Lipscomb University theologian Lee Camp told an interfaith gathering yesterday that in order to live peacefully with Muslims, Christians are going to have to give up the idea that there’s anything special about Jesus: Christians must ‘let go’ some beliefs for sake of peace, theologian says. (Hat tip: Kurt.)

To live peacefully with Muslims and Jews, Christians must put aside the notion that their faith requires the creation of a Christian kingdom on Earth, a Lipscomb University theologian told an interfaith gathering at the university.

“We are not going to get very far in our relationship with Jews or Muslims if we do not let go of this idea,” Lipscomb professor Lee Camp said at Tuesday’s conference.

The unusual gathering of several dozen clergy and lay people was devoted to resolving religious conflict in Nashville and around the world.

“We need to forsake the Christendom model,” Camp said. “The most basic Christian commitment ... is that we say we believe in the Lordship of Jesus. But, if we claim that, how can a Muslim or Jew trust us, if we say Jesus is the Lord of all Lords?” ...

First, Christians must examine their “sins of omission,” he said — such as not taking the time to learn about other religions. Then they must look at their “sins of commission.”

“We have such short historical (memory) spans as white Christians,” he said. “There is a history of anti-Semitism, the violence and bloodshed of the crusades and cultural imperialism. We have to deal with the reality of what Christians have done, which in some cases has been to kill people.”

That’s very noble. Professor Camp is willing to give up core Christian beliefs in order to have a world of peace, love, and fluffy bunnies.

So what did the Islamic spokesman think of this?

For Kahled Sakalla, a spokesman for the Islamic Center of Nashville, some of the answers lie in better education about Islam in the non-Muslim world.

Allah, the God Muslims worship, is the same God Christians and Jews worship, and the Quran recounts the same biblical stories of Mary and Jesus, he said. “Yes, we have differences, but it’s important to focus on commonalities,” said Sakalla, one of four panelists representing different faiths who addressed the Lipscomb conference. ...

Sakalla said there may never be reconciliation on the fundamental theological divisions.

“Every religion has different teachings,” he said. “For Muslims, it’s: Do you believe in one God and that Muhammad is his prophet? I don’t think we can teach individuals that the way you go to heaven in other religions is OK. You have to teach differences.”

Any questions?

UPDATE at 11/30/06 7:53:30 am:

Professor Camp claims that his comments were misrepresented.