Christian witness among Muslims and ‘encroachment ‘

Fred Farrokh has recently published an article titled “Contextualization and ‘Encroachment’ in Muslim Evangelism”. Farrokh is introducing a new, specialised meaning of the word encroachment:

This essay introduces the concept of encroachment as another important fine-line tension which has emerged in ministry to Muslims. Encroachment occurs when Christian messengers enlist and redefine sacred Islamic texts, persons, and identifiers in a way that usurps from the indigenous communities those texts, persons, and identifiers.

Farrokh goes on to explore some popular missiologists’ encroachments—Kevin Higgins and Kevin Greeson being key among them. He also does a fine job showing that re-envisioning the ‘prophethood’ of Muhammad and filling the word ‘Muslim’ with a new meaning are also encroachments. He also mentions how the sword cuts both ways and notes some Muslim encroachments on Christian terms and vocabulary.

The fine insight behind the introduction of this new technical definition—something that has been stirring in my mind for some time—is that communities are the arbiters of their own boundaries. It is for Muslims to decide the meaning of the word Muslim. It is for Muslims to decide the significance of Muhammad being the “seal of the prophets”. It is not for Christian thinkers or missionaries, regardless of their intentions.

One can hope for thoughtful responses to Farrokh’s irenic and well-researched paper.

 

Al Kresta interviews me for Ave Mario Radio

Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of talking with Al Kresta, the host of Kresta in the Afternoon for Ave Mario Radio. He’s a sharp guy and always has some good questions. Here is the most recent interview on my new book, Two Stories of Everything: The Competing Metanarratives of Islam and Christianity.

Here is the link to the audio at Ave Mario Radio, or just listen to it right here from my own blog:

The interview with me begins at 21 minutes, but the first section, with John Allen on the Vatican and China, is also very interesting!

Ordination to the Priesthood

On February 18th of 2018 at the Anglican Cathedral of Madrid I was ordained as a presbyter of the Anglican Communion by the Rt. Rev. Carlos Lopez Lozano. Below is one picture, though you can find more pictures and details at the cathedral blog (though in Spanish).

With the Rev. Pete Wait and Rev. Eric Fenton (right), who came form the USA for the occasion

Paul Martindale reviews *Living among the Breakage*

I’m happy to share with you Paul Martindale’s very positive review of Living among the Breakage: Contextual Theology-making and ex-Muslim Christians (Pickwick, 2016). Martindale teaches missions at Gordon-Conwell and the review was originally published in Evangelical Missions Quarterly. Here is a section:

There is tremendous value in reading through this work as it shows how the life within developing communities intersects with new identity formation, the process of inculturating the gospel in a new context, new power structures within the Church, conversion, and the development of new ‘liberation’ and wisdom theologies. 

Drawing from specific case study interviews and a wealth of excellent missiological sources, Miller has helped to expand the field of ex-Muslim studies in constructive directions. Serious students of religious conversion and contextualization in former Muslim communities and church-planting in Islamic contexts will want to read and carefully consider this work. 

Read it all at the EMQ website.

Chuck Huckaby reviews *Two Stories of Everything*

From Missiolinks, Two Stories of Everything by Duane Alexander Miller – Review and Interview

In Duane Alexander Miller‘s Two Stories of Everything: The Competing Metanarratives of Islam and Christianity the Anglican Missiologist takes a novel approach to comparing Islam and Christianity.

He rejects the approach of the “comparative religions” school because this Enlightenment discipline believed the topic of “religion” could be neatly compartmentalized and analyzed as an almost incident subset of “real life” as defined by secular humanists.  So instead of analyzing Islam and Christianity in some topical fashion, he approaches the issue by narrating how the respective faith systems understand the origin of all things (creation), anthropology, Israel, Jesus, Muhammad, life in their respective communities, their respective missions, and their understanding of the end or eschatology. By the end of the book, the reader should understand that both Islam and Christianity, far from being easily compartmentalized abstractions, are, instead comprehensive – though differing – ways of life.

Miller’s analysis is fast paced and extremely accessible for non-specialists. A glossary and a good array of footnotes adds to the value of the text.  As a Christian in the historic tradition but acquainted with the breadth of world Christianity, he is able to portray the Christian story in a way that is fair to Christians whether they be “high church” or “low”. As one who has lived a significant portion of his life in Muslim majority areas such as Nazareth and who can read the Qu’ran in Arabic, he offers an even handed view of Islam as one who knows and appreciates Muslim people.

Christians wanting to understand Islam as it relates (or doesn’t) to their own faith will find this a very helpful guide. The work is not to be confused as another missive from the “can’t we all just get along crowd” because Miller does not indulge in political correctness. Nor can he be charged with “Islamophobia” because his conclusions are based on his specialist study and familiarity with his subject.

Suitable for Sunday Schools, Small Groups, individual reading or introductory class work, this book makes for a thought provoking introduction to the topic. It especially challenges Christians in the West and those who confuse the “West” with Christianity itself. Likewise those who have an interest in the contemporary Christian Mission will be challenged when the “professor” gives the church a barely passing grade on this subject.

