Islam: Navigating the choppy waters of interfaith relations

Jesus came to bring both truth and love. Has the Church followed its master when it comes to the increasingly tense and complex subject of British Islam?

Israel’s response to Hamas’  October 7 attack has ignited an inferno in the tinderbox of Palestinian sympathy. Enormous protests occur most weekends in the UK with strong Muslim support. Opinions about the war are deeply polarised across society, but as many as 85 per cent of Muslim voters say that a political leader’s stance on Israel-Gaza will influence their vote, according to a recent Survation poll. 

It is not just the ballot box that concerns British politicians, but the potential for violence. Tory MP Sir David Amess was murdered in 2021 by a fanatic opposed to the politician’s vote to bomb Syria. The police said the motivation was “linked to Islamic extremism”. Labour MP Stephen Timms was stabbed in 2010 by a woman in revenge for voting for the Iraq war. The woman said she was inspired by radical Islamist preaching. Conservative MP Mike Freer recently announced he will leave his role at the next election following threats from extremist Muslims.