Addressing Extremism Amidst Religious Plurality

Below is a written piece from Rev Dr Lewis Winkler, EAST resident faculty, originally as a response to the aftermath of 9/11. It was revised into a chapter of the book, Faith in an Age of Terror (2017), entitled “Christian-Muslim Dialogue: Challenges and Opportunities.” A further revised and truncated version is reproduced here in light of the recent religious extremism case by a Christian in Singapore. Dr Winkler’s article postulates practical approaches in interfaith dialogue between Muslims and Christians with its attending attitude and ensuing actions.

Christians, Muslims, and Religious Extremism: Where Do We Go From Here?

In 2004, Charles Kimball wrote, “[Because] Christians and Muslims today comprise well over 40% of the world population . . . Christian-Muslim relations have become a central concern in our interconnected world community. Without question, the ways in which Christians and Muslims understand and relate to one another in the 21st century will have profound consequences for both communities—and for the world.”[1] This is truer now than it was then as a recent event in Singapore illustrates all too well.[2] Sadly, without a deep and abiding concern for intentional and respectful interaction, interreligious harmony between Muslims and Christians will remain “somewhat vulnerable.”[3]

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