We work locally
  • We seek to put a face on Muslim-Christian relations by fostering local partnerships.
Worldwide political and religious conflict is simply too big for most of us to even comprehend. Our temptation is to turn away and hope the tragedy doesn't touch us. But it does touch us, because we are all brothers and sisters before God. Political action is important, and some of us will engage in that work. But the mission of CTFP is building face-to-face relationships, relying on the strength and resources of local groups while learning from efforts across the globe. We hope to inspire other local networks that will draw on our resources and share their own.

We learn
  • We expand awareness of Islam and the issues facing Muslims in local settings.
It is probably safe to say that most American Christians know very little about Islam, and almost as many have never had a serious conversation about faith with a Muslim. At the same time, even though the United States is nominally a Christian country, many people grow up in the U.S. without ever hearing a clear explanation of Christianity. Christians and Muslims are diverse in customs, beliefs and practices; churches, mosques and synagogues can vary significantly in their expression. Our goal is to share resources to help us all learn more about our intertwined history, the similarities and differences in our beliefs, and the challenges of living out faith and passing it on in a rapidly changing environment.

We support
  • We provide practical, effective support to Muslims facing Islamophobia.
Islamophobia is unmistakably on the rise. Many of us are shocked and dismayed, but we need also to learn how to raise our voices and commit our energy to counter prejudice and hostility. Negative words and behavior can happen in a public place, a workplace, in schools, in social activities, and even in our families. Some people are naturally skillful, courageous and quick-thinking. The rest of us can benefit from linking arms, learning strategies and strengthening our foundation for handling difficult conversations.

We promote peace
  • We help Christians develop effective strategies to promote compassion and reason among Christians and other non-Muslims.
For many of us, the most difficult conversations are not with those of other faiths - they are with members of our own faith who speak out of anger and fear. Our instinctive response may be to avoid those conversations and even those people. Yet such avoidance does nothing to heal divisions. So many of our political and religious opinions are colored heavily by emotion. Fear and hatred are contagious - and so is love. We are called to rely on God's love and move forward into the world, especially when love is difficult.

We are public and hopeful
  • We create honest and hopeful public conversations.
Our attention is naturally drawn to the loudest people in the room. When those voices are hostile, division spreads. At the same time we are inspired by voices that call us to be our best selves. We need to be heard in the public arena as well as in the company of our like-minded friends. We look for language and stories that inspire and ways to bring them into the public forum.