Of particular interest is the way that Islam’s growth highlights the weakness of the West … our self destructive attitudes towards family, procreation, our naive views on virtue and vice, and the danger of the Church’s privatized faith. Indeed, Miller’s work operates as a running critique of the secular establishment and narrative itself. The complete ignorance and impotence of the thinking of the West’s political class on the topic of Muslim-Christian relations soon becomes apparent as well.

New Book: Two Stories of Everything by Duane A. Miller

I am happy to announce that my new book, Two Stories of Everything: The Competing Metanarratives of Islam and Christianity has been published and is now available for purchase. This book represents the culmination and summary of years of experience teaching at churches and institutions of higher education on Islam and Christianity. It is written for an educated audience who is not, however, a specialist in religion or theology. Think business person, Sunday school teacher, pastor who has been out of seminary for years…

Scholars and preachers have been approaching Islam and Christianity for centuries as two religions. But what if we set that approach aside and try something new? What if we look at the stories that Islam and Christianity tell? In this book we do exactly that: we go back to the beginning of the stories—Creation—and work our way forward to humanity, Israel, the founders (Jesus and Muhammad), why they founded their communities (the Church and the Umma), what those communities are doing in the world today, and then look down the road to the end of the two stories of everything with their different accounts of the final judgment.

Approaching Islam and Christianity as two stories of everything, or metanarratives, produces fresh new insights relevant to any person – whether Christian, Muslim, or of no religion—concerned with the question of how Islam, Christianity, and modernity interact and sometimes clash with each other.

The book contains a glossary and discussion questions for each chapter, making it ideal for Sunday school classes, study groups, lower level college courses, or discussion groups. The book, published by Credo House Publishers, is available in print and for Kindle.

If you’re interested in a review copy please contact me.

Christmas Eve Service in Madrid

The Anglican Cathedral of the Redeemer in Madrid, Spain will host a Christmas Eve service this year at 8:00 pm. Our address is Calle de la Beneficencia, 18 near the Tribunal metro stop (see photo below).

The service will consists of lessons and carols, meaning that we will alternate between a bible reading (a lesson) and a Christmas song. Children and international visitors are invited. The service will be bilingual, so some material in English and some in Spanish.

 

By Montrealais at en.wikipedia – Personal snapshot by Montréalais. Transferred from en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

If you would like to do one of the readings or have any questions please e-mail the Rev. Dr. Duane Miller at drdamiller1232 [at] gmail [dot] com

 

People from any faith tradition or none are invited to this intimate encounter with the divine.

new publication…in Dutch

my first publication in Dutch!

Of Knights Templar, Venice, Constantinople, and Crusades

Some time ago I was approached about writing some entries for the newly released War and Religion: an encyclopedia of faith and conflict (ABC-CLIO, 2017). And I’m glad to share that it has now been published in three volumes.

My own humble contributions were (in alphabetical order) on the Fourth Crusade, the Knights Templar, the Sixth Crusade, and the Venetian Crusade. That last one was quite successful and does not get the attention it deserves, in my opinion.

Feel free to sample my own entries above and please do consider asking your institution’s library to acquire this valuable resource.

New book alert: Identity Crisis

The folks of the Lausanne Movement recently have let us know about what appears to be a valuable, new book: Identity Crisis: Religious Registration in the Middle East (Gilead Books, 2016) by Jonathan Andrews (likely a pseudonym, I’m guessing).

The books addresses an important issue I noted on multiple occasions in Living among the Breakage, especially in my chapter on liberation theology in the texts of ex-Muslim Christians (Chapter 5).

I have not yet read the book, but I did read the Lausanne synopsis which looks promising. Here is a section from that synopsis:

It is often claimed that Islam is a religion of peace. What is meant by ‘peace’? Armed conflict can be stopped by one party surrendering unconditionally to the other. This brings ‘peace’ in the sense of an end to conflict, although the victors are able to impose whatever conditions they choose on the vanquished. It does not guarantee peace in the sense of stable, harmonious, and respectful community relations.

In Egypt, inter-communal strife is often followed by a ‘reconciliation meeting’. In situations involving Christians and Muslims, what typically happens is that Muslims seek draconian terms that marginalise and disadvantage the Christians, irrespective of the rights and wrongs of the situation. In such cases, criminal behaviour is overlooked, even exonerated. Religious registration is at the root of such practices, creating a context in which those who think of themselves as the majority feel that they are entitled to exploit others. The system undermines the rule of law.

This is indeed accurate and happens not only in Egypt but also in Israel-Palestine, and probably elsewhere too. The difficulty is that the system of organizing Muslims under Muslim rule into dhimmis is as old as Islam itself.

Anyway, I’m always happy to hear about new research about the challenges facing ex-Muslim Christians and the issue of religious registration is one of the main ones.

Read the whole Lausanne synopsis HERE.