Rev. Ann Holmes Redding: Christian and Muslim
The Seattle Times has a story about Episcopal priest Ann Holmes Redding, who has recently made public her commitment to both Christianity and Islam.
Shortly after noon on Fridays, the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding ties on a black headscarf, preparing to pray with her Muslim group on First Hill.
On Sunday mornings, Redding puts on the white collar of an Episcopal priest.
She does both, she says, because she’s Christian and Muslim.
Redding, who until recently was director of faith formation at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, has been a priest for more than 20 years. Now she’s ready to tell people that, for the last 15 months, she’s also been a Muslim—drawn to the faith after an introduction to Islamic prayers left her profoundly moved.
. . .
“I am both Muslim and Christian, just like I’m both an American of African descent and a woman. I’m 100 percent both.”
Redding doesn’t feel she has to resolve all the contradictions. People within one religion can’t even agree on all the details, she said. “So why would I spend time to try to reconcile all of Christian belief with all of Islam?
“At the most basic level, I understand the two religions to be compatible. That’s all I need.”
She says she felt an inexplicable call to become Muslim, and to surrender to God.
“It wasn’t about intellect,” she said. “All I know is the calling of my heart to Islam was very much something about my identity and who I am supposed to be.
“I could not not be a Muslim.”
Read the whole story.
See also this article by David W. Virtue at Virtue Online: On being a Muslim and a Christian . . . Not.
HT: SermonAudio
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Livy Merchant
I hope Ann sees this letter. I have searched without luck for her email address.
This is Livy Merchant, former curate in Rosemont and rector of St. Stephens in Providence. Friend of Ann’s many years ago. I know what she has gone through. I have lived and worked in education for six years in Turkey and am very close to a Sufi group and also to a group of Alevi’s (look it up). Islam has a very sunny side if you know where to look.
I have served as priest at the Anglican chaplaincy in Ankara but will not function as a priest any longer. The reason is that my primary residence is in Greece on the island of Zakynthos. The church here is Orthodox and the Patriarch of Constantinople has agreed to my chrismation in September. Like Ann I do not worry about contradictions between faith groups, and though I am not a Moslem, I whirl with the Mevlevi dancers at least once a year. Mevlana did not worry about distinctions either.
Ann, if you see this please write me at LTM.ZAK@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you.
Faithfully and affectionately, Livy
Jun 23rd, 2007 2:49 am
Simon Barr
Thank you Livy Merchant. I hope you and Ann read this
I too am a moslem and a christian. and I practice both.
The differance with Ann is that I grew up as an orthodox moslem shiat, then I let Jesus in to my heart, and I have gained so much that I can not explain. Please please do not let Jesus stop you from opening your heart to Allah his Lord
WHAT ARE WE AFFRAID OF
In His name
Simon
Sep 12th, 2007 11:14 am
Phil Gons
Simon, Livy, and Ann,
None of you can be a Muslim and a Christian. You may like to think that you are both, but you are not. For to be one—properly defined—is precisely not to be the other. Most likely you are neither a Muslim nor a Christian, but rather a syncretist. May God grant you grace to repent of your sin and embrace the true God of the Bible through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Sep 13th, 2007 8:52 am
kelly
Phil, don’t tell people what they cannot be- only God can do that. I believe in the Fundamentals of Christianity, and I believe in Jesus being God’s only son. But I also believed us humans screwed it all up, and God had to speak to Muhammed and redirect people to what is most important, that there is something bigger than all of us, and we need to bow down and never forget, even for one second, that we must be worshippers of God. Jesus is a tool which God used to speak to us, so is Muhammed, why is that wrong? We get all caught up in the interpretations and screaming that we are right, we are forgetting that we are all sinners and we are all wrong, and only God can help us. Sending peace to all people on earth, and praying they find God, the one that really matters.
Jan 19th, 2008 9:37 pm
Philip Gons
Kelly,
God has made it clear in His Word that one cannot be a true Christian and a Muslim. I not only can but must tell people the truth.
On what basis do you believe that God spoke to Muhammad? Not on the basis of the Bible? If you have some other foundation for your faith, then on what basis do you believe the Christian view of Jesus? You’re in a bind from which you cannot extricate yourself. There are no rivals to Jesus, and there are no rivals to God’s revelation in the Scriptures.
You ask why it is wrong to believe that Muhammad is a tool which God used to speak to us. The answer is quite simple: it’s in utter contradiction with the inspired Scriptures.
Jan 23rd, 2008 11:02 pm
Takis Korianitis
As you can understand by reading the above messages the persons involved as “open minded” are, in truth, in total confusion and ignorance of what they say they believe. A few things need to be explained to the common reader and to those that claim both Christian and Muslim Faith.
A. The God that has revealed Himself in the Old Testament as Jehovah is not Allah. Allah was the moon god of the Babylonians and that is why the half moon is prominent in all Muslim nations’ flags.
B. The God of the Old Testament revealed himself to us in the person of Jesus the Christ. Three times in the gospel of John the Jews take up stones to kill Jesus because he claimed to be God. And finally that was the death sentence based on. It is clear in the Holy Scriptures that Jesus was both a man but also the All mighty God of the universe. Read the 1st chapter of the gospel of John and the 1st chapter of the Colossian epistle. I pray you will understand.
