Today’s Buzz: The BUZZ Conference; Spiderman Bishop; and “I am both Muslim and Christian
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Tue, June 26, 2007
- Viewed 47
- (14) comments so far
I’m Off to BUZZ!
As you are reading this, I’m off to the Buzz Conference in Washington, D. C. at National Community Church. I’m looking forward to connecting with some old (and new) friends; as well as representing Leadership Network during the conference. If you’re also planning on being there, please let me know. You can email me at trhoades @ mondaymorninginsight.com…
Is it a Bird, a Plane, or a United Methodist Bishop?
The Bible Belt Blogger reports: Arkansas’ Methodist bishop will preach a sermon while dressed as a superhero if the church continues to grow statewide. Bishop Charles N. Crutchfield has pledged to don a Spiderman outfit if the United Methodist Church gains 1,000 members in 2007-2008 and doubles its number of “professions of faith”, according to the denomination’s website. Arkansas is one of the few states in the nation where the Methodist Church is growing. More here...
Getting Your Church Listed on iPhone
Tim Bednar offers some helpful advice: Apple announced that Google Maps will be one of the 12 widgets that launch on the new Apple iPhone. Well if you want your church to appear on Google Maps on the iPhone, get your ministry listed on Google Local Business. Find out how to do this here...
Online Auction Website That Hoped to Compete With eBay is being sold… on eBay!
You might call it the ultimate full-circle moment: Two guys fed up with paying EBay listing fees are now selling their own alternative to the online auction business - on EBay. “We’ve taken it a long way and now it’s just time to move on to a new project,” said Peter Michaud, who created the site MightyBids.com in 2003 with Jeff Ramaglia. MightyBids.com went up for auction on Thursday. As of Monday afternoon, 39 bids drove the business’ purchase price to $20,100 - lower than the reserve price, which Michaud won’t divulge. More here...
“I am both Muslim and Christian”
Shortly after noon on Fridays, the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding ties on a black headscarf, preparing to pray with her Muslim group on First Hill. On Sunday mornings, Redding puts on the white collar of an Episcopal priest. She does both, she says, because she’s Christian and Muslim. Redding, who until recently was director of faith formation at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, has been a priest for more than 20 years. Now she’s ready to tell people that, for the last 15 months, she’s also been a Muslim — drawn to the faith after an introduction to Islamic prayers left her profoundly moved. Her announcement has provoked surprise and bewilderment in many, raising an obvious question: How can someone be both a Christian and a Muslim? ( Good question… seems that one can’t be both.) More here... I’d love to hear your comments on this one. HT: Ministries Today
Seth Godin on Saving Baseball
Why doesn’t Puma or Adidas (or even Nike) pay the management of the SF Giants to bench Barry Bonds before he hits the record? Now you’d have a brand that really stood for something. Good question, Seth!
That’s it for today. I’m hoping to blog from BUZZ in the next couple days… until then… have a great week!
Todd
Today's buzz includes an interesting United Methodist Bishop; an Episcopal priest who says she is both a Christian and a Muslim; getting your church listed on the new iPhone and more...
Comments
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John G on Tue, June 26, 2007
Neither do we, man…neither do we. But it’s not about intellect. At ALL. Get my drift?
Andy McAdams on Wed, June 27, 2007
Is it a Bird, a Plane, or a United Methodist Bishop?
A Spider man costume? Now that’s a new growth strategy that I’ve never heard of before. Maybe I should consider sharing that with the churches that I work with? NAW…I’ll pass. I think we’ll just stick with actually “making disciples”.
“I am both Muslim and Christian”
Well I have to be honest, I didn’t read the entire article so maybe I missed something, but from the way that the first ½ read…I doubt it. My basic response is a little stronger then the brother from Fuller Seminary and the Muslim leaders. I am not simply going to say, “I don’t know think it’s possible” or “I don’t know how that works”…I’m going to say, “IT ISN’T POSSIBLE AND IT DOESN’T WORK”. You’re going to have to throw the Bible out and the basic understanding of salvation and Jesus being THE ONLY WAY if you’re going to make it work. But then in reality, you really wouldn’t be a Christian or a Muslim then…now would you?
