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1. Who Are We? 2. Who Are They?

Explore the historical shift from attractive Christianity to coercive Christendom and its impact on mission. Learn about the violent episodes, such as the Crusades, and their lasting effects. Understand the implications for the present and the importance of a global end-time movement.

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1. Who Are We? 2. Who Are They?

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  1. 1. Who Are We? 2. Who Are They? Five Important Questions for Mission, Part I Jerald Whitehouse, April 14, 2012

  2. “Christian” Heritage • Early Christianity • Spiritual power – changed lives • Christendom shift – 313 – 380 • Christianity becomes socially acceptable and advantageous to join (313) • Church buildings replace house churches (323) • Church and state partner in coercing faith (380) • Monasticism – Platonic dualism invades the church • Church councils • Theology raised to the esoteric, no relation to life • Theological controversy to the excess – beyond the scriptural narrative • Excommunication, persecution, execution of heretics

  3. “Christendom Shift” “I have been describing a paradigm shift in Christian mission as it came to be coupled with violence. We have moved from Christianity (defined by faith in Jesus Christ) to Christendom (defined by the effort to promote the lordship of Christ over all of society by coercive means). We move from a Christianity that spreads because it is attractive to a Christianity that spreads because it is advantageous and, finally, because it is compulsory. And this movement changes mission fundamentally. It represents a paradigm shift – a ‘Christendom shift’ – that, I have argued, represents a tragic distortion of the missio Dei.” Allan Kreider “Violence and Mission in the Fourth and Fifth Centuries: Lessons for Today”, IBMR, Vol. 31, No. 3, July 2007

  4. Christian Heritage, cont. • Eastern church (Nestorian) excommunicated at Council of Chalcedon 451 • Inquisition – 12th – 19th cent. • Crusades 1095 (Urban began preaching about) – 1400 • First Crusade (1099) slaughtered noncombatants, women, children without discrimmination.

  5. “The memory of the Crusades lingers in the Middle East and colours Muslim perceptions of Europe. It is the memory of an aggressive, backward and relligiously fanatic Europe. This historical memory would be reinforced in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as imperial Europeans once again arrived to subjugate and colonize territories in the Middle East. Unfortunately this legacy of bitterness is overlooked by most Europeans when thinking of the Crusades.” Akbar Ahmed, quoted in Carole Hillenbrand “The Crusades, Islamic Perspectives”

  6. “They [the crusades] caused Muslims great offence and inflicted on them profound and lasting psychological scars. . . Those who support the present ‘demonisation’ of Islam in the Western media would thus do well to bear in mind this history of psychological damage and religious affront. Many Muslims today still remember with pain – centuries later though it may be – what was done in the name of the Cross.” Hillenbrand, “The Crusades, Islamic Perspectives”

  7. Christian Heritage, cont. • Colonial dominance of the Arab lands is seen as an extension of the Crusades. • Sykes – Picot agreement (1916) • Balfour declaration (1917) • Broken promises to include Arabs in any decisions regarding the Mid East (WWI & II) • Western powers impose the State of Israel on Arabs (1948) • Continued preferential support for Israel

  8. Adventist Heritage • Early church – a spiritual movement bringing people to a life changing experience with Jesus as the clearest revelation of God • Early dissenters – maintaining Biblical faith • Armenian (4th cent) • Eastern church (Nestorian) (5th cent) • Waldenses (?? – 17 cent) • Anabaptists (15 cent - ) • Mennonites (16th cent - )

  9. Who Are We? • No just a Protestant denomination • A global end time prophetic spiritual movement with the specific mission of: • Proclaiming and demonstrating the truth of God’s way of winning the cosmic conflict • Preparing a people for the coming of Jesus • Calling people from all traditions/backgrounds to be a part of this end time movement

  10. Children of the East Hagar bore Ishmael After Sarah died Abraham took Keturah who bore him six sons. There were messengers in this line The Hebrew people Sarah bore Isaac in her old age God had many messengers in this line Abraham’s descendants were divided into two main groups

