Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders say two conferences exploring areas of common understanding between Adventists and Muslims will bolster the church's interfaith outreach.
Earlier this month, dozens of international church officials met in Grenada, Spain, to help erode misperceptions of Islam among Adventists and learn how focusing on mutual beliefs -- such as God, creation and healthy living -- can help members of both faiths build meaningful relationships.
"We're living in a world where we can't ignore other religions," said Ganoune Diop, director of the world church's Global Mission Study Centers. "The first courtesy is to know people on their terms."
Earlier this year, church leaders attended the first 'Understanding Islam' conference in Australia, home to 300,000 Muslims and a leading example of the faith's global presence and consistent growth. Worldwide, one in five persons follow Islam, making Adventist outreach to the Muslim world imperative, Diop said.
The 'Understanding Islam' conferences are part of the church's efforts to educate Adventists who may be unsure of how to relate to Muslims. Accurate information about the faith is vital before church leaders or laypeople attempt any outreach, Diop said.
"Many of our beliefs can establish points of contact with Muslims," said Bill Johnsson, the Adventist Church's assistant to the president for interfaith relations. "Creation, for instance, respect for the Old Testament, belief in the second coming, the judgment, these are all things Muslims believe in," he said.
Sharing Christian faith in some Islamic countries is illegal, making any sort of outreach difficult, Adventist Church leaders say. But they encourage members to still build genuine relationships with Muslims by focusing on areas of mutual concern.
The church has partnered with the Islamic Society of North America in sponsoring health expos and countries in the Middle East continue to seek such cooperation. Last month, representatives from the church's Health Ministries and International Commission for the Prevention of Alcohol met in Abu Dhabi with health officials to plan smoking cessation programs among government employees.
Around the world, Johnsson said, many Muslims are surprised to learn there are Christians who share the belief of abstaining from pork and alcohol. Nowadays, Islam isn't just a religion in the Middle East, he said.
"It's a major religion spreading everywhere, it's not just confined to some parts of the world," said Johnsson, who has served as keynote speaker for both conferences.
