NAMB offers video explaining basics of Islamic belief

                                                                                                                            Vol. XX, No. 4, April 2007

In a mosque in Southern California, a young man makes a vow that will profoundly change his life: "I declare that there is no God except Allah, and the prophet Mohammad is the messenger of God." It is an authentic conversion to Islam, a ceremony similar in some respects to the Christian ordinance of baptism.

For the 6 million Muslims who now live in the United States and Canada, it is not a particularly unusual event. But for Christian audiences who witness the experience on a new video produced by the North American Mission Board, it is a sobering reminder of the growing influence of Islam in a nation once considered a bastion of Christianity.

That personal perspective is a common theme of "The Cross or the Crescent: Understanding Islam," a video-based study of the world's second-largest religion. By examining Islam and its current practice in North America through the eyes of its followers, the agency's leaders hope to create understanding and address popular misconceptions about Islam among Christians. But they also hope to equip Christians to relate more effectively with their Muslim neighbors when discussing their own deeply held beliefs.

The video is accompanied by a 53-page leader's manual with further resources on understanding Islam written by Samuel Shahid, a professor of missions at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

Unlike many such efforts produced by Christians for Christians, "The Cross or the Crescent" hopes to ensure credibility by allowing the story of Islam to be told by those who know it best-prominent Islamic scholars and lay adherents to the faith. The video then allows Christian scholars to clearly illustrate the critical theological points of divergence.

One popular misconception addressed throughout the video is the notion that the fundamentalist extremes associated with terrorism are in any way characteristic of the majority of Muslims. "There is a terrorist element in their history, but that is not the overriding characteristic of these people," said producer Wolf Schumacher. "In fact, all the Muslims I've talked with have strongly condemned that kind of behavior."

While the video illustrates the history, practice, and basic theology of Islam in a manner that would not be disputed by most Muslims, the comparison of doctrines with Christianity does illustrate the sharp divisions. Muslims do accept and revere Jesus Christ as a key prophet along with other prophets of the Old Testament. But they believe the later revelation purportedly given to Mohammad is the final and fully accurate revelation of God. They do not believe Jesus was, or even claimed to be, the Son of God. They vehemently reject the concept of the Trinity, original sin, and the need for the atonement.

The video and related resources are available at LifeWay Christian Stores or by calling (800) 448-8032.