(Part IV) Islam's Vision for the World: Systematic Discrimination

The world cried out against segregation during the mid-twentieth century in the United States resulting in the civil rights legislation. It shamed the South African advocates of apartheid later in the century ending one of the most discriminatory regimes in history. Yet the world has been silent, for the most part, about the Islamic Umaric code which legalized discrimination against all non-Muslims. However, this discrimination is somewhat unique. Unlike the racist discrimination in the United States and South Africa, Islamic discrimination has a religious basis. One wonders, though, Where is the outrage against this discrimination? Especially since it is wider in scope, more systematic, and in many cases much more severe.

From the very beginning of the Islamic conquest Muslims structured all of life so that unbelievers were constantly aware of their inferior status. Systematic discrimination limiting the rights of all non-Muslims took the form of political policy. This practice imposed great limitations on a non-Muslim's mobility in society.

The intent of these policies was to remind non-Muslims of their minority status. For instance, under these restrictions non-Muslims were forbidden to testify against Muslims in a court of law. If an unbeliever witnessed a Muslim committing a crime his testimony is not permitted in court. Yet a Muslim can bring a charge against a non-Muslim at anytime (often without any proof). Similarly a non-Muslim, in most Islamic countries, cannot hold political office or other positions of honor. They have no say in the formulation of policies which affects their lives. They are not even allowed to speak like Muslims. This extends right down to the common Muslim greeting salaam aleikum (Peace be with you). Such speech could earn you a beating or worse. Often, they do not even have the right to choose where they live or work. Likewise, they are forbidden the right of retaliation against insult (a basic Middle Eastern honor custom). It is easy to see how these discriminatory practices often lead to outright persecution and violence against non-Muslims.

This systematic discrimination put enormous pressure on Christians until it has all but marginalized their faith, and has made them socially and politically irrelevant. It makes conversion to the majority religion an attractive option especially to the younger generation.

Equipping Pastors International desires to strengthen the church where Islam is oppressing and systematically discriminating against her. We are now working hard in North Africa and the Middle East to help the church persevere and endure under discriminatory practices that are designed to bring about its death. We believe that we will see enormous changes in this region over the next decade that radically alter the religious and political environment. This will of course require the church in the West to be aware, and to cry out against these practices in the same way it did over segregation in the States, and apartheid in South Africa. In the same way these forms of institutional discrimination were dismantled the systematic discrimination of Islam can be defeated, and the Christians and the church can again thrive in the region.

*I am indebted to Philip Jenkins in general for many of the ideas in this series, and in particular for much of what has been said in this post. See his book The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand Year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia--and How It Died.

(Part III) Islam's Vision for the World: Control of the Language

Christians are ignorant of their own tongue. ~Ninth-century Spanish Christian

Whoever controls the language controls the world. The success of the Islamic conquest meant not only the disappearance of Christianity, but the dismantling of the languages used by Christians as the medium of communication for thought and culture. By the eighth century Arabic was the language of politics, economics, and culture. The victory of Arabic, as Peter Brown reminds us, opened the doors to Islamization. The rise of Arabic signaled the fall of the older languages used by Christians.

Muslim regimes limited the use of these languages in the public sphere. The Greek, Coptic, and Syriac languages fell by the wayside as speakers of the older tongues realized that Arabic was the only way to get ahead in the world.

The results were predictable. As Philip Jenkins notes:

The Long term religious consequences for Christianity were grim. The texts and liturgy of faith were all available in languages that, though venerable, were clearly associated with fading cultures--literally, the words of the very old. Worse, when members of a faith are unable to express their ideas except in a language that is primarily associated with a rival religious system--can use only the words and intellectual categories of another creed--that minority religion is en route to oblivion.

Today, Arabic is the official language of 28 countries in the North Africa and the Middle East. The languages used by Christians to communicate its ideas and culture have fallen into disuse. Consequently, the memory of their Christian heritage has largely been forgotten. Their Christian history erased. It is not unusual for Christians and Islam alike to believe the same myth, namely, that Christianity is a European religion that came to the region during the 19th century modern missions movement and is linked to Western colonialism. The truth is, as I have said may times now, that North Africa and the Middle East were once the intellectual and theological capital of the Christian world. These were (and in my mind still are) Christian countries. However, most of the great literature of the first six centuries of the Christian era remain unaccessible to the modern Christians in North Africa and the Middle East. Not to mention that very little (practically none) of the good, theologically sound, Christian literature ever gets translated into Arabic.

