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.

The Christian church was born in the Middle East and grew there for centuries. Its interaction with Islam turned Christianity in this once predominantly Christian region into a marginalized jewel, surviving at great peril within a difficult, even sometimes hostile, political and religious climate. Of course, the story of Christianity over the last 1,300 years is not solely one of conflict, marginalization, and persecution but is also about accommodation, interchange, and cooperation. This introductory book details the history of the church in its Middle Eastern birthplace through the past two thousand years. It is a story described as "a lost history" by Philip Jenkins, but it is here uncovered and placed on display. For those with eyes to see, the church of the Middle East is here revealed as a precious jewel, still catching the light.

In a world where religion is frequently viewed as a source of conflict and division, what can we learn from the harmonious coexistence of Christian and Muslim communities flourishing in Africa and elsewhere? This collaborative work, inspired by the life and legacy of Lamin Sanneh, seeks to highlight valuable lessons from the rich Christian and Muslim traditions of hospitality through bringing together voices and perspectives from diverse backgrounds and contexts, developing a vision for the common good of society. Amplifying a contextual understanding of Christian-Muslim relations, the authors from Africa and across the world reflect on and respond to the cultural themes of territoriality and hospitality, resulting in a comprehensive resource for constructive engagement of the faiths in shared public spaces. Readers invested in the future of Christianity and Islam will learn how these cultural and theological resources are vital for both faiths to live and flourish together in Africa and beyond.

Crisis is an invitation to both prophetic evaluation and new imagination. In this volume, Canadian missiologists and practitioners consider the past and how the past might enable the church to move forward in Christian mission--in the academy, agency, assembly, and the agora. How can the Canadian church welcome different voices from the periphery? What must be done to empower the next generation? How can we respond in light of the injustices done to our Indigenous brothers and sisters? Where does reconciliation fit into the picture? How might we navigate between secularization and fundamentalisms? How ought we move together in mission and in unity across denominational difference? How can we equip laypeople to live their callings faithfully in the agora? How can work in the marketplace be ministry? And lastly, how is the Spirit at work in our contexts in this day and age? These questions (among others) onboard us into the ongoing conversation about the state of evangelical mission in Canada, and each of these essays adeptly lead us into the beginnings of answers to these questions. These essays address how the past informs our future, and how we might answer the prophetic call with both hope and renewed vigor to participate in the mission of God.

Christians too often disregard the depth and thoughtfulness of Jewish, Muslim, and Middle Eastern Christian concepts of justice. To fill this lack, this book explores the rich development of justice within each Abrahamic faith as it relates specifically to the Palestinian/Israeli context. From a uniquely Palestinian Christian perspective, this book offers a theological framework through the concept of reconciling justice to facilitate better understanding for multiethnic, political, and religious encounters as a prophetic imagination for peace and reconciliation in the region.

Seventeen times per day, Muslims pray that Allah would keep them from going astray--in the way that Christians have gone astray. But have they? Rather than portraying Jesus Christ as an imposter who claimed to be divine, Islamic theology presents Jesus as a mortal prophet who served his generation as other prophets did their respective generations. Since Christians believe the biblical narrative that Jesus is Lord, God, and Savior, it is not surprising that the standard Islamic narrative asserts that Christians have gone astray. In fact, if Christians are correct in their beliefs, then the advent of Muhammad, and the religion of Islam itself, are unnecessary to God's cosmic history. This book probes deeply into the extremely urgent--but often unasked--question facing Muslims regarding when, where, and how the main body of Christians may have gone astray.

We live at a time when religious diversity has become a fact of life in our globalized societies. Yet Christian engagement with Muslims remains complex, complicated by fear, misunderstanding and a history fraught with political and cultural tensions. These essays, drawn from the 2018 and 2019 Middle East Consultations hosted by the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary’s Institute of Middle East Studies, engage the need for a carefully developed theological understanding of Islam, its origins and its sacred text. Weaving together the work of christian scholars of Islam, the Bible, theology and missiology, along with the insights of ministry practitioners, this book combines scholarly exploration with pertinent ministry practice, offering a rich framework for the church to continue its conversation about its engagement with Muslim communities and its proclamation of Christ worldwide.

