Can one be a Christian AND a Muslim??

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I personally do not think so, but I found this article and wonder what others think:
[
Shortly after noon on Fridays, the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding ties on a black headscarf, preparing to pray with her Muslim group on First Hill.

On Sunday mornings, Redding puts on the white collar of an Episcopal priest.

She does both, she says, because she’s Christian and Muslim.
(big snip)

Redding’s views, even before she embraced Islam, were more interpretive than literal.

She believes the Trinity is an idea about God and cannot be taken literally.

She does not believe Jesus and God are the same, but rather that God is more than Jesus.

She believes Jesus is the son of God insofar as all humans are the children of God, and that Jesus is divine, just as all humans are divine — because God dwells in all humans.

What makes Jesus unique, she believes, is that out of all humans, he most embodied being filled with God and identifying completely with God’s will.

In Redding’s car, she has hung up a cross she made of clear crystal beads. Next to it, she has dangled a heart-shaped leather object etched with the Arabic symbol for Allah.

“For me, that symbolizes who I am,” Redding said. “I look through Jesus and I see Allah.”
Comments?](http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003751274_redding17m.html)
 
That person is really, really confused…May Jesus Christ show her the true Light.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
 
Mimi said:
I personally do not think so, but I found this article and wonder what others think:
[
Shortly after noon on Fridays, the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding ties on a black headscarf, preparing to pray with her Muslim group on First Hill.

On Sunday mornings, Redding puts on the white collar of an Episcopal priest.

She does both, she says, because she’s Christian and Muslim.
(big snip)

Redding’s views, even before she embraced Islam, were more interpretive than literal.

She believes the Trinity is an idea about God and cannot be taken literally.

She does not believe Jesus and God are the same, but rather that God is more than Jesus.

She believes Jesus is the son of God insofar as all humans are the children of God, and that Jesus is divine, just as all humans are divine — because God dwells in all humans.

What makes Jesus unique, she believes, is that out of all humans, he most embodied being filled with God and identifying completely with God’s will.

In Redding’s car, she has hung up a cross she made of clear crystal beads. Next to it, she has dangled a heart-shaped leather object etched with the Arabic symbol for Allah.

“For me, that symbolizes who I am,” Redding said. “I look through Jesus and I see Allah.”
Code: 
Comments?](http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003751274_redding17m.html)
 
 
Happy Ramahanukakwansamas.
 
Muslimjewishkwansachristian.
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Can one be Christian and Muslim?

Well, a “muslim” is, essentially, anyone who surrenders to God.

A “Christian” is someone who follows Christ.

Thus, it is certainly possible to be a Christian and a Muslim. In fact, all Christians are Muslims. (But not all Muslims are Christians.)😃
 
Words have meanings beyond simple etymology however.

A Christian is not a Muslim, and a Muslim is not a Christian. Easy.
 
Mimi said:
I personally do not think so, but I found this article and wonder what others think:
[
Shortly after noon on Fridays, the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding ties on a black headscarf, preparing to pray with her Muslim group on First Hill.

On Sunday mornings, Redding puts on the white collar of an Episcopal priest.

She does both, she says, because she’s Christian and Muslim.
(big snip)

Redding’s views, even before she embraced Islam, were more interpretive than literal.

She believes the Trinity is an idea about God and cannot be taken literally.

She does not believe Jesus and God are the same, but rather that God is more than Jesus.

She believes Jesus is the son of God insofar as all humans are the children of God, and that Jesus is divine, just as all humans are divine — because God dwells in all humans.

What makes Jesus unique, she believes, is that out of all humans, he most embodied being filled with God and identifying completely with God’s will.

In Redding’s car, she has hung up a cross she made of clear crystal beads. Next to it, she has dangled a heart-shaped leather object etched with the Arabic symbol for Allah.

“For me, that symbolizes who I am,” Redding said. “I look through Jesus and I see Allah.”
Code: 
Comments?](http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003751274_redding17m.html)
I wonder if her bishop is aware.
Click to expand...
 
Can one be a Christian and a Muslim? IMHO ~ No

I believe I have also heard that this particular person’s bishop does know about it, and doesn’t have a problem with it. But I don’t collect internet citations so I don’t have any documentation of that.

Either way, this is merely one more reason that so many Episcopalians are leaving their church and going elsewhere.

The pastor at my church said that, in his opinion, the Episcopalians probably believe that they are on the “leading edge” of religious reform & they are merely going in the direction that others will be going in the future. (That’s not to say he agrees with the direction they’re going, just that it is his belief they have such ‘noble purposes’ in mind when they do these things.)

If that’s so, then perhaps this woman Episcopal priest/Muslim is an example?
 
Ahimsa said:
Can one be Christian and Muslim?

Well, a “muslim” is, essentially, anyone who surrenders to God.

A “Christian” is someone who follows Christ.

Thus, it is certainly possible to be a Christian and a Muslim. In fact, all Christians are Muslims. (But not all Muslims are Christians.)😃
Click to expand...
It would not be possible for a Christian to be a Muslim; to become Muslim would mean he or she would have to deny the Divinity of Jesus. If the person did that, he or she would cease to be a Christian believer.

Christians also believe all must be submissive to God, as it says in Corinthians (that famous passage; women are to be submissive to their husbands, but husbands must love their wives as Christ loved the Church - to be willing to die for her - that’s awesome).

Please, someone find the exact book, chapter and verse and post it. Thanks in advance.

