A timely article from one of the most perceptive and knowledgeable Christian writers on Islam today, Timothy Furnish. In addition to being a regular contributor to The Stream, Tim posts on his blog, The Occidental Jihadist.
The Prince of Peace vs. the False Prophets of Islam
by Timothy R. Furnish, The Stream, April 10, 2020
Islam denies this, and what happened three days later (plus a whole lot more). |
Yesterday was Maundy Thursday — the day on which Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. That evening, some 1990 years ago, Christ was arrested. Eventually He was crucified on Good Friday, which we remember today.
Yesterday was also, according to Twelver Shi`i Muslims, the birthday of their main messianic figure: Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi.
Piety Not Politics, For a Change
I am a Christian who’s been studying Islam for almost three decades. Often I write as an analyst of the Islamic world. That usually means focusing on the geopolitics of the Middle East, Islamic Africa and South Asia. But not today.
Considering the juxtaposition of Holy Week and Mahdist celebration, I want to look at the world’s second-largest religion primarily from a believer’s perspective.
Christian Views of Salvation in Other Religions
There have been three broad Christian approaches to whether salvation can be achieved in other religions. The oldest, exclusivism, said “no.” Pluralism, more recently, has said “yes.” Inclusivism, also modern, says “maybe/probably.”