French Adventists Respond to Muslim Brotherhood Report
27 May 2025 |
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Metropolitan France, Belgium, and Luxembourg is responding to a 75-page government report on the Muslim Brotherhood. In an article by Bulletin d’Information, the official church publication noted that the report described the Muslim Brotherhood as
“An organization operating in concentric circles,” with a core estimated at between 400 and 1,000 sworn members in France. The organization, represented primarily by ‘Muslims of France‘ (formerly UOIF), reportedly controls approximately 139 places of worship and influences nearly 280 associations operating in various sectors.”
The organization utilizes a three-pillar system of education, charity, and preaching. The report notes the use of “double talk” to gain local influence through elected officials, paired with a social media strategy to establish political and social power.
The French public has developed concerns over the influence of this particular movement, but it has sparked a deeper discussion about the dynamic between Christians and Muslims. When reports like this are released, there is inevitably resistance. Some will generalize the Muslim Brotherhood movement to represent all of Islam. Such generalizations often lead to demonization, prejudice, violence, and bigotry, leading to an ethical breakdown.
Bulletin d’Information, a publication under the North France Federation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, has noted comparisons and potential dialogue that can occur as a result of the report. The article highlights how Adventists have an opportunity to find common ground with Muslims in their community, to build bridges rather than walls. By creating this standard, it can mitigate the hostility fostered within local communities.
The government report calls for “resolute action on the ground” while acknowledging the need for “strong and positive signals to the Muslim community.” The report continues by encouraging discernment to avoid suspicion and isolation of thought against the Muslim population in Northern France. The “Adventist approach” as described in the article is intended to initiate a balanced approach, promoting dialogue and interfaith unity while maintaining a Christian identity.
“The question remains: how can we reconcile the necessary vigilance in the face of separatist excesses with the evangelical imperative to love one’s neighbor? The answer may lie in this ‘third way‘ mentioned in the report, where ‘believers have a role to play‘ in building an authentic dialogue, without naivety or demonization.”
