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Ecumenical Jihad: Ecumenism and the Culture War

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The "jihad" in the title is somewhat jarring at first, especially today when Islamic fundamentalism and its physical form of holy war are at the fore of discussion and concern. And yet its deeper meaning to Kreeft's argument soon becomes clear. Jihad--an inner pursuit of truth and the outward performance of holy deeds--is pursued by people of all faiths, if not by that name. Surely some common ground must exist.

Kreeft does not advocate surrendering principles; most believers simply are not going to do so. Catholics are not going to abandon the real presence in the Eucharist; Protestants will continue to reject the infallibility of the Pope. Muslims won't abandon Mohammed. Jews are not likely to accept Christ as Messiah. But yet there remain good reasons for these faiths to unite--in an alliance, while retaining their beliefs--against the common enemy that destroys our culture, that consumes decency and morality and faith, that kills the unborn.

No, this is not a book for the weak of heart or mind (or most liberals). Kreeft pulls no punches, and isn't afraid to call a spade a spade, to say things that will no doubt garner him the "fundamentalist" or "fanatic" or "extremist" label. But this, at root, is a work of hope, of a cautious optimism, of facing adversity with a smile. With the smile of assurance only faith can offer.

Prof. Peter Kreeft teaches in the philosophy department at Boston College, an officially Roman Catholic institution. A convert to Roman Catholicism, he has written a number of books, many of which are (as is this) published by Ignatius Press, an ostensibly orthodox Roman Catholic publishing house.

Prof. Kreeft starts this strange book with a couple of points. First, the world is in a state of moral decay. Second, traditional believers in various religions share a fair amount in common concerning moral principles. Therefore, they should put their theological differences aside and work for a better world. If Prof. Kreeft had stopped there, he could have written an interesting book on how this might be accomplished. Instead, the book consists mostly of rambling discussions about the various branches of Christianity, and the dialogue between Christianity and non-Christian religions.

By way of background, Vatican II liberalized the Roman Catholic view of non-Christians religions. Pope John Paul II has liberalized that view further, with an almost entirely positive evaluation of world religions. Mr. Kreeft extends this pluralism by implying that sincere believers in any religion (or none) are in fact Christians. For example, "even atheists and agnostics, if they are of good will . . . perhaps . . . can be called 'anonymous Christians', as Karl Rahner suggested . . . " [p. 31] "Is there . . a `hidden Christ' of Hinduism? When a pious Moslem practices his islam, his submission, might this be taking place through Christ . . . . I think this is very likely. [p. 156] In fact, Mr. Kreeft speculates that the "ultimate reality" of Taoists, Buddhist, and Hindus might be the god of Christians. [p. 161] Now, if Taoists, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists and agnostics believe in the Christian God, it is only reasonable to ask what defines Christianity. Not faith in Christ, but a certain attitude toward reality (seeking "truth as an absolute" according to Kreeft) separates Christians from non-Christians. [See, id.] Mr. Kreeft was quite right, then, to cite the existentialist Rahner.

There is one portion of this book that is truly bizarre. Mr. Kreeft claims to have had an out of body experience while surfing in Hawaii. During this experience, he "soul-surfed" and landed on a "Heavenly beach." [p. 86] There, he met and spoke with Confucius, Buddha, Mohammed, and Moses. In the afterlife, all have become pious Roman Catholics. Nonetheless, Mohamed still teaches (and Kreeft appears to agree) that the Koran is "divine revelation." [pp. 103-4] This stuff goes on for twenty-five pages. Mr. Kreeft purports that his recounting of this ecumenical beach party is in some sense "true." [p. 86] No, I'm not making this up.

I've read some strange books before, but this is one of the strangest. In addition to the dubious theology, it is poorly written, contains no footnotes or an index, and consists of cultural analysis worthy of a third-tier neoconservative or second-hand follower of Ayn Rand. If this is the new age of ecumenicalism, give me the Thirty Years War.

Some of the stuff Peter Kreeft writes is pretty decent if not excellent ( Summa of the Summa and A Refutation of Moral Relativism to name two) but this gets the prize for being the worst of anything I have ever read that he has written. Although I think he understands that things are awry in the world, his false ecumenism with non Catholic religions is hardly a Catholic way of looking at things, and yet Mr. Kreeft considers himself Catholic. If we are to look at Vatican II in the light of tradition ( a tradition that soundly condemned "ecumenism", especially this false lowest common denominator kind; Pius XI's Mortalium Animos anyone?) than no Catholic in good standing could support the ideas built up in this book that make it seem like all religions and none are equal in the eyes of God. Books like this are exactly why us traditional Catholics look askance at the murky language of Vatican II documents; because people like Peter Kreeft just run with them and come up with bizarre and heretical stuff like this. What ever happened to the clear and concise language used in the Council of Trent?

I don't care what Kreeft says or how many degrees he has, this is not an orthodox Catholic book, instead it is a book full of false ecumenism and apologies for Luther and Mohammed. I agree that we should be fighting moral decay in society regardless of what religion we are but the false ecumenism Peter Kreeft suggests is not Catholic. Why does Ignatius carry this book is my question. In short, Kreeft is not a bad man and not a bad author, but if you want a book with a Catholic view to fighting moral corruption than this is NOT the one. Don't steer away from this author just based on this one book, but stay far away from this one.

Amazon great service and great prices. I highly recommend any book by Peter Kreeft but if you really want to understand what is happening in our society today this book is a must read.

