UK/Denmark: 'Ethical conversion'
The British Christian-Muslim Forum recently came up with ethical guidelines for what they call 'faith-sharing'. Or in other words: How to missionize 'ethically'.
How can Christians and Muslims talk about their faith to each other in a way that is just, truthful and compassionate? This is the latest topic addressed by the Christian Muslim Forum in a short list of ten ethical guidelines, launched on 24 June 2009 to a small invited audience at Islamic Relief headquarters in London.
A small working group drew up the guidelines, and two members of the group, Andrew Smith, a Christian, and Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, a Muslim, explained some of the background to the Forum's initiative. In the UK today, Christians and Muslims are meeting all the time and talking about their faith to one another. Sometimes, and this had been Andrew's experience, they can leave these encounters feeling uncomfortable. Other times, and this was Shaykh Ibrahim's experience, they are so enthusiastic about their faith, that they want to rush off and convert people. The Forum felt that it was important for Muslims and Christians to have some guidelines about faith-sharing, based on the Qur'an and the Bible, that reflect the principles of justice, of respect for the autonomy of our fellow humans and of compassion and concern for them.
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The 'Ten Commandants' of ethical faith-sharing (PDF):
1) We bear witness to, and proclaim our faith not only through words but through our
attitudes, actions and lifestyles.
2) We cannot convert people, only God can do that. In our language and methods we
should recognise that people’s choice of faith is primarily a matter between themselves and
God.
3) Sharing our faith should never be coercive; this is especially important when working with
children, young people and vulnerable adults. Everyone should have the choice to accept or
reject the message we proclaim and we will accept people’s choices without resentment.
4) Whilst we might care for people in need or who are facing personal crises, we should
never manipulate these situations in order to gain a convert.
5) An invitation to convert should never be linked with financial, material or other
inducements. It should be a decision of the heart and mind alone.
6) We will speak of our faith without demeaning or ridiculing the faiths of others.
7) We will speak clearly and honestly about our faith, even when that is uncomfortable or
controversial.
8) We will be honest about our motivations for activities and we will inform people when
events will include the sharing of faith.
9) Whilst recognising that either community will naturally rejoice with and support those who
have chosen to join them, we will be sensitive to the loss that others may feel.
10) Whilst we may feel hurt when someone we know and love chooses to leave our faith, we
will respect their decision and will not force them to stay or harass them afterwards.
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The Danish Kristeligt Dagblad reported about the guidelines, and interviewed several Danes about the idea.
Imam Abdul Wahid Pedersen (a convert himself), says it's a good idea and that it should be on the agenda since more and more people want to convert. He himself will try to propose it in the frameworks where he works together with Christians. He adds that ethical guidelines will probably affect the relationship between various religions and internally in the various faith-societies.
He says he's seen in Kosovo how a Christian aid-organization cut off some of the aid to a group of Muslim Kosovo-Albanians when they politely refused the organization's bibles. If they had ethical guidelines, it probably wouldn't have happened, he says.
Paul Verner Skærved, head of the Council on Inter-Church Relations says that today conversions are more and more between different religions (and not different Christian denominations), and therefore there's a need for a new discussion about how to meet converts. Part of Islam doesn't allow conversion and so such guidelines can enable moderate Muslims to show their respect for converts.
Religion-consultant Mogens Mogensen, ph.d. and one of Denmark's leading experts in conversion, also think there's a need for an ethical agreement on how religions can missionize without ridiculing other religious groups or causing a rift with them. An ethical agreement won't be legally binding, but it will have moral power, just as the Geneva conventions can have moral consequences and lead to criticism of countries who don't keep them, he says.
Not everybody believes in the idea, though. Morten Kvist, priest of the Herning and Gjellerup parish, is also a member of the Islam-critical network. He says it sounds good and it's hard to disagree. But he think it's Islam, and not Christianity, who has problem with conversions, and as long as he doesn't see Muslims reject groups who threaten and cast out converts, an agreement on ethical guidelines can only be theoretical.
Sources: Christian-Muslim Forum, Kristligt Dagblad (English)
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