I have a recommendation to Rev. Redding. Get out of the ministry and stop confusing young believers and those that truly want to find a relationship with God…through Jesus, “the way, the truth and the life.”
Forgive me folks if I sound harsh. I just grow weary of this kind of thing. Faith is not something that you taylor make for yourself. It’s God’s way…Jesus and His diety and umtimate authority as Lord and Savior.
Andy McAdams on Wed, June 27, 2007
OK…I read the rest of the ariticle and it explains a lot.
She graduated from Brown University, earned master’s degrees from two seminaries and
received her Ph.D. in New Testament from Union Theological Seminary in New York City
Union is one of the most liberal seminaries in the country hardly holding to any of the fundamentals of the faith including viewing the Bible as God’s inspired word and the diety of Christ.
In many ways, she says, “coming to Islam was like coming into a family with whom
I’d been estranged. We have not only the same God, but the same ancestor with Abraham.”
Ah, I think that she should go back the scripture, The Bible and see that this is where both Christian and Islam begins to differ.
Muslims generally believe in Jesus’ virgin birth, that he was a messenger of God, that
he ascended to heaven alive and that he will come back at the end of time to destroy evil.
They do not believe in the Trinity, in the divinity of Jesus or in his death and resurrection.
For Christians, belief in Jesus’ divinity, and that he died on the cross and was
resurrected,lie at the heart of the faith, as does the belief that there is one God who
consists of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Redding’s views, even before she embraced Islam, were more interpretive than literal.
If these things are not literally true then we are dead in our sins, Paul tells us.
Ihsan Bagby, associate professor of Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky,
agrees with Webb, and adds that Islam tends to be a little more flexible. Muslims
can have faith in Jesus, he said, as long as they believe in Mohammed’s message.
I’m sorry…I can’t comment here. It saddens me to read this in the first place. How can someone claim faith in Christ and yet see Mohammed as God’s messenger? Please Rev. Redding, leave the so-called ministry, or repent and come to full faith in Jesus. Your soul is at risk.
Peter Hamm on Wed, June 27, 2007
You know, the Episcopal Church in the USA has done such a great job of really no longer requiring that their ministers (or congregants) hold to the basic tenents of the faith or even their own articles of religion, that this is unsurprising, and it is why some very large and prestigious “more conservative” ECUSA churches are leaving the denomination and seeking oversight from foreign primates.
As long as you only pick and choose what you believe from Christianity that won’t offend your muslim friends and pick and choose what you believe from Islam that won’t offend your Christian friends… eventually you won’t believe anything…
GR Guy on Wed, June 27, 2007
Todd—Where in the world do you find these stories (I am both a Christian and Muslim)! I guess this is something that Christians and Muslims can actually agree on—- that Christianity and Islam are theologically incompatible. It’s not rocket science. Either Christ is God or Christ is not. If Christ is not divine, as Redding believes, then why does she bother to still worship him? Choose one. Remember what Jesus said, No (wo)man can serve two masters.
Blair on Wed, June 27, 2007
Todd - enjoy the buzz conference. Tell David (National Community Church’s web design guru) that Blair said hey. He and I used to serve together before he moved up there.
Andy McAdams on Thu, June 28, 2007
GR Guy:
What’s sad is that Redding isn’t remotely alone when it comes to being so-called clergy that do not believe that Jesus is the divine manifestation of God. Sad to say that there are thousands of men and women in pulpits in America today that believe this and preach it as well.
Along with this heresy they also deny the inerrancy of scripture, the virgin birth, bodily resurrection and literal second coming and so on. It’s pick and choose for them. I believe that this is what Paul talks about in Galatians when he says, “if any man preach another gospel that what was delivered to you…let him be accursed.”
