Clash of Civilisations (6) - Religious Clash

Many Christians see Islam as their greatest enemy. In one sense this is true, as both religions believe that they will expand throughout the entire world (actually Jesus believed this, but many of his followers just want to go to heaven).

To fulfil our commision, Christianity will have to win against Islam in the battlefield of ideas. If we cannot win that struggle we are pretty pathetic. We have a far better Saviour: Jesus is the Son of God. We have a far better gospel: our salvation includes healing of the sick. We have the Holy Sprit and millions of angels on our side. It should be a walk over.

We certainly do not need to use military power spread the Christian gospel. Attempts to do this in the past have done more harm than good.

The one area where Islam has an advantage is that it seen as a religion for the whole of life. A Moslem knows what is required of them in politics and business, and the rules are quite simple. In contrast, Christianity is seen as a private religion. Worse still it is usually seen as a private religion that supports and sustains a secular, humanist, materialist, militarist civilisation. This will have to change, if Christianity is to win the hearts and minds of the people of the world.

To be successful in the battlefield of ideas, Christianity will have to become a religion that shapes all aspects of life, with out falling back into using political power to coerce Christian faith. To cut the mustard, it will have to become a valid alternative to the secular, materialist civilisation.