“There is compelling anecdotal evidence of a surge in conversions to Islam since September 11, not just in Britain, but across Europe and America,” The Times of London reported this week. “Similar surges followed the outbreak of the Gulf War, the Bosnian conflict and the declaration of a fatwa against Salman Rushdie.” These tend to be young converts, but back in 1990 (just as Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait) Christianity Today noted that Muslim converts tended to be much older than Christian ones. This article originally appeared in our August 20, 1990, issue.
Jim was the assistant manager of a sporting goods store where I worked during my graduate studies at Northwestern University. He was in his early forties, had been raised in a Jewish family, and had served in Vietnam. I expected him to be particularly resistant to the gospel.
Much to my surprise, Jim began to ask me about my personal beliefs after he learned I was studying comparative religion. For several months we discussed religion in general and Christianity in particular. One evening, as we were seated with three other employees in the store break room, there arose a discussion over the Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart affairs. One employee had come to the conclusion that all “born-again” Christians were probably secretly involved in immoral activities. When I took issue with this statement, I was interrupted by Jim.
“Wait a minute,” he said, amazed. “You make it sound like you are one of those born-again Christians.” When I replied that according to my understanding of the New Testament term I was indeed born again, he protested loudly: “No! No! You can’t be!” Amused, I asked him why not. His response? “Because what you say makes sense to me.”
I believe that Jim was responding to alterations I had begun to make in my approach to nonbelievers—in particular, to those who are older than 25.
In the late 1800s, Edwin Starbuck conducted ground-breaking studies on conversion to Christianity. Ever since then, scholars, attempting either to verify or disprove his findings, have repeatedly demonstrated them to be accurate. Most observers agree that what Starbuck observed is to a large extent still valid. From these studies we learn two significant things: the age at which conversion to Christianity most often occurs, and the motivational factors involved in conversion.
Starbuck noted that the average age of a person experiencing a religious conversion was 15.6 years. Other studies have produced similar results; as recently as 1979, Virgil Gillespie wrote that the average age of conversion in America is 16 years.
Starbuck listed eight primary motivating factors: (1) fears, (2) other self-regarding motives, (3) altruistic motives, (4) following out a moral ideal, (5) remorse for and conviction of sin, (6) response to teaching, (7) example and imitation, and (8) urging and social pressure. Recent studies reveal that people still become Christians mainly for these same reasons.
What conclusions can be drawn from this information? First, the average age of conversion is quite young. Postadolescent persons do not seem to find Christianity as attractive as do persons in their teens. Indeed, for every year the non-Christian grows older than 25, the odds increase exponentially against his or her ever becoming a Christian.
Second, the reasons people become Christians appear to have at least as much to do with sociological factors as with purely “religious” factors (for example, conviction of sin). But are older persons motivated by these same factors? My friend Jim, for instance, was not subject to social pressures from any religious source. Extremely independent, he did not seek to imitate anyone. Having experienced much of the world and having served with the Special Forces in Vietnam, he had few (if any) conscious fears. And he was very cynical with regard to morality.
Islam’s older converts
My research at Northwestern University investigated religious conversion from another angle. Rather than duplicate the efforts of earlier scholars who limited themselves to the Christian experience, I explored the phenomenon of conversion to another missionary religion—Islam. I examined the published accounts of 60 Western converts to Islam and personally interviewed 10 others. The results contrasted sharply with Starbuck’s statistics.
The average age of a Western convert to Islam is approximately 31 years, almost double that of the convert to Christianity. Several persons were in their forties, fifties, and sixties. Islam seems to appeal to a much older group of people. This age difference made the subject of motivating factors of great interest as I investigated why Muslims are apparently reaching an age group in Western societies that Christians are not.
From the testimonies and interviews, it became evident that there are at least five reasons why Westerners choose Islam over Christianity and other religious alternatives. The first is simplicity; the precepts and requirements of Islam are perceived as being much less complicated than those of Christianity. A sincere proclamation of the shahada (“There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his Messenger”) is all that is required to become a Muslim. Afterwards one must participate in the daily prayers, the Fast of Ramadan, the pilgrimage to Mecca, and almsgiving, but these are not complicated actions and require no engagement in theological or philosophical speculation.