Peter Kreeft's "Ecumenical Jihad" is at once highly intriguing and well argued. The book is based on the quite reasonable (even obvious) fact that Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, evangelical Protestantism and Islam share a strong and uncompromising rejection of the tenants of the sexual revolution of the 1960s. All these religions have been extremely strong in demanding traditional roles for women (no religious authority), no permission for extramaritial sex or homosexuality, and a strong tendency to demand fidelity of loving partners. In addition, these religions share a general rejection of such countercultural trends as illicit drug use, freedom in artistic expression, and "new age" spirituality.

Kreeft is most effective in the manner in which he shows some very obvious facts, such as how the media and arts which influence our children are extremely biased against traditional religions. He indeed does this in a manner that ought to be capable of impresing anybody with an interest in religion.

However, the whole problem with every thesis done by any Catholic apologist like Peter Kreeft is the way in which they assume that the laws of the Church over the centuries are in any way natural. A look at secular sources, especially those of Marx or anarchist theorists, will show clearly how the laws that have governed and continue to govern the Catholic and Orthodox churches served to protect the power of the ruling classes. This was seen in the way the Church defended ruling classes in countries like Russia and Spain throughout the twentieth century, and may have contributed to their demise through the West (except in Australia and Red America where religion remains strong).

The societal changes brought about by industrialisation were bound in most places to lead to such events as the sexual revolution, whose ideas were spread long before the 1960s. Increasing violence in society, whatever one interprets its cause, is most likely what leads many people into forms of music like metal or rap or grunge. No matter how distasteful they really are, these forms of music have little to do with the increasing violence, though this book will make one think it self-evident that they do - when poverty and lack of opportunities are probably leading many into these forms of music.

Though well-argued, the assumption in "Ecumenical Jihad" (or any other book of religious apologetics) are dubious. Maybe worth one or two reads, but be careful.

Generally speaking, I'm not one for polemic language or rallying war-cries, but Peter Kreeft's "Ecumentical Jihad" is the exception (and quite infectious so excuse my exuberance). This book is a wake-up call to the sleeping masses. It *must* be polemic in nature, because it *is* a war-cry. Through several chapters, Kreeft lays out the battlelines - good and evil, to be precise - as well as Christ's plan for triumph: Ecuminism. The message is as clear as it should be obvious: this is not the time to bicker amongst ourselves, but to fight the common enemy of evil. "Ecumential Jihad" is a book of bleak realism and divine hope. We have met the enemy, but he needn't be us.

I'm left with two senses after reading this book: (1) sadness licked with fear -- the world as we know and love it is disappearing, almost gone. At least in the West. (2) Resolve renewed and steeled that we can and MUST join the jihad against the Great Satan by embracing God's cause most earnesly in our personal lives (metanoia, charity) and in the public square. A particularly brilliant summary of what Christians can and must find in common with Conficianism, Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism. A delightful dialogue with Conficius, Buddha, Mohammed and Moses, as well as a trialogue with Martin Luther, Thomas Aquinas, and CS Lewis. Nothing is more urgent or more important, and Kreeft makes the case convincingly.

Peter Kreeft is a succinct and insightful teacher and author. He is also prophetic. In 'Ecumenical Jihad' he binds and discusses the commonalities of faith and culture that exist between Muslims and Christians, Christians and Confucius, and Protestants and Catholics. He shows Christians how they build an affinity and understanding from other religions without compromising their own beliefs. His great desire and goal is not only to build an understanding but also an alliance. It is amazing that this book was written five years before 9/11. In his text, he looks to the devil and secularism as the enemy. To live through the moral squalor and decay of current Western Civilization is the ailment whose remedy is to embrace faith in all its consequences with people of other creeds. He cites historical evidence that parallels our own predicament and offers an interesting solution: sainthood and martyrdom. (I guess both are the antecedent to uncompromising faith.) While some may find his exegesis to be that of an intellectual "Henny Penny," one can't argue too strongly after the ramifications of 9/11 that he was right all along.

Uncompromising, unflinching, sometimes infuriating, Peter Kreeft brings it all back home with an alchemy that is well backed by articulate scholarship.

Any Christian interested in building constructive relationships with Islam must have a very clear idea about what Islam teaches about Judaism and Christianity. Islam teaches that what Jews and Christians revere as Holy Scripture is in fact thoroughly corrupt, so corrupt that it constitutes blasphemy. Hence the Bible is not allowed in Saudi Arabia.

Qur'an commentator Ibn Kathir on Qur'an 5:13:
"They change the words from their (right) places...) Since their comprehension became corrupt, they behaved treacherously with Allah's Ayat, altering His Book from its apparent meanings which He sent down, and distorting its indications."

This view of the Old and New Testament is drawn directly from the Koran which is seen as the unalterable Word of God. Christians who fail to understand this basic concept will only draw trouble on themselves in any enterprise concerning Islam.

Christian tolerance of Islam has not been met with Islamic tolerance of Christianity and Christians suffer terribly in Africa, the Middle East and Turkey ( a country supposedly ready to join the EU)today not in some distant past.

This book is a must-read for anyone who is seriously concerned about the current state of our culture. As usual, he argues that the problems we face are not political and economic but moral, intellectual, and spiritual. He calls for all men and women of good will--regardless of religious/cultural background--to put aside their traditional hostility and unite to save the world from moral relativism and spiritual decay.