Christianity, Islam, and the West: Preparing for Discourse

"Islam is ISIS, and Christianity is American missiles with Bible verses written on their shells.""Islam and Christianity are both ancient faiths that promote love, inclusivity and justice." The diversity of opinions as to what both religions represent encompass a wide and contradictory spectrum, and understandably so, for in Western countries in which religion is separated from state there is a seemingly ever evolving religious scene. With such an evolution comes a challenge, how can we effectively speak of the two major religions, Christianity and Islam, without reducing these diverse groups to one of their factions? Discourse on the subject of religion and its relationship to culture, politics, and behaviour has also become a messy affair, awkwardly occupying television screens during debates about immigration, terror attacks, abortion and homosexual marriage. Bringing clarity to these discussions and a path forward, Neil Matchett addresses the common problems of political discourse concerning Christianity, Islam, and the West.