This is a case study of the ill-informed, uninspired attitude of churches in their treatment of a dangerous competing world view: Islam. This attitude likely pervades most Christian denominations, even conservative ones.
Still exploring and seeking a church or denomination that does not whitewash truth, I was referred to the Evangelical Free Church in America (EFCA) web site by a friend. All of the orthodox “Who We Ares” and “What We Believes” are there. I had high hopes that this denomination was not afraid to present the truth, unbridled by the need to shade the reality to appear tolerant and accepting of competing and evil world views.
Out of curiosity I searched their web site under “Islam”. I focused on the first entry on their list of “hits” on Islam (at the time of this writing), “What Christians Should Know about Islam.” Once again I found a treatment of Islam that is omits or misrepresents essentials that Christians need to know. A few statements are accurate. Most are misleading, outright wrong, dangerously naïve and do Christians and Christianity a gross disservice. I have come to expect this sort of naiveté from liberal denominations. But I cringe and marvel when I see it from a conservative Christian group.
Two conservative Christian denominations are involved in this informational abortion: Greg Strand, the Director of Biblical Theology and Credentialing for the EFCA, and Zane Pratt, a Southern Baptist. Strand introduces Pratt’s summary of what every Christian should know about Islam as follows:
“Zane Pratt serves as an associate professor of Christian missions at Southern Seminary. He has helpfully listed “ten things I learned about Islam during my 20 years as a missionary in a Muslim-majority country that I think every Christian should know.””
Strand felt confident enough (or ignorant enough) about Pratt’s summary content that he allowed it to be highlighted on the EFCA website:
Here is a side by side and point by point presentation of Pratt’s “Summary” and my critique which I emailed to the Denomination’s “Info” address:
In essence, Strand and Pratt share both a dangerous ignorance of Islam as well as a pathetic lack of concern that such ignorance portends for Christianity and what’s left of Christianized civilization.
The denomination replied to my email via Greg Strand. Below is Greg Strand’s reply to my critique, above, along with my point by point return emailed answers to his replies:
In summary, Strand was very defensive of Pratt and Pratt’s deficient “Summary of What Should Christians Know About Islam.” Defense of a cohort and his work appears to be more important to Strand (and the Denomination?) than a concise and accurate summary of Islam. Or perhaps Strand was embarrassed by my critique and felt compelled to defend his decision to post this “Summary” on the EFCA website. Either way, the result is the same.
Strand was so determined to defend his article in that he chose to instead lecture me on peripheral issues (Christian civilization) rather than acknowledge the facts presented about Islam. He preferred to instead focus on the apparently obscure meaning of Pratt’s verbiage that is tucked away in separate documents. He preferred to label my comments as “uncharitable” rather than acknowledge the facts I presented. That reeks of bureaucratic stonewalling. Truth is the new “uncharitable” speech in Christendom, just as truth is the new hate speech in liberaldom.
Strand himself apparently has a deficient understanding of Islam or else he would not have 1) Presented such a sloppy summary of Islam on the EFCA website, and 2) Aggressively defended the indefensible and wouldn’t have been critical and dismissive of my comments.
Does Greg Strand represent the position of the EFCA concerning statements about Islam? Does his manner of reply to my comments reflect the culture of the EFCA?
I would have expected such a reply from a liberal denomination. But not from the EFCA – what I understand to be relatively conservative. Strand’s defensive and critical response to my comments is a clear example of why Christians remain generally oblivious to Islamic origins, doctrine, methods, morality and goals. Christian leaders insist on sanitizing Islamic history, texts, doctrine, and actions and instead marginalize or castigate anyone who presents the facts.
I would not be welcome in nor would I want to be a part of such a denomination when truth is considered “uncharitable” – when defense of sloppy summaries of competing world views appears to be a much higher priority than truth.
This carelessness toward expressing the complete truth of Islam by representatives of two substantial Christian denominations (EFCA and Southern Baptists) should scare the be-Jesus out of Christians who know better. It is beyond troubling that conservative Christian denominations are informed by such simplistic, naïve and misleading presentations of Islam. It is as if Christianity just doesn’t care and has a death wish.
I understand there is an innate demand of Christians to exude charity and grace. But there is no such demand to shade or withhold the truth and to be anything but bold when dealing with evil and threatening world views.
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Suggestion to denominations hell-bent to guide their flock on topics they know little about: Get accurately informed or say nothing. No information is better than bad information.