For three of my 27 years on diocesan staff, I had the attached duty of ecumenical and inter-religious affairs. It was great work. We had good relations with local Protestant and Latter-Day Saint communities; cordial discussions with local rabbis; and personal friendships with local Greek Orthodox and American Jewish Committee leaders.
With Islam, the story was different. Over the years, we had a total of two contacts: one letter from a local imam insisting that we convert, and one visit from a young, formerly Catholic imam eager to explain how all the good in Christianity was really derived from Islam, the (allegedly) original divine revelation. Alas for him, he picked an unreceptive audience.
I mention this for a reason. During those same years, I remember at least one night sitting through a parish presentation on the three “Abrahamic” faiths. In it, the parish DRE repeatedly, with the best of intentions, compared “the Bible” and “the holy Qur’an.” I then had the delicate task of explaining that, in Christian belief, the Bible is holy and inspired by God. The Qur’an – whatever its beautiful elements might be – is neither.
Christians do not recognize Muhammad as a true prophet. Nor is
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