So what is the way forward? Well, it is safe to assume that the language of Arabic will not be overturned as the official language of Islam and of the 28 countries across North Africa and the Middle East. Therefore, Christianity must not only learn Arabic, we must master it. Like Islam we must use Arabic to communicate our thought and culture. We must work diligently to translate the best of our Christian literature into Arabic and get these works distributed throughout North Africa and the Middle East. In short, Arabic must become the language of Christianity more so than it is the language of Islam. We must learn it, master it, adopt it, think in it, write in it, lecture in it, and preach in it. We need to teach it at our Christian Schools, Bible Colleges, and Seminaries as a required course along with Greek and Hebrew. To put it another way, the church needs to baptize Arabic. That is, Christianity needs to control the language.

Equipping Pastors International is committed to helping the church accomplish this goal. However, we must remember that in the same way it took a united Islamic strategy to accomplish making Arabic the official religious language, it will take no less from the church in the West. May God help us all to join together for this common purpose. The success of Christianity in 28 countries in North Africa and the Middle East depends on it.

On a personal note, please pray for me as I prepare to study Arabic. There are several ways to go about it and I am trying to discern the best approach. Also, please think and pray about what part you may play. Exciting things are going on in the Arabic speaking world. God is moving. Wouldn't it be great to be a part of it?

*I am indebted to Philip Jenkins in general for many of the ideas in this series, and in particular for much of what has been said in this post. See his book The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand Year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia--and How It Died.

(Part II) Islam's Vision for the World: Control of the Soundscape

Whatever happened to those clappers? That's probably not a question you've asked yourself lately. Yet, if you are a Christian it is probably a question you should be asking yourself. The fact that clappers don't register on our Christian minds is a sign of the effectiveness of the Islamic strategy for worldwide domination. Huh? That's right, the absence of clappers means Islam's strategy is working.

The ringing of church bells are an abomination to Muslims. In most Islamic cultures the ringing of church bells is outlawed. Many people growing up in Muslim countries have never heard a church bell ring. Religiously, politically, and legally Islam controls the soundscape in North Africa and the Middle East.

Soundscape? Now there's a term most Christians in the West probably believe they can get along quite well without. But while Christians are either ignorant or indifferent about the whole idea of soundscape, Muslims have long since realized it's symbolic importance.

It all has to do with how the respective religions summon their people for worship. Historically, Christians called the faithful by the ringing of church bells (as early as the late 4th century). On a Sunday morning the soundscape was filled with the beauty of of church bells echoing throughout the city or countryside. In addition, these bells were used to call the faithful to prayer three times per day (morning, noon, and evening). They were used as a means of celebration after a wedding or feast day, or solemnly to signal death. Lastly, bells rang out as a warning whenever there was danger. The message is this: life was centered around the church. The church bells rang in accordance with the rhythm and cadence of that life--ecclesial life. It permeated the soundscape. It penetrated the culture. It was recognized and relied upon by both the sacred and secular parts of the community.

After the Islamic invasion beginning in the seventh century bells were generally outlawed and replaced by the Muslim call to prayer. Anyone who has visited North Africa or the Middle East will testify that calls to prayer dominate the soundscape. The calls to prayer ring out in a cacophony of voices. There is no competing voice. Calls to prayer define the pattern of life for the practicing Muslim. Perhaps even more than the landscape, calls to prayer are one of the most obvious and audible statements that you are in a Muslim country. In most cases, calls to prayer have completely replaced the ringing of church bells that used to dominate the same geography.

But what about those clappers? Well, in many places they have now been outlawed too. Clappers were wooden boards used by Nestorian Christians to call the church to worship after the ringing of church bells were made illegal. Thus far, in my travels to the region, I have never heard a single clapper even where the practice is still allowed and maintained. They are completely drowned out by the Muslim call to prayer.

Today in the West, bells and bell towers are disappearing form the soundscape with little notice and little resistance. However, if you listen carefully, here and there, you can faintly hear Islamic calls to prayer in the distance. Islam is here. They are establishing a visible and audible presence little by little. As Protestants de-emphasize the importance of buildings and bells (the visible and audible church) Islam is replacing them one mosque and minaret at a time.

Equipping Pastors International believes that Islam must be stopped at home and abroad. That is why we have established a new mission in North Africa and the Middle East. We desire to equip the church there, and help this region reclaim and recover its true heritage as the intellectual and theological capital of the Christian world. In order to do this the church must once again control the landscape and the soundscape.