Germany's 2nd largest national Protestant 'Church' rejects all missionary activity toward Muslims

Worldcrunch.com reports: Barbara Rudolph, head of the Ecumenical Department of the Protestant Church in Germany's Rheinland region, recalls speaking some time ago with Austrian sociologist Mouhanad Khorchide at an academic seminar. Khorchide, who holds the chair for Islamic Religious Studies at the University of Muenster, was explaining his belief that God loves all people — no matter their religion, or lack thereof — and that God only expects compassion and kindness towards others, not pious dogmas. Rudolph asked herself why she should wish to convert such a good man. “He would have been well within his rights to view that as a slap in the face,” she recalls. Rudolph has taken that idea to the logical next conclusion, drafting a policy document sanctioned by the Regional Protestant Church regarding the relationship between Christians and Muslims, which is being sent out to all parishes this week. The findings outlined in this paper are radical, to say the least. The Church does not only categorically reject the conversion of reform-minded Muslims but outright dismisses all missionary work directed at Muslims. This is a an extraordinary approach towards Christian-Muslim relations by Germany’s second largest national Protestant Church, which some may hail as a progressive and ground-breaking effort. Others, however, may view it as a dangerous breach of tradition...