The Divide.

AuthorStelnreich, Ariella
PositionRELIGION - Evangelical Christian and Muslim relations

Evangelical Christian and Muslim relations is the greatest interreligious challenge in the U.S. today, according to a study by The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. It found that Evangelicals have little interest in interacting or learning more about Muslims. While more than half of Muslims regularly interact with Christians and believe that interaction has led to better understanding between the groups, only 22% of Evangelicals share similar experiences.

Both Muslims and Evangelicals see room for improvement in their relationship with the other group. The two groups share similar religious values--such as daily prayer, family, and improving the world--and see these commonalities as a way to bond and improve relations.

Despite this, Evangelicals are more likely to see differences between the two religions. Frequent interactions lead to more perceived similarities between the groups. Evangelicals show low familiarity of Muslim terms/holidays, although many of those familiar with Muslims and Islam are able to define correctly terms such as Ramadan, hijab, and sharia.

Evangelicals and Muslims alike acknowledge that Muslims have been discriminated against because of their faith and agree that there is anti-Muslim sentiment in the Evangelical Christian community. Sixty-two percent of Evangelicals report there is anti-Muslim sentiment in their own community. With this in mind, when asked if Muslim holidays should be observed in the U.S. with a day off from work/school like Christmas, 57% of Evangelicals say that they should not be observed.

The study also examines U.S. political and geopolitical issues that unite and divide the two faiths:

* Pres. Donald Trump. Muslims did not vote for him and three in four express disapproval of his performance in office (58% strongly disapprove). Evangelicals voted for and continue to support the President.

* The travel ban. Evangelicals are more likely to support it (61%), while Muslims consider it a "Muslim ban" (70%).

* Migrant caravans. Some 58% of Evangelicals see them as...

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