Illinois professor suspended for saying Muslims, Christians worship same God

[AnonymousRain]

A tenured political science professor at Wheaton College, an evangelical university outside Chicago, has been suspended after she wrote in a Facebook post that Muslims and Christians worship the same God.

Dr. Larycia Hawkins wrote on the social media site on Dec. 10 that she was donning the hijab head scarf during the period of advent before Christmas as a sign of solidarity with Muslims. In her post she said "we worship the same God." MSN Article Continues


I thought this was something the Judeo-Christian faiths, especially the Vatican, thought was true too.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

From what I understand, Allah is the very same God of Abraham that Jews and Christians worship. The doctrines of each religion are different but the God is believed to be the same one. All three religions branch off from the same root.

 

[AnonymousRain]

While Christianity is the culmination of prophecy related in Judaism, Islam is not at all in accord with either faith. If it is the same god being Islam was invented after Judaism and Christianity were inspired by god, the god that is said to be the same one would have to be schizophrenic in order to refute everything he brought to the world as Jesus.

 

[AionPhanes]

Even if she were considered wrong on the issue it would seem absurd to fire her over expressing the idea on her Facebook page.

Is this some new Christian dogma that I wasnt aware of before? That Muslims do not worship God/ the Creator of the universe? The Bible obviously doesn't mention the issue. It's not in any of the historical creeds (Nicean , Apostles, etc..) I've never seen it in a denominations statement of belief. I know the Roman Catholic Church has an official position but they say the opposite of that.

I would be suprised if the college had a statement of belief that said "Muslims don't worship God" that they asked professors to adhere too. It would just be such a bizarre thing to include. Maybe they do though.

 

[AionPhanes]

While Christianity is the culmination of prophecy related in Judaism, Islam is not at all in accord with either faith. If it is the same god being Islam was invented after Judaism and Christianity were inspired by god, the god that is said to be the same one would have to be schizophrenic in order to refute everything he brought to the world as Jesus.

I'm sure you will find Jews who have some of the same complaints about Christians radically changing things.

Even if Islam contained false teachings that still wouldn't imply that Muslims do not worship the one God-the almighty Creator of heaven and earth. They just would have some misunderstandings about the religion he wants people to follow.

At any rate though even if she were wrong it's hardly some defining aspect of Christian orthodoxy.

 

[talitha]

Even if she were considered wrong on the issue it would seem absurd to fire her over expressing the idea on her Facebook page.

While I applaud Wheaton for the stance on the issue, you have a point here. Facebook photos are not the same thing as statements made at the workplace.

Is this some new Christian dogma that I wasnt aware of before? That Muslims do not worship God/ the Creator of the universe? The Bible obviously doesn't mention the issue. It's not in any of the historical creeds (Nicean , Apostles, etc..) I've never seen it in a denominations statement of belief.

The Bible was written before Islam existed. That could be why the Bible doesn't mention it. And the creeds - they are about what we believe, not what we don't believe.

I would be suprised if the college had a statement of belief that said "Muslims don't worship God" that they asked professors to adhere too. It would just be such a bizarre thing to include. Maybe they do though.

Maybe they will now. Good idea!

 

[seashale76]

It doesn't make sense to me that she was suspended over this. Sure, I think her statement isn't at all accurate, but it is nothing to fire her over. We don't worship the same God. Christians believe that Christ is God. Muslims do not. Muslims believe that Christians are polytheists anyway. Our religions share an origin; however, it doesn't mean we worship the same God because the understanding we have of God is not compatible.

 

[interpreter]

She should not be allowed to teach at any Christian school. Christians and Jews are God's two witnesses, and Muslims are the 7th head of Satan.

 

[seashale76]

She should not be allowed to teach at any Christian school. Christians and Jews are God's two witnesses, and Muslims are the 7th head of Satan.

Judaism doesn't share the Christian understanding of God either. They reject Christ as God too.

 

[JGG]

Are we not deporting people for stuff like this yet?

 

[AionPhanes]

Talitha,

"Muslims don't worship God" is not an actual Christian dogma like the Trinity or the two nature's of Christ. It's not a required position in any major Christian denomination. You wont find it in the Augsburg Confession, the Westminster confession, or any simmilar confession. its obviously not a direct teaching of Christ or the Bible

It's merely a matter of adiaphora where Christians can and do have different opinions. Since there is no actual Bible teaching on the issue why be dogmatic about it? To make a professors facebook post on the issue reason to fire them is horribly absurd. It's a major embarrassment.

You actually support some lady loosing her job for expressing the "wrong" opinion on that issue ?

 

[AionPhanes]

That's not even mentioning the fact that imposing an ideological straight jacket on professors is a terrible way to run a liberal arts college.

 

[JGG]

That's not even mentioning the fact imposing an ideological straight jacket on professors is a terrible way to run a liberal arts college.

That's where you may have made a mistake. I believe Wheaton is a conservative arts college.

 

[AionPhanes]

Deleted

 

[talitha]

"Muslims don't worship God" is not an actual Christian dogma like the Trinity or the two nature's of Christ. It's not a required position in any major Christian denomination. You wont find it in the Augsburg Confession, the Westminster confession, or any simmilar confession. its obviously not a direct teaching of Christ or the Bible

It's merely a matter of adiaphora where Christians can and do have different opinions. Since there is no actual Bible teaching on the issue why be dogmatic about it? To make a professors facebook post on the issue reason to fire them is horribly absurd. It's a major embarrassment.

You actually support some lady loosing her job for expressing the "wrong" opinion on that issue ?

You didn't actually read my post did you?

 

[AionPhanes]

You didn't actually read my post did you?

Yes I did. I already knew the Bible was written before Islam. Thus there is no Bible teaching about Muslims not worshiping God and any opinion we come up with on the issue is our own. To be so dogmatic over some tertiary issue (that has never even been dogmatically defined nor related to orthodox belief before) that you would fire someone over a Facebook post on the issue is crazy.

You were also wrong about the creeds and statements of faith not including negative statements that demand we not beleive things. The Niecene Creed tells us Jesus was NOT made for example.

To me this looks like it's more about opposition to any support for Muslims then it is about campus Christian belief requirments. "Oh noes she is friendly with the muslims!.. traitor! "

 

[dysert]

I'm sure you will find Jews who have some of the same complaints about Christians radically changing things.

Even if Islam contained false teachings that still wouldn't imply that Muslims do not worship the one God-the almighty Creator of heaven and earth. They just would have some misunderstandings about the religion he wants people to follow.

At any rate though even if she were wrong it's hardly some defining aspect of Christian orthodoxy.

If she were wrong (which she is), she has no business being a professor at a Christian school.

 

[Smidlee]

This is like thinking Jesus Superstar is the same Jesus in the Bible.

 

[Licoricepup]

It's surprising but many people have made headlines as being punished by their employer for what they dared say in private, off the clock, on social media.

It doesn't make sense to me that she was suspended over this. Sure, I think her statement isn't at all accurate, but it is nothing to fire her over. We don't worship the same God. Christians believe that Christ is God. Muslims do not. Muslims believe that Christians are polytheists anyway. Our religions share an origin; however, it doesn't mean we worship the same God because the understanding we have of God is not compatible.

 

[AnonymousRain]

That's not even mentioning the fact that imposing an ideological straight jacket on professors is a terrible way to run a liberal arts college.

Well said.
I don't see how this school has an issue with the facts in the two religions. Islam teaches that Jesus was not crucified. Christianity teaches that he was. She's speaking correctly in that respect and the school is teaching falsehood to say the faiths are the same in their teachings.
It's wrongful termination at the very least.