Christianity Astray Believes Wheaton College Statement of Faith May Affirm Muslim God

Every so often I read an article from Christianity Today Astray, most often resulting in disappointment. Today was no exception thanks to Editor Mark Galli. The continuing saga of the hijab-wearing Wheaton College Professor suspended for the claim that Christians and Muslims worship the same God was the focus of Mr. Galli’s article. While well written and informative, some of the statements in the article were troublesome and indicative of why believers should be wary of this publication’s theology.

Galli writes,

“We at CT are not sure we can unambiguously take a side at this point.”¹

And then he writes here,

Is there a better way? We think so, especially when the college’s statement of faith does not specifically address the issue at hand. Wheaton’s statement of faith says nothing about whether Christians and Muslims “worship the same God.” The administration says that the statement is clear enough to reject that idea. Hawkins and friends say there is plenty of room in the statement to affirm it, while also reaffirming their commitment to the uniqueness of Christ. It seems to us that if the matter is, in fact, not clear in the statement, and if members of that college community actually disagree about the interpretation of the statement on this point—well, the place to begin is not by assuming the worst on each side.²

You are not sure that you can unambiguously take a side. The statement of faith does not specifically address the issue? I realize that Christianity Astray is troublesome, but not taking a side on an issue that a Bible 101 student is taught? Thank heavens I don’t pay for a subscription!

Here is what Wheaton’s statement of faith says,

WE BELIEVE in one sovereign God, eternally existing in three persons: the everlasting Father, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, and the Holy Spirit, the giver of life; and we believe that God created the Heavens and the earth out of nothing by His spoken word, and for His own glory.

In Islam, Allah is not a Trinity, but a unity.³ Also, in Islam, Jesus Christ is not the son of God, but merely a prophet.⁴ Does the God of Islam sound like the God of the Bible described in Wheaton’s statement of faith. Anyone who would honestly sit down and compare the two, like students in Apologetics 101 do, would clearly see that Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God. There are many good, free online apologetics courses that perhaps Christianity Astray authors and editors should be encouraged to take.

Christian publications have a responsibility to be faithful to Scripture, or so one would think. However, Christianity Astray desires, in part, love from the world which forces them to “nuance” their articles. Take a stand Christianity Astray. The Professor clearly violated the statement of faith by suggesting that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. She was rightly suspended, talks (that did not even need to happen) have apparently broken down, and her termination is imminent. Is this article “nuanced” because Islam is the new darling of the left and you are trying to increase readership? An article like this is instructive of why Christians should read such publications carefully…and with discernment.