Islam, Politics and Religion The Gospel & Islam Rod Spidahl, PhD Bethel Church Education Option

Review: Folk Religion Folk religion is characterized by 1) Seeking here and now answers to religious questions of power and success 2) Existence within a superstructure of formal religious observance 3) Reliance on practitioners and on pragmatic and local form(s) to create meaning for life rather than on doctrine creating/defining meaning and form

Folk Islam Another word for popular Islam “Various practices prevalent throughout Arabia when Muhammad emerged as the founder of a new religion” as well as ideas and practices incorporated into Islam as it spread among other peoples (Musk 1989, 229)

The Gospel as the Bible tells us For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake (2 Cor 4:5) See 1 Corinthians 15:1-5

What We Proclaim We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me (Col 1:28-29)

“Becoming As” – Mission asTranslation 1 Cor 9:19-23 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible... To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law...

Identify and Translate I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings (1 Cor 9:22b,23)

What is the Gospel? In its “mini-minimum”, 1 Cor 15:1-6 I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

The Gospel (continued) For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared…

What is the Gospel –Tell me In groups of 3-4, share what you believe to be a less than 12 word phrase summarizing what Scripture says about Gospel

Scripture Death for sins Historical event Is a call into a faith decision in a crucified, living Lord Jesus. Baptizing & teaching (Matthew 28) How do we “put on Christ?”

Trialogue as a way of becoming (Paul Hiebert’s Term) The basis for missionary encounter involves: 1) Real knowledge of the people we are serving (applied missional anthropology) 2) Faithful yet creative application of a biblical world view in our proclamation and witness in a specific context (applied missional theology) Scripture, Anthropology, Theology, Mission, Life, Words, Listening, Loving….

Trialogue (continued) 3) Integration of the Gospel into new social structures for outreach and community (incarnational critical contextualization)

Summary We know Jesus, not merely doctrines about Jesus: we proclaim Him! We become as Muslims, practicing incarnational mission: we go to them, w/o violating the law of Christ. As a community to another community As people to people for Jesus sake

Summary (continued) We identify with cultural aspects but do not adopt Islamic practices We treat Muslims persons for whom Christ died and rose again: we love Muslims God transforms Muslims through faith by His Spirit: God creates new life through Christ alone