Understanding can pave way to peace, says religion scholar

Understanding between Christians and Muslims can begin with listening and respecting each others' beliefs, according to a scholar and theology professor who spoke Saturday in Batavia.

Thomas Finger, scholar-in-resident at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., discussed parallels between Christianity and Muslim beliefs in the Mahdi, or savior, at the Congregational Church of Batavia.

Finger has presented on the Mahdi at conferences in Tehran, Iran in 2006 and 2007. Iran is governed by Shi'ah Muslims who believe that the Mahdi, who has been protected by God and living on earth since about 874 A.D., will return with Jesus to establish peace on the earth and Islam as the religion of all people.

Finger said that varied interpretations of the Mahdi are an example of the differences among Muslim religious leaders.

"Some religious leaders believe the Mahdi's return will be peaceful," Finger said. "Others make it sound like World War III."

Although Iran is governed by Shi'ah Muslims, and its controversial President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a Shi'ah Muslim, there is a "hidden Iran" much different from that portrayed by the media, Finger said.

Iran is about 99 percent Muslim and 1 percent Christian. But Finger observed many who would be considered Muslims worshipping at Christian churches there.

"There is a spiritual vacuum in Iran," Finger said. "I got the sense that young Iranians in their 20s and 30s want to be heard. They also want to hear from Christians from the west."

Although many westerners believe that Iran willingly harbors terrorists, the situation is very complex, Finger said.

"The overwhelming majority of average citizens would rather be friends," Finger said. "You really find the common humanity, especially in the Middle East."

Barb Parot of St. Charles heard about Finger's lecture from a friend.

"In these times, it's important to understand more about the Middle East," she said. "We're becoming a global entity. We should understand where we're coming from, and learn to respect different faiths."