Yesterday, the Christian-Muslim Form launched their "Ten Commandments of Mission". The title is a bit of a press spin as the protocol agreed between some leading Christians and Muslims is a list of "guidelines" only. But they are great conversation starters; significant steps forward in establishing honest and workable relations between faiths that allows for freedom of conscience. Here they are, anyway:
1) We bear witness to, and proclaim our faith not only through words but through our attitudes, actions and lifestyles.
2) We cannot convert people, only God can do that. In our language and methods we should recognise that people’s choice of faith is primarily a matter between themselves and God.
3) Sharing our faith should never be coercive; this is especially important when working with children, young people and vulnerable adults. Everyone should have the choice to accept or reject the message we proclaim and we will accept people’s choices without resentment.
4) Whilst we might care for people in need or who are facing personal crises, we should never manipulate these situations in order to gain a convert.
5) An invitation to convert should never be linked with financial, material or other inducements. It should be a decision of the heart and mind alone.
6) We will speak of our faith without demeaning or ridiculing the faiths of others.
7) We will speak clearly and honestly about our faith, even when that is uncomfortable or controversial.
8) We will be honest about our motivations for activities and we will inform people when events will include the sharing of faith.
9) Whilst recognising that either community will naturally rejoice with and support those who have chosen to join them, we will be sensitive to the loss that others may feel.
10) Whilst we may feel hurt when someone we know and love chooses to leave our faith, we will respect their decision and will not force them to stay or harass them afterwards
I couldn't resist posting the photo of Mel Brooks doing his Moses turn...If you've seen the film, he walks down from Sinai with 20 commandments, stumbles as he proclaims to the people of Israel, "Here are the twe...., no ten commandments" as half of the stone tablets come crashing down. I thought i'd run with that image as a little prod to us that in our relations with other faiths, there is a frequent tendency to expect high standards of "them" whilst overlooking the high ethics that we are called to in the church. Too often our desire for power and privilege causes us to stumble and trip, dropping those values that should be integral to the Christian faith. So, yes, it should be ok for Muslims to try to evangelise,to commend their faith, to build places of worship, to seek a presence in the public square. When we acknowledge these freedoms, we then have the credibility and authority to challenge Muslims in turn on issues such as how converts to Christianity are dealt with. In that conversation, we will also see some clear markers on how Christians view freedom as distinct from other faiths. This statement is not assuming that Christians and Muslims agree how religious freedom is founded but on what we ought to expect of each other in our respective behaviour.
