“We must deplore violence wherever it is found and especially deplore its association with religion,” declared Lord Carey of Clifton, a former head of the Church of England, to an audience of 450 people at Adventist-owned Newbold College in the Berkshire suburbs of London on Sept. 19.

Lord Carey, who as 103rd Archbishop of Canterbury led the worldwide Anglican fellowship from 1991 to 2002, gave the 2006 Beach Lecture entitled “The Crescent and the Cross - The Clash of Faiths in an Age of Secularism.”
He began by directly questioning those on both sides who see Muslim-Christian relations as “a clash of civilizations” and those who argue that no dialogue is possible between the two faiths.

Instead, Carey argued for a “dialogue that flows from co-operation, tolerance and understanding between the faiths” and encouraged his audience to “form a new mental map of relationships between the Abrahamic faiths.” He suggested that we ask “a new and important question: Is there a basic spirituality that we share?”

He challenged politicians and diplomats to note the importance of religion in resolving conflict. He concluded by offering an agenda for change and action which involved “grassroots engagement” between people of different faiths and living with respect and honoring diversity—not “out there,” but “here with us.”

Carey did not avoid the difficult issues. His questions were posed accordingly: “Why is it that, although true Islam is not a violent religion, Islam has become associated with violence?”

He answered his own question by saying that his “many Muslim friends” assert that true Islam is not a violent religion, and that he believes this assertion. At the same time, Carey said, both faiths need to reach an understanding on the nature of martyrdom.

“I find it difficult to understand the argument that a person can be a blessed martyr if, in the cause of his conflict, he knowingly kills innocent people. Christian martyrdom is unlike this. We have no martyrology which honors people who kill innocent people.  ... She or he suffers for God and his people and does so, not by fighting or killing, but by suffering. A terrorist by definition cannot be a martyr,” he declared.

Carey also issued a call for “reciprocity” between the two faiths.

“Christians will want to point to the need for reciprocity in regard to mission and the building of churches abroad,” he said. “I find it very strange that Muslims, who plead and argue so strongly for their rights when [they are] minorities, [but] are unaware of the plight of Christians in Muslim lands. The fact that Muslims may build their mosques and schools in the West, make converts and advertise their faith is, sadly, not reciprocated in Muslim lands. It is exceedingly difficult, if not dangerous, for a Muslim to convert to another faith.”

He also cited Pope Benedict’s recent controversial lecture suggesting that the Pope had been quoted out of context. Lord Carey reminded his audience that “our celebrated access to information has made us all too quick to pick up sound-bites and all too lazy to engage in thoughtful debates, in attitudes of courtesy and respect. Discussion, examination and argument have roles to play in reaching agreement,” he said.

He concluded, “although we are living in difficult times, we are far from powerless. The future depends on us all digging deeper into the differences with respect and tolerance so that a new world may be born.”
A Newbold professor lauded Carey’s comments.

“Lord Carey has a distinguished record as a promoter of inter-faith relations in a variety of ways and we are delighted that he chose to address this significant subject in the Beach Lecture at Newbold College,” said Dr. David Trim, associate director of the Centre for the Study of Religious and Cultural Diversity at the College.

“Responses to the lecture on all sides have made it clear that Lord Carey helped to enthuse an audience of people of several faiths to recognize their ignorance about each other. Clearly, many people went home encouraged to work in their own communities to create understanding between faiths which have clashed but also have much to offer each other and the wider secular world,” Trim added.

Dr. David Penner, Principal of Newbold College, added his endorsement.

Penner said Lord Carey’s “presentation was a careful outline of issues needing to be addressed and a solution to be found. He spoke at length about the need to keep balance in the dialogue between Christians and Muslims.  While noting that the news is filled with reports of terrorism with Muslim connections, he reminded Christians of the violence of the crusades of the Middle Ages and the occupation of the Middle East by European Countries in the early twentieth century.  His words were a call for and an encouragement to engage with our neighbours and communities in finding a peaceful way forward.”

Newbold College describes itself as “a center of higher education committed to providing quality learning within a Christian ethos.” It was founded by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1902 as Duncombe Hill Missionary College in North London, and has been in its present location since 1946. Its students come from more than 60 countries around the globe.