And what is Islam, anyway?

By Dr. Jeff Mirus ( bio - articles - email ) | Jun 11, 2013

Phil Lawler rightly says Islam should become a religion of peace before Islamic scholars ask Pope Francis to declare it one. But there is a deeper problem as well. How can anyone tell what the religion of Islam really is?

Is Islam the religion professed by many of the intellectuals, including many university professors? Or is it the religion professed by theocratic politicians? Is it whatever the local mullahs say it is? Is it contained in new judgments, or fatwas, issued by a particular mufti?

Or put the question another way: How can anyone tell what any religion is? Is Christianity whatever anyone who reads the Bible thinks it is? Is it the religion of the Methodists, or the Baptists, or the Brethren of the Converted Spirit in the First Church of Downtown Whoville? Is it defined by ill-educated good old boys or degreed liberals? Does it profess the Resurrection as an historical event or as a symbol? Does it change with the culture? If so, how?

Religion without an authority principle can be real and sincere, but it is pretty hard to define, and it is apt to change. Because it is a moving target, discussing it has only limited utility. It is also very easy to abuse.

Fortunately, the papacy embodies the authority principle intrinsic to Christianity, and the Pope really can say what authentic Christianity is. But there is no more an authority principle in Islam than there is in Anglicanism. Not even the Pope can say what Islam is.