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Duane Miller is an Anglican Christian and the author of Living Among the Breakage: Contextual Theology-Making and Ex-Muslim Christians, which covers a few reasons why Muslims are being converted to Christianity. He has a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in Theology, a diploma in Arabic, and a Ph.D. in Divinity. During the interview, Kurt talks to Duane about how, as Christians, we can reach out to Muslims in love.
Episode Highlights:
- The reason for candles in the Catholic Church (6:21)
- Duane explains how he became interested in understanding the conversion of Muslims to Christianity (7:45)
- Social media stories about Muslims converting: #ExMuslim (9:15)
- How many Muslims are converting? Global Census of Believers from a Muslim background (10:16)
- Religious conversion is both a turning away from something old and turning to something new (11:28)
- One reason why Muslims are attracted to Christianity is because of the non-violent example of the Savior (13:00)
- Are people leaving Islam and then becoming agnostic? (14:36)
- Muslims believe in Jesus, as a prophet (16:00)
- Do Muslims convert in order to seek asylum? (18:10)
- Are Muslims converted because people reach out to them or because they reach out? (19:24)
- Quest for truth (20:22)
- Sharing the gospel through interpersonal relationships (22:40)
- Getting to know your Muslim friends and co-workers (24:17)
- How did the research change you as a person? (25:52)
- The best way to reach out to a Muslim? (30:15)
- The Quran is not like the Bible (31:50)
- Duane helped Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary (35:06)
Links:
Overall great interview! Thanks for doing this you two!!
Excellent how simple some reason for being really are (like the use of Candles).
In my experience, at least in Canada, most Muslims are a lot like Catholics (meaning that they don’t take their faith very seriously). Granted some do, but even the visibly noticeable Muslims, that wear their religious garments albeit the hijab, robe, or something else, don’t really have a deep understanding of their own faith… it’s mostly out of family a social reasons.
Some things did rub me the wrong, like the over emphasis on the fact that we don’t regard the trinity in the same way traditional Christians do (a fact that Duane likes stating a lot). The nature of the Godhead in itself is just a different view on how to understand the concept of the Trinity which isn’t such a big deal to me. Personally, I like our theology much better even if it doesn’t have historical roots to trace it back to. Simply put, it just makes better sense.
However the idea that Muslims also need to be reach out to is completely valid. Everyone is first and foremost a human being (child of God) and then add layers of cultural, religious, & spiritual beliefs. Perhaps if we could all just peel back some of those layers to reach in to our divine nature, we would all be more loving.
The statement that we need to be more like family towards one another, at the very least to those of our own household of faith is so true. May we always be welcoming, specially with new converts. Cheers, again!!!