  11. The promise to Ishmael • Torah - Genesis 16 • Qur’an - Ibrahim (14), 39 • Ishmael was Abraham’s first born son • Hagar fled because of the cruelty of Sarah, not because Abraham put her away • God sent an angel to name the child • Ishmael means - “Isma” - listen + “El” - God • It is a perpetual reminder of God’s mercy • “I will make a great nation of his descendants” (Gen 17:20)

  12. The promise confirmed at the spring of water • The angel said to Hagar: ‘Get to your feet, lift the child up and hold him in your arms, because I will make of him a great nation.’ Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well full of water; she went to it, filled her waterskin and gave the child a drink. God was with the child, and he grew up and lived in the wilderness of Paran. • Torah, Genesis 21:18-20 • Qur’an, Maryam (19), 54,55

  13. God’s plan for these children of Abraham • That they also preserve truth • They would work in partnership with the children of Isaac in keeping the knowledge of God alive • As traders they could carry the light of the knowledge of the true God to distant places

  14. Qur’an, Al Ankabut (29), 27 • And We gave (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob, and ordained among his progeny Prophethood and Revelation, and We granted him his reward in this life; and he was in the hereafter (of the company) of the righteous.” • “Isaac was Abraham’s son and Jacob his grandson, and among his progeny was included Ismail the eldest son of Abraham. Each of these became a fountainhead of Prophecy and Revelation. Isaac and Jacob through Moses, and Ismail through the Holy Prophet Muhammad.” Abdullah Yusuf Ali

  15. A Promise for the children of Ishmael • In looking forward to the gathering of people from all nations around the throne of God in paradise, prophet Isaiah gave this promise: • Torah, Isaiah chapter 60, verses 6 & 7 • See also Isaiah chapter 42, verses 10-12

  16. Great caravans of camels will come, from Midian and Ephah. They will come from Sheba, bringing gold and incense. People will tell the good news of what the Lord has done! All the sheep of Kedar and Nebaioth will be brought to you as sacrifices and offered on the alter to please the Lord. The Lord will make his Temple more glorious than ever. (60:6,7)

  17. Sing a new song to the Lord; sing his praise, all the world! Praise him, you that sail the sea; praise him, all creatures of the sea! Sing, distant lands and all who live there! Let the desert and its towns praise God; let the people of Kedar praise him! Let those who live in the city of Sela shout for joy from the tops of the mountains! Let those who live in distant lands give praise and glory to the Lord! (42:10-12)

  18. God’s activity in the children of Abraham Abraham the Hanif Sarai (Genesis 11:29) Hagar (Genesis 16:3) Ishmael (1st born) Genesis 16:15; Qur’an, Ibrahim (14), 39; Baqara (2), 127 Isaac, born when Sarai old Genesis 21:2 Together they buried Abraham Genesis 25

  19. God’s plan for cooperation Joseph rescued by Ishmaelites and Midianites Torah, Genesis 37; Qur’an, Yusuf (12) Joseph (son of Jacob, son of Isaac) Ishmaelites & Midianites Moses given refuge and taught more about the one God by men of the East. Torah, Exodus 2, Job 1 Qur’an, Al Qasas (28), 22-28 Jethro & Job (Shu’aib & Ayyub) Qur’an, Al Anbiya (21), 83, 84 Moses, son of Amram

  20. The partnership continues Eastern traders provided the oil and spices for the Hebrew worship Torah, Exodus 30 Hebrew worship in temple Anointing oil and spices for the temple worship Son of Isaac and Son of the East lead Hebrew people into Canaan. Torah, Numbers 14:30: Joshua 14; Qura’n, Al Maidah (5), 20-26 Caleb – an Arab name. Caleb’s nephew, Othniel became first judge of Israel (Judges 3:9) Joshua

