose without compulsion: ‘Let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.’⁵

“Second, Muslims frequently invite me to become a Muslim. They do this because they appreciate me, and they believe Islam would be a great blessing for me. Christians likewise yearn that others also come to believe the gospel.

“Third, we all realize none of us can convert anyone; conversion is between a person and God.

“Fourth, we are here as guests by your invitation, and when you feel we should leave, we will leave in peace.

“Our emissary has come as a servant of Jesus the Messiah who has taught us to love, even our enemies. In fact, Jesus even washed the feet of Judas who was a traitor. We believe the love of the Messiah brings healing to a person and to a community. We are here to bear witness to the healing love of Christ.

“Suppose someone in your town would decide he wants to join us in commitment to Jesus the Messiah and wants to walk with us in loving service even for his enemies. What if we would refuse the person and say that only we who are guests among you can believe in and follow Jesus, and no one else is permitted to j...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgment
• Introduction: My Journey with Muslims
• Chapter 1: Live with Integrity
• Chapter 2: Keep Identity Clear
• Chapter 3: Cultivate Respect
• Chapter 4: Develop Trust
• Chapter 5: Dialogue about the Different Centers
• Chapter 6: Practice Hospitality
• Chapter 7: Answer the Questions
• Chapter 8: Confront the Distortions
• Chapter 9: Consider the Choice: The Hijrah. The Cross
• Chapter 10: Seek Peace and Pursue It
• Chapter 11: Partner with the Person of Peace
• Chapter 12: Commend Christ
• Appendix A: Christian/Muslim Relations Team
• Appendix B: Names and Characteristics of Jesus in the Qur’an
• Appendix C: References to the Bible in the Qur’an
• Appendix D: A Mennonite Response to “A Common Word”
• Appendix E: Shared Convictions of Anabaptists
• The Author