Since the Buddha did not fully explain the theory of persons that underlies his teaching, in later centuries a number of different interpretations were developed. This book presents the interpretation by the celebrated Indian Buddhist philosopher, Candrakīrti (ca. 570–650 C.E.). Candrakīrti’s fullest statement of the theory is included in his Autocommentary on the Introduction to the Middle Way (Madhyamakāvatārabhasya), which is, along with his Introduction to the Middle Way (Madhyamakāvatāra ), among the central treatises that present the Prāsavgika account of the Madhyamaka (Middle Way) philosophy. In this book, Candrakīrti’s most complete statement of his theory of persons is translated and provided with an introduction and commentary that present a careful philosophical analysis of Candrakīrti’s account of the selflessness of persons. This analysis is both philologically precise and analytically sophisticated. The book is of interest to scholars of Buddhism generally and especially to scholars of Indian Buddhist philosophy.

The Hindu Dharma (known as Hindu religion by the west) has been the subject of many a debate over the ages. Some scholars do not agree with the interpretation of others. In such an environment, Vishwanathan ignites the curiosity of the common man about Hinduism and shares information on how the caste and class need to be understood through the Upanishads resulting in a true understanding of the Manusmriti. Vishwanathan clears the air about all misinterpretations that are commonly available to us, by referring to the ancient texts, explaining and analysing it for us. A very interesting read, to say the least.

Exploring the Tapestry of Faith from Antiquity to the Modern Age Dive into the profound exploration of human spirituality with "Divine Threads: Unravelling the Origins of Divine Beliefs" a captivating journey that traverses the corridors of time, unraveling the intricate tapestry of divine beliefs that have woven through the fabric of human existence. In this illuminating odyssey, the author a seasoned explorer of the human soul, takes readers on a spellbinding quest to understand the roots of our sacred connections and the evolution of beliefs that have shaped civilizations. Chapter 1: Echoes of Antiquity The journey begins in the hallowed halls of Ancient Mysticism, where the seeds of sacred connections are sown. The author delves into the rich tapestry of mythologies and cosmogonies, exploring how these ancient narratives birthed the boundless imagination of the divine. Chapter 1 serves as a gateway to the origins of our spiritual yearnings, unveiling the enigmatic forces that have guided humanity through the eons. Chapter 2: In the Footsteps of Faith Embark on a pilgrimage through the annals of faith as we tread the Tribal Traditions and Ancestral Pathways to the Sacred. Traverse the landscapes of Revealed Religions, encountering prophets and divine revelations that have shaped belief systems. The Quest for Meaning takes center stage, intertwining philosophy, and spiritual inquiry, offering readers a panoramic view of the diverse avenues humans have explored in their pursuit of the divine. Chapter 3: Wired for the Divine Uncover the secrets of the human psyche in Wired for the Divine. The author navigates the realms of Evolutionary Psychology, unveiling the God Instinct imprinted in our evolutionary journey. Delve into the Cognitive Science of Religion, exploring the intricate connection between the mind and the sacred. Journey through the corridors of Neuroscience and Spirituality, where the divine is mapped within the very fabric of our brains. Chapter 4: Societal Sanctuaries Enter the hallowed halls of Religious Institutions, and the guardians of faith, and explore the rituals and symbols that channel the sacred in Societal Sanctuaries. Witness the intricate bonds of belonging fostered by faith communities, as the author sheds light on the societal structures that have perpetuated and sustained divine beliefs through generations. Chapter 5: Contemporary Contemplations Navigate the challenges of modernity in Contemporary Contemplations. From the secularization and skepticism challenging traditional beliefs to the emergence of New Age Spirituality blending old and new, the author explores the dynamic landscape of beliefs in the face of globalization and the coexistence of diverse belief systems. "Divine Threads" is not just a book; it's a voyage through the epochs of human spiritual evolution. The author invites readers to reflect on the universal human quest for the divine, offering a panoramic view of our shared spiritual heritage. Immerse yourself in the pages of "Divine Threads," and discover the enduring threads that connect us all to the sacred tapestry of existence.