The second factor is rationality. Islam is considered to be a supremely rational faith. The Muslim is not asked to give credence to allegedly “irrational” concepts such as the Trinity, the Incarnation, and the Resurrection of Jesus. Islam presents itself as the natural religion, the faith that one would naturally follow if it were not for the corrupting influences of the Devil and the idolatrous religious systems in which many persons are raised.
Equality is the third factor. The universal brotherhood and equality of all Muslims is a cardinal tenet of Islam, and this is apparently very attractive to Westerners. Muslims take pride in the ceremony connected with their pilgrimage, in which members of every race, class, and ethnic group stand side by side, identically clothed, all worshiping together the One God, Allah.
Fourth, Islam is practical. It is considered a this—worldly religion in contrast to Christianity, which is perceived as abstract in the extreme. Muhammad left his followers a political, social, moral, and economic program founded on religious precepts. Jesus, however, is said to have advocated no such program; it is claimed that the New Testament is so preoccupied with his imminent return that it is impractical for modern life.
Finally, Islam lacks a priesthood. The absence of a spiritual “hierarchy” has attracted many Westerners who have rejected theidea of anyone negotiating with God for them or who have been disappointed and embittered by the scandalous conduct of some Christian leaders.
It seems that postadolescents are motivated to seek religious answers to life’s questions for different reasons from those that compel teenagers to turn to Christ. I would like to suggest that one of the reasons older persons do not convert to Christianity is that Christians have emphasized almost exclusively those aspects of their faith that have the greatest appeal to teens. Materials aimed at a youthful audience should not be dispensed with, of course. But new tracts, booklets, musical recordings, and audio-visuals aimed specifically at an older audience should be produced, and the motivational factors gleaned from the testimonies of Western converts to Islam can aid in the creation of those materials. (This is a form of evangelical contextualization, applied within a “home missions” context.)
Winning mature converts
Each of the five factors we have discussed is present in biblical Christianity, and a presentation of the gospel that emphasizes all or several of these may prove to be effective in winning “the older generation.”
Simplicity. The gospel of Christ is exceedingly simple; indeed, in some respects it is even simpler than the message of Islam. It has often been forgotten that salvation in Christ is indeed by faith alone. In the sixteenth century, the Reformers’ insistence upon this soteriology effectively won young and old alike. Perhaps a similar phenomenon could be produced today if Christians would return to such a message of simple power and strip away denominational, cultural, and ethnic additions. Followers of Christ must be able to distinguish between essential and nonessential aspects of their personal beliefs, and honestly and openly communicate these distinctions to nonbelievers. Mastery of the principles expounded in Romans 14 is essential if Christians wish to communicate the gospel in its radical simplicity.
Rationality. Christianity is an eminently reasonable faith, although it contains teachings that may seem irrational to modern men and women. (It may be the presentation of these doctrines by Christians who do not thoroughly understand them that makes them appear so illogical.) Throughout the centuries, apologists have been able to cast the Christian faith in highly rational terms, and many today seek to do the same. At the same time, certain questions need to be asked about more difficult aspects of the faith: What is actually necessary that a person understand to be born again? Cannot many of the more difficult theological points be left for the postconversion discipleship process? And if one does consider it essential that concepts such as the Trinity be explained before conversion, are the common presentations of these teachings adequate?
I have spoken thus far only of theological issues. But through the centuries, many ritual practices have been added to biblical Christianity; most, if not all, must be classified as nonessential. Some have contributed to the reputation of Christianity as an irrational faith. Some may need to be discarded if the basic message of the New Testament is to be revealed in all its power. Of course, there will always be an element of what Paul says the world calls “foolishness” in the gospel (1 Cor. 1:18-29). This is part of God’s plan to “confound the wise” and is thus unavoidable. But I am arguing for the elimination of accretions that have become unnecessary stumbling blocks.
Practicality. Christianity has often been accused of being too “otherworldly” in that it has failed to offer viable political, economic, judicial, and social programs for the world order. The teaching of Jesus that his kingdom “is not of this world” has been interpreted to mean that earthly life must merely be endured, and that Christians cannot expect to accomplish lasting reform before the return of Christ. But does the New Testament really offer no guidance for shaping political or economic policy? Does it contain no judicial or social precepts that may be applied in today’s societies? True, neither Jesus nor Paul spoke in detail of political or economic ideologies. But since both spoke out of a Jewish background and context, direct allusions may have been unnecessary. Christians must understand that their faith is rooted in Old Testament Judaism and that the Mosaic Covenant and Law (which contain highly specific political, economic, judicial, and social precepts) can give guidance even today. The fact that such ideals exist as an intrinsic part of Christianity can go a long way toward establishing the credibility of the faith in these areas.
