Sacred Misinterpretation
Reaching across the Christian-Muslim Divide
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- CHF 42.00
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- CHF 42.00
Publisher Description
Promotes gracious interfaith dialogue on sensitive theological issues
Theological issues are crucial to how Christians and Muslims understand and perceive each other. In Sacred Misinterpretation Martin Accad guides readers through key theological questions that fuel conflict and misunderstanding between Muslims and Christians. A sure-footed guide, he weaves personal stories together with deep discussion of theological beliefs.
Accad identifies trends, recognizes historical realities, and brings to light significant points of contention that often lead to break-down in Christian-Muslim dialogue. He also outlines positive and creative trends that could lead to a more hopeful future. Fairly and seriously presenting both Muslim theology and a Muslim interpretation of Christian theology, Sacred Misinterpretation is an essential guide for fostering dialogue and understanding among readers from both faiths.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Accad (Christian Presence and Witness Among Muslims), associate professor of Islamic studies at Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut, delivers a helpful guide for Christians interested in considering the theological similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam. To equip readers with knowledge of key differences between the religions, Accad identifies some of the most critical doctrinal theological differences (most importantly, the nature of Jesus's divinity) by tracing how the discourse of Muslim scholars writing on this theme has changed over time. He suggests some ways that "deadlocks" in the discussions about God, Jesus, the Qur'an, or Muhammad might become "assets" for more productive interfaith engagement, such as emphasizing the Ten Commandments and the notion of love for one's neighbor. Accad, a Christian, meticulously details Muslim views such issues as Muhammad's relationship to the "paraclete" (the Holy Spirit) of the Bible and who Jesus is according to the Muslim faith (one in a line of prophets). However, the work suffers from its lack of a purely Muslim perspective that could balance some of Assad's claims. Regardless, Christian readers looking to understand the overlaps and discrepancies between their religion and Islam will be enriched by Accad's emphasis on the need to approach Islam with more humility and these debates with an open mind.
