Inter-Religious Dialogue: The Relationship Between Christians and Muslims in the Central African Republic

Abstract

Since the pre-independence settlement in the Central African Republic (CAR), Muslims (1870) and Christians (1894) lived in harmony until 1980, when the arrival of foreign-trained doctors of Islamic law took place. The influence of these foreign-trained persons caused divisions in the country, with Muslims taking over all major sectors of the country. On December 10, 2012, Chadian, Sudanese and Central African Muslims formed a coalition that massacred people, especially Christians, until taking over power on March 24, 2013. They destroyed most Christians' property and institutions. In response, individuals claiming to be Christians responded vigorously in revenge to inflict damage on the Muslim camps in Bangui and in the interior of the country. This occurrence resulted in enmity between Christians and Muslims to date. Christians no longer feel free to share the gospel with their Muslim neighbours. Therefore, for inter-religious dialogue to happen, this article, on the one hand, uses excerpts from the suras of the Qur'an, the Hadits and the life of Muhammad that offer a call for co-existence and dialogue. On the other hand, the study references Bible verses and the life of Jesus on the issue of harmonious living. According to Christians, peaceful atmospheres will enable them to fulfil their missionary mandate as salt and light of the world (Matt 5:13–16). The methodology used is historical-analytical and textual.