ISIS 101: What Christians Need to Know

Hello,

My name is Zach Turek.  I’m a graduate of Southern Evangelical Seminary, having earned an MA degree in Philosophy.  The title of my session at this year’s National Conference on Christian Apologetics (NCCA) is ISIS 101: What Christians Need to Know.  I am excited to present on this topic that is so crucial to our faith and our nation as a whole.

Unlike many of the presentations you will see at NCCA, my talk will be primarily informative, not prescriptive. I have found that much of the American public as a whole is largely ignorant of the Muslim world and the nuances that exist between the various countries, groups, and sects of Islam.  For example, we use the term “Radical Islam” too broadly. It has been used in various forms of print and media to describe Iran, the Syrian Regime, the Muslim Brotherhood, al Qaida, ISIS, and the Taliban. While certainly these groups have some traits in common, I would suggest that there are stark differences between them at a very basic level (both religious and geo-political) that must be recognized as well. 

The purpose of this presentation is to present some basic facts about ISIS that as Christians and citizens we need to know: their agenda, the history behind their rise to power, their leadership, their similarities and differences with al Qaida, and what separates them from other Muslim groups and countries. While we cannot cover all of these in detail with the time allotted, I hope to provide you with a basic framework as well as some resources that you can use to do your own research.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all in October!

Zach Turek