Carter is “a true friend of American Muslims” — his Palestinian propaganda piece did at least some Muslims a world of good. “AN INTERFAITH VIEW: Carter helps fashion Muslim-Baptist dialogue,” by Lawrence Swaim for Southern California In Focus (thanks to WriterMom):
Immigrating to Boston from Britain in 1630, Roger Williams is generally regarded as the father of religious liberty in the United States.
He advocated a “wall of separation” between religion and government.
He opposed forced conversion of Indians to Christianity.
He refused to take loyalty oaths. He called himself a “seeker” rather than a Christian.
He was probably the most controversial freethinker of his time.
And he was a Baptist.
That will come as a surprise to many people, who tend to think of today”s Baptists as the bedrock of the Religious Right. But many Baptists are returning to their roots.
Former President Carter, a Baptist who is a true friend of American Muslims, is helping independent denominations fashion a “North American Baptist Covenant” as a new evangelical presence.
And one of their first projects will be Muslim-Baptist dialogue.
“We need to repair the damage done by Baptists who made hurtful statements about Muslims in the past,” Dr. A. Roy Medley, general secretary of the American Baptist Churches, told InFocus.
“If you believe in religious liberty, you must respect other religions. The best way to witness to your own faith is through humility and service,” he said.
Good. What will Muslims do to repair the damage done by hurtful actions perpetrated by their coreligionists?