Equality. Universal brotherhood is also a precept found in the New Testament. Paul states in Galatians 3, for instance, that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” It is true that historical precedent is against Christianity at this point, for Christians have not been united since the earliest years of the faith’s existence. While there is perhaps little that the individual can do about this situation on a worldwide scale, steps can be taken on the local level to offer explanations for the condition in which Christianity finds itself. An apologetic needs to be worked out that expresses in simple terms the reasons for the existing divisions within the Christian church (culture, race, doctrine, etc.) as well as reasons for the hesitancy of many Christians to adopt an ecumenical attitude.
Anticlericalism. As for Islam’s lack of human mediators, most Protestant Christians should not feel inferior to Muslims. But there needs to be a renewed emphasis upon the New Testament doctrine of the priesthood of all believers (1 Pet. 2:9). The Reformers emphasized this point and found that it appealed strongly to Europeans in the sixteenth century. The seventeenth-century Pietists, the Brethren, the Quakers, and others continued to espouse this and attracted many followers. High church denominations may have difficulties with this point, but it would be to their advantage to examine whether entrenched hierarchical systems of church polity might not be hindering them from attracting new members.
We have seen that Christianity possesses each of the factors that Westerners have found to be attractive in the Muslim faith. But this is not a thesis intended for classroom discussions; it is one that needs to be experimented with and implemented. The church needs groups of believers who will devote themselves to the over-25 age group and “field test” various approaches.
There is an element of haste involved, for the average age of America’s population grows older with each year, and the kinds of people evangelicals encounter will be increasingly like my friend Jim. If the church wishes to retain its foothold in this country, the time to begin a shift in evangelistic strategy is now.
Larry Poston is professor of religion at Nyack College, Nyack, NewYork.
Copyright © 2002 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Related Elsewhere:
Larry Poston is co-author of The Changing Face of Islam in America, available at Christianbook.com. Poston’s co-author, Carl Ellis, was interviewed last year by Christianity Today’s Edward Gilbreath on the massive conversion of African-Americans to Islam.
See Monday’s article from The Times, “Allah came knocking at my heart.”
Also appearing on our site today, Christianity Today Columnist Charles Colson argues that Christians need to be informed and discerning about the Islamic Worldview.
In 2000, Christianity Today focused on Muslim-Christian relations in a series by Wendy Murray Zoba. Articles included:
Islam, U.S.A. | Are Christians prepared for Muslims in the mainstream? (March 27, 2000)
Islamic Fundamentals | Christians have a responsibility to understand our Muslim neighbors and their beliefs. (March 28, 2000)
How Muslims See Christianity | Many Muslims don’t understand Christianity—especially the idea of salvation by grace through faith. (March 29, 2000)
Engaging Our Muslim Neighbors | The Church faces a challenge not just to understand Muslims, but to befriend them. (March 30, 2000)
Christian sites discussing Muslim beliefs about Jesus and Christianity are available at The Muslim-Christian Debate, Answering Islam, Campus Crusade for Christ, and FarsiNet.
Muslim perspectives on Jesus and Christianity are also ubiquitous online. They include Al-Sunnah, Harakah, Islam 101, Answering Christianity, and WhatIsIslam.com
Christianity Today’s January cover story asks, “Is Islam a Religion of Peace?”
In early October, Books & Culture Corner’s John Wilson reported that “until a month ago, learning more about Islam was a low priority for all too many Americans. Since the attack, that has changed.” In November, Wilson said “There’s good reason to believe that there will be staying power to the West’s belated ‘discovery’ of Islam.”
In a recent column for Christianity Today, Philip Yancey reprinted a letter from a Muslim. Written shortly after the September 11 attacks, the letter read: “I read some books about the prophet Muhammad and the Islamic faith by Western scholars. I was shocked to learn a lot of things about my religion that I never knew.”