Peace,
Mimi
 
Hi Mimi,

I think Ahimsa is talking from the muslim point of view. They claim that every baby that is born is muslim. So every Christian is muslim but not every Muslim is Christian. 😃

some sort of sarcasm…
 
Ilocia said:
Hi Mimi,

I think Ahimsa is talking from the muslim point of view. They claim that every baby that is born is muslim. So every Christian is muslim but not every Muslim is Christian. 😃

some sort of sarcasm…
Click to expand...
There are two definitions of “muslim”. The first definition simply means someone who surrenders (to God). The second definition refers to someone who surrenders to God as revealed by the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad.

Someone can be both Christian and Muslim, using the first definition, in which case to be Christian is inherently to be Muslim.

Thank you, and have a nice breakfast.😃
 
Please, someone find the exact book, chapter and verse and post it. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Peace,
Mimi
Click to expand...
Ephesians 5:21-28
“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”

As for the original question: Can one be both a Christian and a Muslim…

In Turkiye, I was considered by many to be a “Muslim” simply because I am one who submits to the One God alone. That is; however, only true in-so-far as submitting to God is a requirement of my faith. I would offend both Christians and Muslims if I hopped around yelling, “I’m a Muslim, I’m a Christian,” because I reject many of the tenets of the Islamic religion; especially the saying of the sha’hada, which is the required statement of faith: “La ilaha illa Allah, wa-Muhammad Rasul Allah,” or “there is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” If I am a Christian–any “Christian”-- I have to reject the prophethood of Muhammad, and subsequently the sha’hada. Now I am curious where that priestess (this is the first time I’ve ever typed that word) stands on Muhammad and if she accepts the Qur’an as the final inspired Word of God, without error. So no, one cannnot be both a Muslim and a Christian at the same time. If she rejects any of those things, then she cannot be considered a Muslim. I’m also shocked that she said nothing about Jesus being the sinless and virgin-birthed Messiah as promised to the Jews…even Muslims know that!

[BTW: If we work simply off the reasoning that a Christian can be a Muslim because a Muslim is someone who submits to God, then we also have to allow a Muslim to say they are a Christian because Christians are simply followers of Jesus Christ (and Muslims believe they are…)]

Come on folks!!! JUST SAY NO!

Prayers and petitions,

Alexius :cool:
 
Ahimsa said:
Can one be Christian and Muslim?

Well, a “muslim” is, essentially, anyone who surrenders to God.

A “Christian” is someone who follows Christ.

Thus, it is certainly possible to be a Christian and a Muslim. In fact, all Christians are Muslims. (But not all Muslims are Christians.)😃
Click to expand...
Please do not put labels on people that they want nothing to do with. Christians are not Muslims. If they wanted to be then they would not be Christians.

One cannot be both because there are too many fundamental differences.
 
Ahimsa said:
There are two definitions of “muslim”. The first definition simply means someone who surrenders (to God). The second definition refers to someone who surrenders to God as revealed by the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad.

Someone can be both Christian and Muslim, using the first definition, in which case to be Christian is inherently to be Muslim.

Thank you, and have a nice breakfast.😃
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Well considering you are baptist and buddhist, no wonder you are slightly confused.
 
mark_a said:
I wonder if her bishop is aware.
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According to the article he is.
"Redding’s situation is highly unusual. Officials at the national Episcopal Church headquarters said they are not aware of any other instance in which a priest has also been a believer in another faith. They said it’s up to the local bishop to decide whether such a priest could continue in that role.

Redding’s bishop, the Rt. Rev. Vincent Warner, says he accepts Redding as an Episcopal priest and a Muslim, and that he finds the interfaith possibilities exciting. Her announcement, first made through a story in her diocese’s newspaper, hasn’t caused much controversy yet, he said."

I found it interesting that she has been a priest for 20 years, been questioning for years:
“As much as she loves her church, she has always challenged it. She calls Christianity the “world religion of privilege.” She has never believed in original sin. And for years she struggled with the nature of Jesus’ divinity.”

It is also interesting that she is African American, and really began exploring Islam 15 months ago after the death of her mother and then a later layoff (not sure of the time frame of the layoff).

“In Seattle’s Episcopal circles, Redding had mixed largely with white people. “To walk into Al-Islam and be reminded that there are more people of color in the world than white people, that in itself is a relief,” she said.”

I would say that, like all conversion experiences (and this seems to be one to me), it is complex. I do have to say, though, that when I was attending an Episcopal Church and came to the realization that I did not believe in the divinity of Jesus nor had I ever truly done so, I ceased calling myself a Christian and left the church.
 
Kadaveri said:
Words have meanings beyond simple etymology however.

A Christian is not a Muslim, and a Muslim is not a Christian. Easy.
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Words gain meanings beyond their etymologies due to contextual use/understanding and cultural influence. Ideas and prejudices develop and become associated with words. I consider myself “Christian” primarily because I try to emulate Christ (a near impossible task!), not because I happen to ascribe to a certain set of beliefs. In the etymological sense (as Ahimsa pointed out) I too would be a Muslim in that I try to submit to God (another difficult task!).

The “meanings beyond the etymologies” are important only if we give them importance. Jews, Christians, Muslims and other faiths ultimately want to worship God. Its too bad that that we can’t let people do so in the manner they choose without deciding that they are “doing it wrong” (as long as they aren’t hurting anyone).

Ultimately, there is no way that any group can prove they are right. It boils down to my faith belief and interpretation or acceptance of a certain scriptural text over yours. Often, it seems that we have too much tied up into our identities as members of a certain faith rather than investing more time and effort in the way we live that faith in day to day life.

Can’t we all just get along! lol!😃
 
It’s not a matter of right or wrong. Muslim and Christian are simply not the same. If this Episcopal priest who is now also Muslim is struggling with issues such as the divinity of Jesus, then it sounds as if she is not truly Christian. And that’s OK, she doesn’t have to be.
 
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