Sacred Misinterpretation: Reaching Across the Christian-Muslim Divide

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. (June)