May 21, 1999 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - An ecumenical theologian involved in dialogue with other religions is calling upon Christians to accept Mohammed as a prophet of God. His name is Dr. Jan Slomp, retired official with the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands. Before retirement, Slomp was a missionary in Pakistan and an education officer on Christian-Islam affairs in the Netherlands. Slomp claims Mohammed should not be considered a false prophet. Another Netherlands theologian, Dr. Anton Wessels, has called upon Christians to read and accept the "scriptures" of Islam. He made this call last September in Amsterdam during the 50th anniversary celebration by the World Council of Churches.

Mohammed (570-632) claimed to be the prophet of Allah, who is accepted by Muslims as the one and only God. Mohammed claimed that he received revelations from God through visitations of the angel Gabriel. These were passed on orally, and following Mohammed’s death were written down in the Koran. The Koran denies that Jesus Christ is God and that He died on the cross for man’s sin. According to Islam, the way of salvation is not through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ, but through good works, particularly the "Five Pillars," which are the recitation of the shahadah ("There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet"), prescribed daily prayers (five times each day toward Mecca), giving of alms, fasting during Ramadan, and a pilgrimage to Mecca.

The Bible does not say that Christians are to "dialogue" with those who follow false religions. Jesus commanded, rather, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).