Reasoning From The Scriptures With Muslims

Anyone interested in sharing the gospel with Muslim friends or understanding the doctrines and historical basis of Islam will appreciate this addition to the popular Reasoning from the Scriptures series. Using an easy-to-follow question-and-answer format, Reasoning from the Scriptures with Muslims covers issues, including... Muhammad and Jesus Christ—what are their roles? the Quran and the Bible—what kind of inspiration and authority do they have? Islam today—what different groups exist, and how can Muslims be reached with the good news? Each chapter examines a Muslim belief and compares it with biblical Christianity. Readers will find this an invaluable tool for discussing and sharing the words and life of Jesus Christ with Muslim friends and acquaintances.

The interpretation of sacred scriptures engenders vivid debates in religious communities, both at the scholarly and grass-roots levels. Issues of debate are the hermeneutical assumptions, the methods of interpretation, and the constructive and harmful implications of certain readings. For Christian and Muslim communities, themes related to God's grace, violence, gender relations and ecology, are topical. As scholars from different contexts and faith backgrounds together interpret sacred texts they gain fresh insights into their meaning and their transformative dynamics. Essays by authors with expertise in scriptural interpretation, religious studies, pastoral care, philosophical theology, gender studies and pedagogy explore Christian and Muslim perspectives on scriptural interpretation, and discuss how to understand how God communicates with the world today. [Heilige Schriften heute verstehen. Christen und Muslime im Dialog] Die Interpretation heiliger Schriften löst lebhafte Debatten innerhalb der Religionsgemeinschaften aus, sowohl unter Gelehrten wie an der Basis. Diskutiert werden die hermeneutischen Grundannahmen, die Methoden der Interpretation und die konstruktiven und destruktiven Wirkungen bestimmter Lesarten. Für Christen und Muslime sind Themen wie Gottes Gnade, Gewalt, Geschlechterverhältnisse und Ökologie aktuell geworden. Indem die Gelehrten aus verschiedenen Kontexten und mit unterschiedlicher Religionszugehörigkeit gemeinsam die Interpretation heiliger Texte diskutieren, gewinnen sie neue Einsichten in ihre Bedeutung und ihre transformative Dynamik. Die Autorinnen und Autoren mit ihrem jeweiligen Fachwissen in Exegese, Religionswissenschaft, Seelsorge, philosophischer Theologie, Gender Studies und Pädagogik erforschen christliche und muslimische Perspektiven auf Schriftinterpretation und erörtern, wie Gottes Kommunikation mit der Welt heute verstanden werden kann.

In the public sphere, it is often assumed that acts of violence carried out by Muslims are inspired by their religious commitment and encouraged by the Qur’an. Some people express similar concerns about the scriptures and actions of Christians and Jews. Might they be right? What role do scriptural texts play in motivating and justifying violence in these three traditions? Scripture and Violence explores the complex relationship between scriptural texts and real-world acts of violence. A variety of issues are addressed, including the prevalent modern tendency to express more concern about other people’s texts and violence than one’s own, to treat interpretation and application of scriptural passages as self-evident, and to assume that the actions of religious people are directly motivated by what they read in scriptures. Contributions come from a diverse group of scholars of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity with varying perspectives on the issues. Highlighting the complex relationship between texts and human actions, this is an essential read for students and academics studying religion and violence, Abrahamic religions, or scriptural interpretation. Scripture and Violence will also be of interest to researchers working on religion and politics, sociology and anthropology of religion, socio-political approaches to scriptural texts, and issues surrounding religion, secularity, and the public sphere. This volume could also form a basis for discussions in churches, synagogues, mosques, interfaith settings, and government agencies. The editors of Scripture and Violence have also set up a website including lesson plans/discussion guides for the different chapters in the book, available here: https://www.scriptureandviolence.org/scripture-and-violence-book-and-chapter-discussion-guides

To some, the concept of having faith in a higher power or a set of religious beliefs is nonsensical. Indeed, many view religion in general, and Christianity in particular, as unfounded and unreasonable. Norman Geisler and Frank Turek argue, however, that Christianity is not only more reasonable than all other belief systems, but is indeed more rational than unbelief itself. With conviction and clear thinking, Geisler and Turek guide readers through some of the traditional, tested arguments for the existence of a creator God. They move into an examination of the source of morality and the reliability of the New Testament accounts concerning Jesus. The final section of the book deals with a detailed investigation of the claims of Christ. This volume will be an interesting read for those skeptical about Christianity, as well as a helpful resource for Christians seeking to articulate a more sophisticated defense of their faith.