A Muslim headscarf is not a halo for solidarity saints (op-ed)
Before the New Year a political science professor at evangelical Wheaton College wore a Muslim headscarf through the Advent season. She was inspired by Pope Francis when he visited the Central African Republic (CAR). He made a speech at a mosque promoting peace. CAR has been embroiled in civil war between the Muslim minority and Christian majority since 2013.
She wrote online, “I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book, and as Pope Francis stated … We worship the same God.”
Wheaton College started the process to terminate the professor because her “same God” reference violated the Trinitarian doctrine outlined in the college’s evangelical statement of faith. It’s also unclear what specific statement the professor referenced from the Pope. (The Pope never said “same God” in his speech.)
The controversy raised the question: Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God? The theological answer is no, but there are progressive that believe the answer should be yes.
Yale theologian Miroslav Volf, who accused Wheaton College of anti-Muslim bigotry, said in an interview, “All Christians don’t worship the same God, and all Muslims don’t worship the same God. But … Muslims and Christians … Refer to the same object, to the same being, when they pray … When they talk about God. The reference is the same.” Volf is suggesting the culprits worshiping different Gods are the different denominations or sects within the two religions, but Islam and Christianity actually make the same general monotheistic reference.
Is that a fact?
According to The Center for the Study of Global Christianity there are over 40,000 Christian denominations. What are the chances that all Christian denominations combined with all Islamic sects would ignore internal differences and reference the exact same being of a completely different faith?
The mathematical probabilities of these entire groups referring to the same being are next to none.
Now in her own defense against violating the college’s statement of faith the professor said, “In no way did I make a moral equivalency between Jesus and Muhammad or Islam and Christianity … That would be offensive to my Muslim friends and to my Christian friends to pretend that the religions are the same, that they’re not different, either in practice or theology.”
But one basic tenet of believers is that morality comes from God. And if there is no moral equivalency how can the God of Muslims and Christians be the same? Even if that question is avoided a more important question remains: Why would the same God have different moral standards?
But there is no question the two religions have different customs.
The professor wore a Muslim headscarf called a hijab to show support for Muslims who felt under attack because of harsh rhetoric on social media since mass shooting by Muslim extremist in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif.
Wheaton College President stated, “The College has no stated position on wearing of headscarves as a gesture of care and concern for those in Muslim or other religious communities that may face discrimination.”
But Arsa Q. Nomani co-founder of the Muslim reform movement wrote an op-ed titled: As Muslim women, we actually ask you not to wear the hijab in the name of interfaith solidarity. Nomani wrote, “The “hijab” is a symbol of an interpretation of Islam we reject that believes that women are a sexual distraction to men, who are weak, and thus must not be tempted by the sight of our hair. This ideology promotes a social attitude that absolves men of sexually harassing women and puts the onus on the victim to protect herself by covering up.”
For the college the controversy is a matter of theology but it shouldn’t be overlooked that by wearing the Muslim headscarf for solidarity the political science professor also endorsed an Islamic ideology that denies individual liberty to Muslim woman.
First published in the New Pittsburgh Courier 1/20/16
She wrote online, “I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book, and as Pope Francis stated … We worship the same God.”
Wheaton College started the process to terminate the professor because her “same God” reference violated the Trinitarian doctrine outlined in the college’s evangelical statement of faith. It’s also unclear what specific statement the professor referenced from the Pope. (The Pope never said “same God” in his speech.)
The controversy raised the question: Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God? The theological answer is no, but there are progressive that believe the answer should be yes.
Yale theologian Miroslav Volf, who accused Wheaton College of anti-Muslim bigotry, said in an interview, “All Christians don’t worship the same God, and all Muslims don’t worship the same God. But … Muslims and Christians … Refer to the same object, to the same being, when they pray … When they talk about God. The reference is the same.” Volf is suggesting the culprits worshiping different Gods are the different denominations or sects within the two religions, but Islam and Christianity actually make the same general monotheistic reference.
Is that a fact?
According to The Center for the Study of Global Christianity there are over 40,000 Christian denominations. What are the chances that all Christian denominations combined with all Islamic sects would ignore internal differences and reference the exact same being of a completely different faith?
The mathematical probabilities of these entire groups referring to the same being are next to none.
Now in her own defense against violating the college’s statement of faith the professor said, “In no way did I make a moral equivalency between Jesus and Muhammad or Islam and Christianity … That would be offensive to my Muslim friends and to my Christian friends to pretend that the religions are the same, that they’re not different, either in practice or theology.”
But one basic tenet of believers is that morality comes from God. And if there is no moral equivalency how can the God of Muslims and Christians be the same? Even if that question is avoided a more important question remains: Why would the same God have different moral standards?
But there is no question the two religions have different customs.
The professor wore a Muslim headscarf called a hijab to show support for Muslims who felt under attack because of harsh rhetoric on social media since mass shooting by Muslim extremist in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif.
Wheaton College President stated, “The College has no stated position on wearing of headscarves as a gesture of care and concern for those in Muslim or other religious communities that may face discrimination.”
But Arsa Q. Nomani co-founder of the Muslim reform movement wrote an op-ed titled: As Muslim women, we actually ask you not to wear the hijab in the name of interfaith solidarity. Nomani wrote, “The “hijab” is a symbol of an interpretation of Islam we reject that believes that women are a sexual distraction to men, who are weak, and thus must not be tempted by the sight of our hair. This ideology promotes a social attitude that absolves men of sexually harassing women and puts the onus on the victim to protect herself by covering up.”
For the college the controversy is a matter of theology but it shouldn’t be overlooked that by wearing the Muslim headscarf for solidarity the political science professor also endorsed an Islamic ideology that denies individual liberty to Muslim woman.
First published in the New Pittsburgh Courier 1/20/16
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