With respect

I keep reading Sharing The Love, February, by Rev. Calvin Brown.
Initially his words gave me hope. Hope because I learned that my church had invited Imam Hamid Slimi to speak at the last General Assembly, surely indicating that we wanted to learn more about the faith and customs of our Muslim neighbours.
Brown goes on to remind us that we are to treat all people with respect, to follow Christ's teaching to love our neighbour as ourselves. We need to protect their right to freely express their faith, the same as we desire the freedom to express ours. This, however, "is a long way from affirming their faith as having equal saving value as faith in Christ" he says.
Suddenly my hope diminishes, for now the truth begins to seep out and I have a sense that I am to accept the view that the Muslim faith is not on a par with Christianity in its saving capacity. That is not all however, for Brown continues to write that to "affirm their faith as of equal value in reconciling us with God is patently unchristian".
These are the words that have been repeated in my mind now for weeks. I am startled, puzzled and then appalled because I realize that with my simple mind I am one of the "patently unchristian" persons who does not believe that God shows favouritism. He/She is a loving God that no religion can claim to be solely theirs.
Yes, let us reach out and learn about other faiths and customs rather than fear our neighbours. And let us continue to learn just what it means to be Christian.