Episode 43: Islam and the Bible V with Mark Durie

It Means What It Means

Mark Durie, an Anglican pastor and expert on Islam, discusses the influence of Charles Kraft on missions to Muslims. Kraft, a missiologist, promoted the idea of insider movements, where Muslims could follow Christ while retaining their Muslim identity. Durie explains that Kraft's approach to biblical translation was influenced by Eugene Nida, who believed that meaning was determined by the response it evoked. Kraft argued for the removal of terms like 'Son of God' and 'Father' from Bible translations to avoid offense to Muslims. Durie critiques Kraft's dismissal of the Nicene Creed and emphasizes the importance of cultural sensitivity in missions. In this conversation, Jared and Mark Durie discuss the issue of insider movements and Muslim idiom translations. They explore the interaction between Orthodox or Eastern Christians and the concept of insider movements. They also delve into the concern for ontology and the substance of Jesus in the biblical text, as well as the relationship between Christianity and Islam. Mark Durie critiques Charles Kraft's view of Islam as a cultural heresy of Christianity and discusses the challenges of understanding different cultures and languages. He emphasizes the importance of engaging with different perspectives and wrestling with complex ideas.