Engage with Islam?

Dr Vardy, British academic, theologian, philosopher, author and since 1999 has held the position of Vice Principal at Heythrop College, London.
This is not someone I would immediately dismiss as ignorant, after all his position demands respect because of his academic credentials. And yet, I have serious doubts about him because of his plea to teachers to engage with Islam.
While I have done my best to learn and understand the mindset of Islam over the last few years, here is an academic who strolls into the limelight and seems to be more ignorant than anyone I can imagine about the nature of Islam. What's worse he is preaching to us about how we must "engage" with Islam.

To quote Dr Vardy, "I think, to be honest, the biggest thing is ignorance," he says. Indeed I agree with him. Of course he's referring to his own ignorance isn't he? 


Dr Vardy, vice-principal of Heythrop College, a specialist philosophy and theology college at the University of London, was a keynote speaker at a workshop held at Ivanhoe Grammar last week to help non-Muslim teachers better engage with and teach Islam.


Dr Vardy is passionate about using education to reduce misunderstandings about the Islamic faith

Islam is only one world religion . . . but it's hugely important that young Australians have an understanding which goes beyond the superficial," he says.

In an globalised world, it is vital that local students appreciate diversity, different cultural and religious perspectives, and can interact with Islamic neighbours on a business level.

I'm pretty sure that for all his academic qualifications Dr Vardy has no idea that Islam is a political system (not just another religion) that doesn't tolerate any other religion or indeed accepts any other form of government other than Sharia Law. 


To Dr Vardy I suggest you pull your head out of the sand, climb down from your ivory tower and get yourself familiar with Islam before you take a stand and preach to others about ignorance.