The Church as Minority in the Context of Islam

In this contribution, the different aspects of the concept ‘minority’ and their complexity are introduced. The term ‘minority’ has different connotations, varying from basic numerical minority to the notion of ‘minoritization.’ The complexity is important for the research into the identity and vocation of the Christian Church in the context of Islam. This project starts from different readings of 1 Peter in relation to social identity (complexity) theories and then proceeds towards different Christian perspectives on ‘minority’ in conversations with Jewish, Sunni, and Shi’a contributions. In all of this, the perspectives of Muslim Background Believers are emphasized. As the embodiment of what it means to be a minority, their position is of great value in relation to the questions of identity and vocation.