  21. Balaam blesses Israel, prophesies of Al Masih Numbers 22-24 Qur’an Al Araf (7), 175 Jews about to enter Canaan Balaam (son of Eastern Children) Queen of the East brings gifts to Solomon 1 Kings 10; Qur’an, Al Naml (27), 23-44 Suleiman Queen of Sheba 3 “wise” men from the East bring gold & spices Shepherds from the line of Isaac Jesus – Isa al Masih Luke 2; Matthew 2; Qur’an, Al Imran (3), 42 - 51

  22. What happened to these children of the East after Isa? Early disciples of Isa interacted spiritually with Arabs (Acts 2) Arabia was a refuge for Paul (Galatians 1:17) Arab followers of “the Way” of Isa Jewish & “Gentile” followers of Isa Genuine followers of Biblical faith – persecuted by the Roman and Byzantine church Referred to in Revelation 12 as “the church in the wilderness” In northern Arabia, faithful believers stood against the polytheism of surrounding religions such as the multiple gods of the Nabataeans Waldenses in N. Italy. Arab followers of “the Way” and other excommunicated Christians sought refuge and fellowship with Arabs in the dessert of Arabia – were known as “Hanif”

  23. “For centuries Europe had made no progress in learning, arts, or civilization. A moral and intellectual paralysis had fallen upon Christendom.” My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge [of Me]. Torah, Hosea 4:6 This was the result of forbidding the reading or study of the Bible, and enforcing human tradition instead of God’s truth. And using the power of the state to enforce religious “orthodoxy”. HOWEVER… The era of the “jahiliyah” saw an increase in pagan worship (Nabitaeans, Tribal religions, and other belief systems such as Zorastrianism) “An Era of Spiritual Darkness”

  24. “Church in the wilderness” preserves copies of the Scriptures when mainline Christianity is forbidding possession of the Scriptures and trying to destroy old copies of manuscripts. Hunafa – Islam Muhammad Two primary truths emphasized against the apostasy prevailing in the area- One God Day of accountability (judgment) The most authoritative manuscripts of the Bible were preserved in Muslim countries God kept truth alive!

  25. The Nestorian Christians of Hirta (on Iran/Iraq border) formed a close community, calling themselves “servants of God” whose inner unity transcended traditional Arab tribal differences. Both Jews and Christian immigrants to the desert found a ready welcome among those Arabs who upheld the Mesopotamian-Abrahamic tradition. Together , they consolidated that tradition in Peninsular Arabia which came to be known as Hanifiyyah. Its adherents, the hanif(s), resisted every association of other gods with God, refused to participate in pagan rituals, and maintained a life of ethical purity above reproach…The hanifs always stood above tribal disputes and hostilities.” (Samuel Moffett, Christian Historian) (Isma’il al Faruqi, Muslim historian)

  26. What about Today? • People of the Book • looking for the coming of Isa • proclaim the judgment hour message • call for people to honor the Creator God • Focus on preparing a people for the end of time. • Avoid what God has forbidden (alcohol, pork, tobacco, gambling) Hanif – God’s “Last Day special people” proclaiming the nearness of the end of time, the one Creator God, day of judgment, to prepare a people for the end of time. ?

  27. God is looking for a quality of faith among His end time people Allah is our Lord and your Lord: For us (is the responsibility for) our deeds, and for you for your deeds. There is no contention between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and to Him is (our) final goal. Surah 42 Al Shura, vs 15

  28. My Temple will be called a house of prayer for the people of all nations. Then I saw another angel flying high in the air, with an eternal message of Good News to announce to the peoples of the earth, to every race, tribe, language, and nation. He said in a loud voice, “Honor God and praise his greatness! For the time has come for Him to judge mankind. Worship Him who made heaven, earth, sea, and the springs of water!” Book of Isa, Revelation 14:6,7

  29. Say: Lo! As for me, my Lord hath guided me unto a straight path, a right religion, the community of Abraham, the upright [Hanif], who was no idolater Say: Lo! my worship and, my sacrifice and my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Surah 6 (Al An’am), verses 161, 162

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