I guess those people simply want to be the heads of social clubs that have some religious overtones and be called Reverend. I’m afraid they will have a lot to answer for someday.
Andy McAdams on Thu, June 28, 2007
Along with this heresy they also deny the inerrancy of scripture, the virgin birth, bodily resurrection and literal second coming. I believe that this is what Paul talks about in Galatians when he says, “if any man preach another gospel that what was delivered to you…let him be accursed.”
I guess these people simply want to be the heads of social clubs that have some religious overtones and be called Reverend. I’m afraid they will have a lot to answer for someday.
GR Guy:
What’s sad is that Redding isn’t remotely alone when it comes to being so-called clergy that do not believe that Jesus is the divine manifestation of God. Sad to say that there are thousands of men and women in pulpits in America today that believe this and preach it as well.
Along with this heresy they also deny the inerrancy of scripture, the virgin birth, bodily resurrection and literal second coming and so on. It’s pick and choose for them. I believe that this is what Paul talks about in Galatians when he says, “if any man preach another gospel that what was delivered to you…let him be accursed.”
I guess those people simply want to be the heads of social clubs that have some religious overtones and be called Reverend. I’m afraid they will have a lot to answer for someday.
Peter Hamm on Thu, June 28, 2007
Actually,I think that some of the things you mention are very much NOT in the same camp as the person who says they are a Christian AND a muslim.
Professing to hold two faiths that are diametrically opposed on the revelation of who Jesus is is one thing… but… Although I believe in the inerrancy of scripture, the virgin birth, bodily resurrection and literal second coming, I am much more likely to believe somebody might be a true Christ-follower and doubt or disbelieve some of those things (Check out the first chapter of Bell’s “Velvet Elvis”). After all, our faith is a life we lead and our salvation is defined by our trust in and following of Christ (one thing,not two), rather than a list of things we mentally assent to whether we understand them or not. Some who trust Him and follow Him are very “wacky” (imho) on certain theological issues, but to follow both Christ and Muhammed? Nope… don’t think so.
And on your last point, Todd… HENRY AARON! The REAL HOME RUN KING!!!
Leonard on Thu, June 28, 2007
Peter, If Jesus is not born of a Virgin then he is not God, this is an identity issue. Bodily Resurrection, again an identity of Jesus issue. This is not mental assent, it is part and parcel of the identity of Christ. While a person might not understand these things they are central to the identity of Jesus Christ as God and man, as redeemer and creator. IMO there are some issues we cannot be wacky about. The ones that deal with Jesus identity are some of them.
Peter Hamm on Thu, June 28, 2007
Leonard,
I agree with you about the issues, mine is that if someone doesn’t have all this figured out or is wrong (and I trust the HS to eventually straighten themout) I’m unwilling to consign them to the flames. That’s all.
Daniel on Thu, June 28, 2007
It’s unfortunate that some find it possible to exclude Jesus’ divinity from the ‘core’ of Christianity (which is what’s required to make it ‘compatible’ with Islam).
As an aside, NT Wright has persuasively argued that since the NT writers never connect the virgin birth with Jesus’ divinity, we should be hesitant to do so as well. The virgin birth stories are told, not because they ground Jesus’ relationship to the Father (as if he were some sort of Greek demigod), but rather because they’re simply true.
My two cents.
-Daniel-
Andy McAdams on Thu, June 28, 2007
If Ms Redding had the things I mentioned squared away in her theological training…the issue of being both a Muslim and a Christian (which is impossible) wouldn’t be an issue at all. Believe the Bible is true, Jesus is God in the flesh, His blood atonement is sufficient and that He indeed rose again and He is coming again for those who are His children…and everything else is mute.
Tim Bednar on Fri, July 06, 2007
That link bait totally worked http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/wink.gif thanks for the mention. Blessings. Tim.
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