Herzog has written an introduction for seminary and college students to the discussion about the historical Jesus. He reports on the findings of the Jesus Seminar and also traces other scholarly work in Jesus studies, but with an eye to the theological.

A study of Martin Luther's legacy explains how the view of Luther as prophet, teacher, and hero shaped the thought and action of his followers.

Examines the origins and development of the episcopacy in the early church with an eye toward its implications for current ecumenical issues relating to the episcopacy and apostolic succession.

Muhammad(PBUH) was chosen for the subject of this book as he is considered a great teacher of mankind with one fourth of the world population following his teaching. An orphan and an illiterate, who taught mankind to worship the only one God, lead an honest and upright life as per the laws and commands of God, reminding mankind that the real life is in the hereafter for which men have to work with diligence in this world. He revolutionized the life and attitude of the Arabs who were then living in the shackles of ignorance and barbarianism and developed a great civilization which ruled the world for more than a thousand years. He realized that the essential tool to spread the message of God is literacy and its development and that which he encouraged by words and deeds which forms the main themes of this study. The main sources of our study on Prophet Muhammad as a teacher are the Qur'an, the Hadith literature (Sayings and Doings of Prophet Muhammad) and various books on the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad. As for as Jesus is concerned Dillon's book has been taken as an axiomatic point of departure: and, only when materials corresponding to certain significant aspects of Jesus as a teacher had not been available in Dillon's book other books on the life and teachings of Jesus were used for reference. No attempt has been made to re-examine the propositions about Jesus that Dillon had settled upon. Our comparison of the two is for clarification and better understanding of the subject and not to find who is superior between them.

Does your knowledge of the Old Testament feel like a grab bag of people, books, events and ideas? Sandra Richter gives an overview of the Old Testament, organizing our disorderly knowledge of the Old Testament people, facts and stories into a memorable and manageable story of redemption that climaxes in the New Testament.

Named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most important innovators of the century, Tariq Ramadan is a leading Muslim scholar, with a large following especially among young European and American Muslims. Now, in his first book written for a wide audience, he offers a marvelous biography of the Prophet Muhammad, one that highlights the spiritual and ethical teachings of one of the most influential figures in human history. In the Footsteps of the Prophet is a fresh and perceptive look at Muhammad, capturing a life that was often eventful, gripping, and highly charged. Ramadan provides both an intimate portrait of a man who was shy, kind, but determined, as well as a dramatic chronicle of a leader who launched a great religion and inspired a vast empire. More important, Ramadan presents the main events of the Prophet's life in a way that highlights his spiritual and ethical teachings. The book underscores the significance of the Prophet's example for some of today's most controversial issues, such as the treatment of the poor, the role of women, Islamic criminal punishments, war, racism, and relations with other religions. Selecting those facts and stories from which we can draw a profound and vivid spiritual picture, the author asks how can the Prophet's life remain -- or become again -- an example, a model, and an inspiration? And how can Muslims move from formalism -- a fixation on ritual -- toward a committed spiritual and social presence? In this thoughtful and engaging biography, Ramadan offers Muslims a new understanding of Muhammad's life and he introduces non-Muslims not just to the story of the Prophet, but to the spiritual and ethical riches of Islam.

Written by one of the outstanding scholars of the 20th Century, Islamic Manners is a vital book that exemplifies the character and personality of every Muslim. Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghudda (1917-1997) was a leading scholar in the field of hadith. This book discusses essential adab (manners) and covers the following areas: Importance of Appearance Entering and Leaving a House The Manners of Visiting The Manners of Conversation Social Manners Communicating with Non-Muslims The Manners of Eating & Drinking Weddings Visiting a Sick Person Condolences

Contrary to popular opinion, the bulk of Islamic law does not come from the Quran but from hadith, first-hand reports of the Prophet Muhammad’s words and deeds, passed from generation to generation. However, with varying accounts often only committed to paper a century after the death of Muhammad, Islamic scholars, past and present, have been faced with complex questions of historical authenticity. In this wide-ranging introduction, Jonathan A. C. Brown explores the collection and criticism of hadith, and the controversy surrounding its role in modern Islam. This edition, revised and updated with additional case studies and attention to the very latest scholarship, also features a new chapter on how hadiths have been used politically, both historically and in the Arab Spring and its aftermath. Informative and accessible, it is perfectly suited to students, scholars and general readers interested in this critical element of Islam.

In this highly accessible discussion, Bart Ehrman examines the most recent textual and archaeological sources for the life of Jesus, along with the history of first-century Palestine, drawing a fascinating portrait of the man and his teachings. Ehrman shows us what historians have long known about the Gospels and the man who stands behind them. Through a careful evaluation of the New Testament (and other surviving sources, including the more recently discovered Gospels of Thomas and Peter), Ehrman proposes that Jesus can be best understood as an apocalyptic prophet--a man convinced that the world would end dramatically within the lifetime of his apostles and that a new kingdom would be created on earth. According to Ehrman, Jesus' belief in a coming apocalypse and his expectation of an utter reversal in the world's social organization not only underscores the radicalism of his teachings but also sheds light on both the appeal of his message to society's outcasts and the threat he posed to Jerusalem's established leadership.