Contemporary Struggles Within Christianity and Islam - Essay Example

These issues are lack of fellowship and the lack of Biblical knowledge amongst Christians. However, apart from these culturally based struggles, Christianity is also split by the pressures that stem from modern society. In essence, certain Christians do not have sufficient knowledge of the Bible or its use. Today, not everyone who professes to reading the Bible does so during a week’s time (Geisler, 2010). The Bible is essentially the word of God, as the foundation of the Christian belief. Today, however, many Christians lack the fundamental beliefs of Christianity, the struggle becomes how such individuals can call themselves Christians while they do not even read the Bible and appreciate the fundamental beliefs of Christianity.

In addition, since Christians are called to strengthen their fellowship with God and other believers, one contemporary struggle within Christianity is the maintenance of this fellowship. The church provides a place where Christians can gather and fellowship with God and other Christians. However, contemporary lifestyles limit people’s attendance of church compared to the onset of Christianity. The percentage of churches in the current era has dwindled significantly as Christians continue to draw away from attending church fellowships.

Christianity beliefs assert that when Christians’ fellowship with one another, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses them. Today, a key struggle within Christianity is support mechanisms amongst believers who become vulnerable to negative teachings in the absence of fellowship. Traditional Christian beliefs provide that when Christians’ fellowship with one another and God, such Christians do not walk in darkness, for instance; they do not lie, steal or kill. Today, Christianity continues to be split by evils such as stealing; even amongst church leaders.

Another significant struggle within Christianity is the lack of Biblical knowledge and its ultimate understanding. Responsibilities and lifestyles in the modern day deter Christians from reading or studying the Bible. This results in internal issues among Christians who hold different beliefs. For instance, today, it is common to hear Christian groups asserting they know when the world will come to an end, despite the Bible’s clear teachings that only God is privy to such information (Williams, 2000).

This has over the past caused substantial problems among Christians, especially following the emergence of false prophets and prophesies. Another formidable struggle within Christianity is finding the right balance between Christians and Muslims, particularly after the advent of terrorism acts across the globe. Struggles within Islam Islam’s doctrines center on the beliefs of peace and love. However, the Islam’s main struggle today lies in the association of Muslims with acts of terrorism and other heinous crimes like piracy and kidnapping.

Since 9/11, Muslims face stigmatization on matters concerning security. This stigmatization further augments struggles within Islam, concerning those who condone acts of terrorism and piracy and those who abide by the traditional beliefs of Islam like the maintenance of peace and love amongst human kind (Al-Alwani, 2005). Allah’s teachings, which are the foundation on which Islam is built, demand the maintenance of virtues amongst Muslims. However, modernity has distorted these virtues allowing Muslims to behave in