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November 7th, 2006

Islam in London Conference

Christians are organising a conference in London about Islam. I was sent an e-mail about it by the organisers, the Lawyers Christian Fellowship and the Barnabus Fund.

Islam in London – Contending for the Christian Faith in our Capital City

The topics to be covered are:

* The Islamisation of London
* The development of parallel societies
* The practice of Islamic Law and its effects
* The dangers of religious fundamentalism
* The persecution and marginalisation of converts to Christianity and other Christians
* Responding to Islamic dawa [mission]
* Equipping and supporting congregations to help converts from Islam to Christianity
* Preparing congregations for work in the communities
* Facing the spiritual realities

My own thoughts are this. Surely the way to build bridges between human beings of different beliefs and avoid ‘the development of parallel societies’ is to go and meet and talk with people who hold different beliefs, not hold conferences about them. The ‘siege mentality’, seeing London as in danger of ‘Islamisation’, only builds walls of division when surely we need to do everything we can to unbuild them.

A few weeks ago my wife and I had the opportunity to visit one of our local mosques. It was an ‘open day’ where visitors were allowed to sit at the back whilst prayers were in progress before a number of the participants told us a bit about their faith and answered questions. It was very interesting to see what happens there and to listen to the people there describe what they believe. One thing is for sure, the impression we left with was a long way from that portrayed by the ‘Islam in London’ conference blurb.

I’m very aware that there are places in the world where Christians are persecuted and I respect the raising awareness part of the work of the Barnabus fund, co-organisers of this conference. But to my mind this sort of conference about Islam in London is unhelpful. The organisers and participants would do better to arrange a visit to their local mosque and find out what Muslims in the UK actually believe.

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7 Responses to “Islam in London Conference”


  1. joeturner says:

    As a muslim politician told me recently, the Muslim community is less than 3% of the population of the country.

    Of them, less than 1% wear full veils.

    (I don’t know how accurate this is, but this is what this fairly well known politician told me).

    Obviously ‘Islamisation of London’ can be done by a small proportion of a small religious minority.

    Yes, we should stand up against oppression and bigotry in our country and elsewhere. But let us not get into the trap that scapegoats minorities that we don’t happen to like very much.

    Seems to me that we Christians could do a lot worse than to shut up and listen to what various kinds (*shock, horror* not all muslims are the same…) muslims are saying.

    November 7th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
  2. Davo says:

    Speaking as both a supporter of Barnabas Fund and as someone who counts a number of Muslims amongst my friends, I certainly agree with your suggestion that getting out and building bridges is a very important part of the way Christians and Muslims should relate to each other.

    However, I also believe that there is a place for conferences, such as this, that increase awareness of a number of important issues that would not necesserially come up in Mosque visits. Issues such as the treatment of converts from Islam (even in the UK) and ways to help such people.

    November 7th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
  3. Semele says:

    [In response to a comment of mine elsewhere - Dave]

    I certainly hope so! I have an Ancestry Visa so if I can’t get work in the Netherlands, I’m hopping the Channel to try and find work in the UK.

    Semele

    November 7th, 2006 at 3:47 pm
  4. Johann says:

    Dave, this is a really interesting discussion, and a topic that I am very concerned about. I think you are absolutely right about the need to build bridges and go and meet people of different beliefs.

    I too went to a mosque recently. We were welcomed very graciously and came away with unexpected impressions, and feeling there were things Christians could learn from Muslims. I am also making friends with Muslims and find those I know to be very warm and generous people. I have been surprised at how highly they regard Jesus as a prophet. I find them more willing to talk about him than many other people in Britain today. However, as a Christian, I cannot help but long that they may know Jesus more fully as the Son of God who died on the cross for them.

    Like Davo, I do think that a conference like this is also useful. Perhaps the trouble is in the way the blurb is worded – it does sound very confrontational. But I believe persecution of Christians throughout the world is now greater than at any time since the early church, and it is possible to see it growing even in Britain. It is worrying to see the way the “powers that be” are bending over backwards not to offend Muslims and those of other faiths whilst happily getting rid of our own Christian heritage, and marginalising Christians.

    Anyway, I hope we all will take every opportunity to get to know and listen to Muslims. Well done for bringing all this to our attention, Dave.

    November 8th, 2006 at 10:14 pm
  5. Pete C says:

    [shameless plug]

    All Nations run a yearly conference (one this December) which is very much focused on dialogue. It has visiting Muslim lecturers and one of the prerequisites is the visiting of a mosque. :) I think it’s got more of an international focus too, but I guess that means it can’t delve into London’s specific peculiarities, if indeed there are any.

    [/shameless plug]

    November 8th, 2006 at 10:21 pm
  6. Steve says:

    I work in Interfaith, and while I value the work of the Barnabus fund, I’ve been coming across more and more people who use their literature to define ‘Islam’ as this big scary enemy, thr outworking of which is that even speaking with a muslim is a bog no-no.

    Clearly there is a need for groups like th ebarnabus fund. I’m not sure though whether a conference, expeically with such provocative and assuming title such as ‘the islamisation of london’, is going to do anythign more than drive a greater divide between people, and fuel the myths of what everyday muslim folk are like.

    Some of the people I have most respect for in my work are muslims, who are gracefull and dedicated followers of God as they understand him, and great respectors of people of all faiths. This is easily missed when we ramp up the langugage in this way.

    In this time where Muslims are oppressed and disciminated against for being muslims (and I have little patience with those who suggest that Christians routinly are), don’t we as people of faith have the duty to stand with, rather than stand at a distance and shout.

    I’m essentially agreeing with you I know – but feel strongly about this, and so wanted to add i ‘hear, hear’.

    What amuses me is that this sort of feeling tends to come from the churches that are closest in theology and outlook to Islam, and often seems very much like shouting in a mirror.

    Steve

    November 9th, 2006 at 4:04 pm
  7. Karin says:

    As an aside, but also to show Muslims and Christians aren’t so different, I read that Woking has a Fairtrade mosque – and there are some churches that can’t even be bothered to do that.

    November 11th, 2006 at 9:02 pm