An intriguing question - Do Muslims understand Jesus in some ways more historically appropriate than Christians do? - leads Robert F. Shedinger into a series of provocative challenges to the disciplines of religious studies and comparative religions. Questioning the convenient distinction between "politics" and "religion" and the isolation of "religion" from wider social and cultural questions, Shedinger offers a proposal for a more accurate and respectful understanding of faith that he argues will improve possibilities for mutual understanding among Christians, Muslims - and others.

“A welcome expansion of the fragile territory known as common ground.” —The New York Times When Reza Aslan’s bestseller Zealot came out in 2013, there was criticism that he hadn’t addressed his Muslim faith while writing the origin story of Christianity. In fact, Ross Douthat of The New York Times wrote that “if Aslan had actually written in defense of the Islamic view of Jesus, that would have been something provocative and new.” Mustafa Akyol’s The Islamic Jesus is that book. The Islamic Jesus reveals startling new truths about Islam in the context of the first Muslims and the early origins of Christianity. Muslims and the first Christians—the Jewish followers of Jesus—saw Jesus as not divine but rather as a prophet and human Messiah and that salvation comes from faith and good works, not merely as faith, as Christians would later emphasize. What Akyol seeks to reveal are how these core beliefs of Jewish Christianity, which got lost in history as a heresy, emerged in a new religion born in 7th Arabia: Islam. Akyol exposes this extraordinary historical connection between Judaism, Jewish Christianity and Islam—a major mystery unexplored by academia. From Jesus’ Jewish followers to the Nazarenes and Ebionites to the Qu’ran’s stories of Mary and Jesus, The Islamic Jesus will reveal links between religions that seem so contrary today. It will also call on Muslims to discover their own Jesus, at a time when they are troubled by their own Pharisees and Zealots.

‘An honest and scholarly analysis of the Muslim Jesus, the Christian Jesus, and the diverging paths Muslims and Christians chose to follow.’ Anwar Mehammed, head of Islamic Studies, Ethiopian Theological College, Addis Ababa In his book The Islamic Jesus, Mustafa Akyol claims that Muslims may hail Jesus as the Messiah and the Word of God – but is that really the case? And how should Christians respond when they do? In this sensitive and nuanced exploration of Muslim beliefs about Jesus, Richard Shumack calls for Muslims and Christians to embrace constructive disagreement as the best way to both religious peace and eternal truth. For although Muslims and Christians both love Jesus. the Jesus of Islam points down a different road to that of Christianity. The Muslim Jesus wants to you to be a better person by walking a road of passionate devotion to God; the Christian Jesus wants you to be a whole new person by joining him on a road to crucifixion and resurrection. ‘If you care about Muslim-Christian relations, this book is significant.’ Dr Muhammad Kamal, Asia Institute, University of Melbourne ‘Excellent ... strikes the perfect balance between academic rigour and accessibility.’ Dr Peter Riddell, SOAS University of London

In Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, now expanded with bonus content, Nabeel Qureshi describes his dramatic journey from Islam to Christianity, complete with friendships, investigations, and supernatural dreams along the way. Providing an intimate window into a loving Muslim home, Qureshi shares how he developed a passion for Islam before discovering, almost against his will, evidence that Jesus rose from the dead and claimed to be God. Unable to deny the arguments but not wanting to deny his family, Qureshi struggled with an inner turmoil that will challenge Christians, Muslims, and all those who are interested in the world’s greatest religions. Engaging and thought-provoking, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus tells a powerful story of the clash between Islam and Christianity in one man’s heart?and of the peace he eventually found in Jesus. "I have seldom seen such genuine intellect combined with passion to match ... truly a 'must-read' book."—Ravi Zacharias

A highly acclaimed introduction to the figure of Jesus from a Muslim perspective, this book illuminates the unity and division between the Islamic and Christian faiths.

Dreams and Visions is a remarkable collection of stories directly from the world of Islam. Doyle answers the questions: Why would God use dreams to reach the Muslim world? Can dreams be trusted? What happens after these dreams or visions occur? Meet new believers in the Middle East who have truly been touched by Jesus in the most miraculous way.

