Catholicism and Islam. When Two Become One

On Feb. 4 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb, signed a declaration titled, “The Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together". The authors of the declaration hope it will be a “sign of the closeness between East and West, between North and South, and between all who believe that God has created us to understand one another, cooperate with one another and live as brothers and sisters who love one another”.

The goal of this document is to unite in peace the 1.2 billion Catholics and the 1.8 billion Muslims from around the world. This is no small feat, especially considering their some 1,000 year storied past. The crusades, for example, was a war between these two religions.

But this document between Catholics and Muslims is more than an attempt at peaceful coexistence. The Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together is an attempt to meld and mold two distinctly different religions together so as to, theologically speaking, harmonize. But how is this possible when the core beliefs of each are diametrically opposed to each other?

Before we proceed, I think it prudent that we draw a very clear line of distinction. The Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together is a document between the Catholic Church and Islam, if not more specifically between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Dr. Ahmed At-Tayyeb. This document is not between Christianity and Islam. Catholicism is a particular system of faith and worship within Christianity. Jesus Christ is central to the Catholic belief, as it is with all Christian religions. But, the Catholic Church adheres to specific beliefs, precepts, principles, and practices that are unique to that religion.

The stated goal for peace and harmonious living between Catholics and Muslims comes at a theological price that is impossible to pay. Many see this pact as a wonderful display of coexistence, but the fact of the matter goes well beyond a collaborative effort to hug it out and not fight. The “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” is an attempt at pluralism.

Religious pluralism is the belief that no one religion or one God is the sole true religion or true God. It believes multiple religions are equally valid, true, and credible. Religious pluralism accepts various and often conflicting beliefs in doctrine, precept, principle, multiple pathways of salvation, variant Gods and heavens. There is no one true religion or one true God with religious pluralism. There are many.

Specifically, the Document on Human Fraternity reads, “Freedom is a right of every person: each individual enjoys the freedom of belief, thought, expression and action. The pluralism and the diversity of religions, colour, sex, race and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings. This divine wisdom is the source from which the right to freedom of belief and the freedom to be different derives. Therefore, the fact that people are forced to adhere to a certain religion or culture must be rejected, as too the imposition of a cultural way of life that others do not accept”

Here’s the heart of the problem, “The pluralism and the diversity of religions…. Are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings”.

There is no plurality or multiplicity in the Christian religion. God did not “will” diversity of religion. God makes the opposite of pluralism quite clear. Religious pluralism is heresy.

Religious pluralism breaks the first commandment of God.

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exodus 20:3-5).

“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6). Plurality does not exist.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). There is only one way to God and heaven and that is through Christ.

“That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is none else” (1 Kings 8:60). This is self-explanatory. There is but one God, not multiple Gods and not the God of Islam.

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:21-23).

The only diversity, in the Christian religion, comes in the form of its people, the adherents. Christ accepts all that accept him. There are no requirements such as race, creed, color, gender, place of birth or any other worldly definable attribute. Jesus Christ accepts all that believe and confess in Him. This includes the worst sinner to the best saint and everything in-between.

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:27-28)

“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13).

There is but one God.

“I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.”(Isaiah 45:5-7).

There is only one way to get to that one God.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:7).

Why then, would the Pope and the Catholic religion and the Grand Imam with the Muslim faith advocate pluralism when it is so clear that the idea is heresy?

It’s simple. If both religions adhered to their respective religions then there could be no comingling, only at best peaceful coexistence. Pluralism allows for the differences. It’s the mindset of, “you do your thing” and “I’ll do my thing” because we are all going to go to the same place anyway.  

This document is not about a peaceful coexistence between two separate religions. This document tries to make religion and God the same for both the Catholic and the Muslim. They are trying to make one religion out of different religions by explaining that there are multiple paths to God. This is heresy.

The foundation and cornerstone of Christianity is Christ. Jesus Christ is our religion. Muslims believe Jesus was just a man and a prophet. They do not believe He is the Son of God.

Muslims reject the whole truth of Jesus as the Christ, His crucifixion, His death and resurrection. Muslims do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God and do not believe that the only way to God is through Christ. In short, everything that makes a Christian a Christian, which is Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Muslim unequivocally and unilaterally reject.

We have been warned that this would happen.

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” (1 John 4:1-3).

Paul warned us that certain Christians would fall for a false gospel, would receive a false spirit and accept a false Christ.

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).

Paul was amazed by how quickly Christians would fall for a false gospel and made it clear that those that do are accursed.

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9)

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

There is no plurality in Christianity. It is heresy to think otherwise.

The only logical reason as to why the Pope and the Grand Imam have come together to promote pluralism as true and valid is to unite the two religions together, and other religions in the future, into one world religion. The pretext is peace and harmony. The reality is that this is theologically impossible. It goes against the expressed will and wish of God and should be recognized as such.

Catholicism and Islam are both monotheistic religions. They both define a unique, individual and separate God. Both have unique and individual theology and ideology. It is impossible for the two religions to co-mingle for their very core principles and foundations are diametrically opposed to each other. One is founded on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The other denies Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The Pope and the Grand Imam are proposing a temporal peace and appeasement at the price of divine justice, righteousness, and judgment. Because their peace is temporal, it is worldly and temporary. It isn’t heavenly and eternal.

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

As Christ said, God’s peace is not as this world gives you. Friendship with this world is hatred with God. (James 4:4)

The Pope and the Grand iImamare offering a worldly peace. 

Yes, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). But you can’t have true and everlasting peace when you turn against the word of God.

Bill Hitchcock