An astonishing Muslim-Christian initiative
Monday, November 19, 2007
It is not every day that one sees the names of John Stott and Diana Eck (of the Harvard Divinity School) listed together in support of the same cause. An astounding assortment of Christians from every corner of the spectrum have signed a stunning new statement, “Loving God and Neighbor Together,” which appears as a full-page ad in today’s New York Times. It is a response to what it describes as “a historic open letter signed by 138 leading Muslim scholars, clerics, and intellectuals around the world” entitled “A Common Word Between Us and You.”
We would not necessarily know about this “historic open letter” from the Muslims if it were not for this Christian response to it. The ground-breaking response comes out of the Yale Divinity School and has already been signed by 300+ luminaries. Many of the big evangelical names are here — Rick Warren, Richard Cizik, Richard Mouw, Bill Hybels, as well as some unclassifieds (Robert Schuller!) and many theological liberals. Institutions represented include Fuller, Beeson, Gordon-Conwell, Regent (Vancouver), Loyola Marymount, Wheaton, and The Navigators, as well as the more obvious Yale, Harvard and Princeton — and various Episcopal dioceses. When you see these groups gathering together, something major is happening.
You too can sign this statement and read it at www.yale.edu/faith.
The entire list of signatories, though it appears in the Times ad, has not been posted as of today but undoubtedly will be. We can expect many thousands more. And may the One God bless and guide this new signpost of divine intervention in our dangerous world.
