A tremor of worry has fallen upon Christian America. With 90% of Americans under stay-at-home orders and only one-fifth of religious Americans still attending worship services, many Christians are left wondering, “How will I celebrate Easter this year?” Even President Trump sought to dull the effects of this tremor, considering last weekend to allow churches to open for Easter “with great separation.”
I am a Muslim. While I may not celebrate Easter, I understand Christian distress in seeing churches closed this weekend. I know firsthand how cathartic and powerful congregational worship can be. I empathize with Christian worshippers who long for the comfort and power that their church offers.
A Muslim informing Christians on how to celebrate Easter may sound strange. But when it comes to Christ, you may not know that Christians and Muslims share much in common. Both religions believe that he is a prophet of God and the Messiah. Both even believe he was the son of God (Christians believe him to be the literal son of God, while Muslims believe he is, as all prophets are, a metaphoric son of God).
Both religions also believe that Christ will reappear in the latter days. And both Christianity and Islam accept and seek to emulate Christ’s spirit of sacrifice and service to humanity.
Jesus Christ fed thousands of people. He washed their …read more at source.