Position on Islam
Interserve England and Wales is a cross-cultural mission fellowship that is rooted in biblical Christianity and its historic creedal statements and teaching including an orthodox understanding of the Trinity, the deity of Jesus and salvation by faith in Christ alone and not through any other religious tradition.
We are a non-denominational organisation with an inclusive ethos. Our membership is drawn from groupings which affirm the Statement of Faith of the Evangelical Alliance. We do not naturally relate to or have links with the ecumenical movement, which we understand to be an internal conversation between sectors of the Christian church. We understand interface through ‘proclamatory’ dialogue with Muslims to be an external conversation, which is a part of mission not ecumenism.
Interserve works among the peoples of Asia and the Arab world as well as the British church. We have a longstanding relationship and leadership involvement with Global Connections and the mission community. As such we aim to…
• act with integrity in the way we speak about Islam and Muslims in public and private
• work with Muslims from a position of prayer rather than pray from a position of work
• treat the individual Muslim with love and graciousness
• distinguish between the cultures in which Muslims make up the majority of the population, and the religion of Islam
• distinguish between individual Muslims and Islam as a religio-political system
• distinguish between radicalised political Islamists and ‘ordinary’ Muslim people
• recognise and affirm a variety of valid responses to different kinds of Muslim people when carried out in the spirit of Jesus Christ
• recognise the political, cultural and theological complexity behind the various expressions of Islam and the variety of types, beliefs and behaviours of Muslims
• assert that even if Islam were proved to be intrinsically violent, it would not negate the Great Commission to include Muslim people
• engage with Muslims in a variety of ways from the ‘irenic’ to the ‘polemic’ through …
i) personal interface
relating to Muslim people face-to-face with humble confidence and respect; earning the right to be seen as ‘spiritual friends’ and to convey the gospel to them through our words and actions; inviting them to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour
ii) media interface
giving a more accurate account of faith in public space
iii) theological interface
engaging Islamic teaching and assumptions; we recognise some peripheral similarities in beliefs, we also affirm some values held by Muslim people, and we seek to build relationships of trust with them, based on this level of agreement.
However, we also assert that our core theological differences are central and non-negotiable. We believe that trust and spiritual friendship can only be forged around these without allowing our core differences to drift to the periphery in an attempt to relate.
While we recognise that Jewish elements were imported into Islam, we do not consider the Qur’an to be God’s revealed word, nor do we recognise theologically liberal “inter-faith dialogue” as an appropriate response to Muslims.
iv) political interface
being part of the political process in order to challenge any islamisation agenda in British society; speak out with and on the behalf of abused Muslims (particularly women), for the abolition of ‘honour punishments’, forced marriage and Islamic Apostasy Law; and to influence current issues such as Islamic radicalisation, social integration and community cohesion
v) suffering church
supporting and serving the vulnerable church in the Muslim world
Interserve works through ‘wholistic’ mission whereby ‘lives and communities are transformed through encounter with Jesus Christ’. This involves moving the entire community towards faith in Jesus by demonstrating as well as declaring the gospel so individuals are enabled to hear the gospel, decide to follow Jesus Christ and worship in ways that are culturally appropriate for them.
The aim is that the individual Muslim is invited to embrace Christ rather than adopt Christian culture; to enter the Kingdom of God rather than identify as a member of the western church; and to worship in culturally appropriate ways rather than adopt western forms.