Dr Ida Glaser, Associate Tutor at Wycliffe Hall Oxford and Director of the Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies in Oxford, wrote a stimulating article titled, Theological Education with Islam in Mind, from the newsletter of Wycliffe Hall Oxford, Hilary Term 2010.

 Nearly one in four people is a Muslim. What does this mean for a college equipping future church leaders for engagement with the world that ‘God so loved’?

There is a polarisation amongst evangelicals about responses to Islam: should we be confrontational or should we be eirenic? The question arises about our mission to Muslims as well as about our socio-political relationships with Islamic communities and our theological responses to Islam.

Being truthful about Muslims – Who are these Muslims to whom we are responding? Where does this particular individual in front of me fit into his/her community? What informs their beliefs and actions?

Laying foundations for faithful responses – Are Muslim views of family and community sometimes nearer to biblical models than western Christian views? How should we think about the Qur’an’s interpretations of biblical figures?

Being truthful about ourselves – Who are we, not only as Christians, but also as members of our various socio-political groupings as church, parish, ethnic group and country? How does that affect our perceptions and relationships?

Faith, hope and love? – What really matters to these people and how can I minister to them?  How can I help the people in my church to embark on the journey towards biblical, Christ-like relationships with Muslims?

 Read the full article (page 4) in the newsletter here.