Claiming Abraham


Book Description

Explores how Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other biblical characters are presented in the Qur'an to help Christians better understand Islam.







God in the Qur'an


Book Description

Who is Allah? What does He ask of those who submit to His teachings? Pulitzer Prize-winner Jacke Miles gives us a deeply probing, revelatory portrait of the world’s second largest, fastest-growing and perhaps most tragically misunderstood religion. In doing so, Miles illuminates what is unique about Allah, His teachings, and His resolutely merciful temperament, and he thereby reveals that which is false, distorted, or simply absent from the popular conception of the heart of Islam. So, too, does Miles uncover the spiritual and scriptural continuity of the Islamic tradition with those of Judaism and Christianity, and the deep affinities among the three by setting passages from the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur’an side by side. In the spirit of his two previous books, God and Christ, and with his characteristic sensitivity, perspicacity and prodigious command of the subject, Miles calls for us all to read another’s scriptures with the same understanding and accommodating eye that we turn upon our own.




Black Holes in the Dead Sea Scrolls


Book Description

Ever since the Dead Sea Scrolls were unearthed in 1947, a small group of scholars has exerted a jealous control over access to the originals. This policy has hindered understanding of these priceless texts. Now expert Robert Feather exposes a shocking conspiracy at the heart of biblical and archaeological studies, and shines a bold--and sure to be controversial--light on the Scrolls, linking the isolated Essene cult at Qumran with Jesus Christ and the Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten, founder of monotheism.




Do Christians, Muslims, and Jews Worship the Same God?: Four Views


Book Description

During a time of global conflict, the theological question of whether Muslims, Jews, and Christians worship the same God carries political baggage. Is the God of ISIS the same as the God of Israel? Do Sunni Muslims and Protestant Christians pray to the same Creator and Sustainer of the universe? In this Counterpoints volume, five leading scholars present the main religious perspectives on this question, demonstrating how to think carefully about an issue where opinions differ and confusion abounds. All Worship the Same God: Religious Pluralist View (Wm. Andrew Schwartz and John B. Cobb, Jr.) All Worship the Same God: Referring to the Same God View (Francis J. Beckwith) Jews and Christians Worship the Same God: Shared Revelation View (Gerald R. McDermott) None Worship the Same God: Different Conceptions View (Jerry L. Walls) Contributors examine related subtopics such as: The difference between God being referentially the same and essentially the same What "the same" means when referring to God The significance of the Trinity in this discussion Whether religious inclusivism is inferred by certain understandings of God's sameness The appropriateness of interfaith worship. Additional essays by Joseph Cumming and David W. Shenk explore the implications of this question specifically for Christians wanting to minister among, and build relationships with, Muslims. Insightful, gracious, and relevant, Do Christians, Muslims, and Jews Worship the Same God? sheds light on one of the most important theological issues of our day. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.




Embracing the Past--Forging the Future


Book Description

The times they are a-changin'. As such, our theology needs to adapt--to be responsive to the changing landscape. The idea for Embracing the Past--Forging the Future: A New Generation of Wesleyan Theology came from our assessment that Wesleyan theology has yet to fully adapt to this changing landscape, and that the future of Wesleyan theology requires the bringing together of old and new voices. The difficult task of balancing between continuity and change--keeping up with the developments of our culture and staying true to the roots of our tradition--requires the dual focus of looking forward and backward simultaneously. In this volume, we have brought together contributions by young Wesleyan scholars (graduate students and junior faculty) as a way of illustrating and articulating a new generation of Wesleyan theology. These younger voices demonstrate the desire to push Wesleyan theology in new directions. Additionally, we have included contributions from senior scholars who have been doing important work and who have already made significant contributions to Wesleyan theology. This is not simply the "old guard" but the voices of scholars who continue to make a profound impact on Wesleyan theology.




Scriptural Polemics


Book Description

Mun'im Sirry explores polemical passages in the Qur'an, examining the interpretation of those passages by reformist exegetes of the first half of the twentieth century.




Environmental Policy and Landscape Architecture


Book Description

Volume 18 in the CGL-Studies series, entitled "Environmental Policy and Landscape Architecture", is the result of an international symposium held in Jerusalem in March 2011 which was organised by the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute in collaboration with the Centre of Garden Art and Landscape Architecture. The symposium focused on how the many different facets of landscape architecture could help towards solving environmental problems. Sustainable Development and Landscaping, Environmental Policy and the Contribution of Landscape Architecture at a Local Level, Designing Public Open Spaces and Social Sustainability, Spatial Planning and Landscape Architecture in Israel/Palestine, and Water and Soil: Crisis and Conservation are the key chapters in this volume. The authors address a wide range of issues including the significance of religions in ideas about environmentalism in historical and current debates, how Palestinian society can meet challenges posed by the dynamic development of urban structures through capacity building in landscape architecture, and economically meaningful strategies for soil conservation in arable fields as part of agricultural sustainability in semi-arid areas. A key objective of the symposium was also to determine opportunities for cooperation in the field of environment and landscaping for Israelis, Palestinians, Muslims, Jews and Christians in a region marked by huge tension and conflicts. The authors are scholars of various disciplines such as landscape architecture, urban planning, technology assessment, philosophy of science, environmental communication and ecology, and come from Israel, Palestine, USA, Norway and Germany.




Abraham


Book Description

In this timely, provocative, and uplifting journey, the bestselling author of Walking the Bible searches for the man at the heart of the world’s three monotheistic religions—and today’s deadliest conflicts. At a moment when the world is asking “can the religions get along?” one figure stands out as the shared ancestor of Jews, Muslims, and Christians. One man holds the key to our deepest fears—and our possible reconciliation. Abraham is that man. Bruce Feiler set out on a personal quest to better understand our common patriarch. Traveling in war zones, climbing through caves and ancient shrines, and sitting down with the world’s leading religious minds, Feiler uncovers fascinating, little known details of the man who defines faith for half the world. Both immediate and timeless, Abraham is a powerful, universal story, the first-ever interfaith portrait of the man God chose to be his partner. Thoughtful and inspiring, it offers a rare vision of hope that will redefine what we think about our neighbors, our future, and ourselves.




The Qur'an in Context


Book Description

Mark Anderson explores the world of seventh-century Arabia as the context in which the Qur'an arose. After carefully exploring key facets of the Qur'anic worldview, he offers a nuanced understanding of how Jesus fits within it. His careful Christian response opens up a mutually respectful and informed place of dialogue between Christians and Muslims.