C. Mohamed was a confused Catholic who was a pedophile and a blood thirsty tyrant. Mohamed’s religion was spread under the threat of his own sword and shedding of people’s blood. Jesus’ truth was spread by His Love and the shedding of His own precious blood. Excluded from true Christianity are all the so called “churches” that persecuted people to supposedly “teach” them Christ.
Just these few truths are enough to make anyone understand that Christianity is the truth revelation of God, and that Mohammedanism is a man made religion that leads people in to hell.
Please repent from your unbelief and trust solely on the Lord Jesus Christ to save you. That is why he died on the cross. He paid for our sins. Mohamed cannot offer any forgiveness of sins or salvation.
If you are truly seeking answers I am here to help you with a study of revealing the meaning of true Christianity and the true face of Mohammedanism.
Pastor Takis Korianitis
Zakynthos Bible Baptist Church
Feb 22nd, 2008 5:15 pm
David
Takis Korianitis you are a believer and believers require no facts or objective reality as a basis for their assertions. To suggest that Mohammed was a pedophile is one thing but to even say something as childish as “Jesus’ truth was spread by his love…” and “Excluded from true Christianity are all the so called churches that persecuted people…blah blah etc” shows that you have no concept or regard for history. I am not here to school you but I will say to others to let you have your say in peace because as a believer your capacity is only believe and not engage in nuanced dialogue. Credible evidence, history, academics or any of the sciences can never sway a believer towards using Gods gift of a good brain.
Jesus I pray that you save me from your followers.
Selah
Feb 26th, 2008 5:05 pm
richee
i don’t think that you could be both a Christian and a Muslim at the sane time. you should choose, if your a Christian repent for this heresy and abandoned that Muslim faith/ Christ is the only savior and Mohammedans do not believe that. so in that case how can u be both of the same faith.
i pray that God may forgive you as u ask forgiveness to Him and accept Jesus in your life again.
Mar 12th, 2008 5:34 am
Takis Korianitis
David,
I would not mind to be schooled. As a matter of fact I am still being schooled. It seems that the history you accept is one of so called “intelectual school”, and not of the open mind. I grew up as a Greek Orthodox and I was indulging in all the teachings and traditons of my ancestors. Proud as I could be about my nationality, my religion, and my history. Then I was chalenged by the truth. I had to decide if christianity, after all, was the truth and if so, then which sect? I searched for a good while in all religions including the religion of atheism, and the religion of materialism. Then I made my desicion. I have seen the other side. I have tasted the “food” that it serves. I was there right beside you walking in the darkness of human pride believing anything that any intelctual would serve me, and then….. Oh then I met Jesus! You cannot judge what you do not know. You cannot have an opinion of what you have not tasted. You are still there on the other side all “grown up” by the mind of man that has no answers for the past, the present,or the future. Just because my previous post was painfull to you it does not mean that I have not studied the sciences and still studying.
My friend (if you allow me) There is no difference between you and me. I believe that, “In the begining God…” you belive that, “in the begining ……. (fill the blank)”.
I am a believer and so are you in your own unrevealed past of your existance as a human being.
Thank you for responding. I would not mind hearing from you again. There are other sites that discuss the origins of man and of his existance on this earth. If there is any need to discuss further we can communicate. Please use plain English as it is my second language.
I pray you understand my spirit and not be offended. I am a Greek and love to debate as all of us here do.
Mar 20th, 2008 5:13 pm
David
Takis,
Like you I do enjoy a good debate and I am not offended by your words and spirit. I was a Christian believer for over 20 years. I was a minister and have witnessed to hundreds of people. As one grows and learns one has a responsibility to exercise that experience and knowledge. The fact is that all religions have an origin. If you know the actual history of Christianity one would understand that it was not a holy endeavor. War, politics, manipulation and the quest for power are a part of the history as well as the needs to form a beneficial society and deal with human needs (spiritual and physical). There have been systems of worship since the beginning of mankind. They were useful tools in creating order in societies. The best practices of pre-Christian religions have been passed on throughout the years and today Christianity is a mix of several religions and practices. Not unlike other religions.
These are just the facts as we know them and they are noy to be ignored because of our religious beliefs. God gave us brains and the power to think and reason. It is important that we maximize that gift. I am not hear to denounce religion or Christianity. I would like to help bring it out of the dark ages of superstition and useless dogma. God also gave us love, faith, virtue and patience. In that spirit I thank you for your comments and your faith.
Apr 30th, 2008 11:02 am
J
David,
You are antichrist by John’s definition. (see 2 John 1)
Takis, Richee, and Phillip: Keep the faith - God’s faith - a gift to you upon spiritual resurrection into the true body of Christ on earth. Men and women, such as David and Ann and Livy cannot understand a thing you write to them, They have not been born again. They are dead in their sins and trespasses. They follow their own hearts and judge by their own carnal experiences. Superstition is the closest they will ever get to spirituality so long as they remain dead. Pray that God changes their hearts. (See Deuteronomy 4:29)
May 27th, 2008 2:33 pm