New York Times bestselling books have taken the view that the oldest New Testament documents paint a very different picture to later copies. Others are of the opinion that the original gospel accounts were never intended to be historically accurate. Many people assume that the bias of the original New Testament authors distorted their recollections of Jesus, and Jesus' words were not put into written form for several decades, allowing distortion to occur. What would you say? What do you believe and why? Were Jesus' words recorded accurately by the gospel writers during Jesus' life & the making & copying of the New Testament? This highly readable journey of discovery considers gospel textual criticism, Christian historiography, archaeology, literacy & more. See evidence for the reliability of the recounting of Jesus as found in the Bible. This Christian apologetic book provides evidence in an engaging manner, following along a logical journey of discovery. When you've purchased and read this book you will: - understand how literate and historically aware the ancient civilisations were - appreciate how it was possible for the first disciples to accurately record Jesus' life and teachings - have a highly readable explanation of early Greek New Testament documents and know what they have to say about accuracy in copying - know the content and credibility of non-Christian ancient literature that comment on Jesus and the first Christians.

Intro -- Titlepage -- Copyright -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Notes on Translation and Terms -- Introduction Interfaith Dialogue: Walking Together Toward Truth -- PART I MEETING GOD IN MUSLIMS -- 1 Mary, Mercy, and Basketball -- 2 What We Fear, and Who Gets Hurt -- PART II ENCOUNTERING GOD IN ISLAM -- 3 God Is Greater -- 4 The Width of a Hair -- PART III REEMBRACING GOD IN CHRISTIANITY -- 5 Arriving Where We Started -- 6 The Dialogue of Life -- Appendices -- A Discussion Questions -- B Guidelines for Dialogue with Muslims -- C A Joint Prayer for Christians and Muslims -- D Resources for Further Study -- E Glossary -- F Pronunciations and Definitions of Select Given Names -- Notes

This work presents in English translation the largest collection ever assembled of the sayings and stories of Jesus in Arabic Islamic literature. In doing so, it traces a tradition of love and reverence for Jesus that has characterized Islamic thought for more than a thousand years. An invaluable resource for the history of religions, the collection documents how one culture, that of Islam, assimilated the towering religious figure of another, that of Christianity. As such, it is a work of great significance for the understanding of both, and of profound implications for modern-day intersectarian relations and ecumenical dialogue. Tarif Khalidi’s introduction and commentaries place the sayings and stories in their historical context, showing how and why this “gospel” arose and the function it served within Muslim devotion. The Jesus that emerges here is a compelling figure of deep and life-giving spirituality. The sayings and stories, some 300 in number and arranged in chronological order, show us how the image of this Jesus evolved throughout a millennium of Islamic history.

“Accessible and readable. Spotlights an important theological theme in a way that both illuminates its internal development in Islamic thought and presents it as a helpful basis for interreligious discussion. The topic is very much in need of teaching and discussion and is a fine example of ‘common ground.’”—John Renard, author of Islam and Christianity “Contains valuable and fascinating material about how classical Muslim theologians treated various aspects of Jesus and, in particular, the role of Jesus in Islamic eschatology. Saritoprak brings new insights from contemporary Turkish thinkers to bear on the issues raised by the Jesus figure in Islamic narratives about the Last Days.”—Marcia Hermansen, author of Shah Wali Allah’s Treatises on Islamic Law “A refreshingly easy read that makes a complex world of theology and interfaith relations accessible and enjoyable for readers of all backgrounds.”—Jonathan Brown, author of Hadith: Muhammad’s Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World Few people realize that Jesus was a prominent messenger of God in Islam and that Muslims believe in the return of Jesus. Even among Muslims, it is not well known that there are diverse interpretations of references to Jesus in the Qur’an and the Hadith. Aiming to remedy this, Islam’s Jesus takes a bold yet candid look at the highly charged topic of Jesus’s place in Islam, exploring some of the religion’s least understood aspects. Examining multiple intellectual traditions, Zeki Saritoprak makes clear the reality of pluralism in the history of Islamic religious scholarship. Actively engaged in efforts to promote interfaith dialogue and harmony, Saritoprak thoughtfully argues that the shared belief in Jesus presents an excellent opportunity for understanding between Muslims and Christians. Together, they constitute more than half of the world’s population, and such understanding may be a foundation for peace.