The Arab Christian: A History in the Middle East [Paperback]

Kenneth Cragg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1991

Centuries before the existence of the Islamic faith, there were Arabs who could be described as Christian. And there has been a Christian Arabism, an Arab Christianity, since Muhammad's day. Arab Christianity has survived Muslin dominance, and this enlightening book takes an in-depth look at its survival.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This important book by an Anglican priest and scholar of Islam and Christianity deals perceptively with Arab Christians living in the Middle East--particularly Egypt, Lebanon, and Israel. Cragg discusses pre-7th-century Christianity, the effects of the rise of Islam, the influence of Greek and Latin Christianity, the effects of Western attitudes toward the region as expressed in crusades, and the problems of survival and self-fulfillment (since the Christian community suffers continuing attrition in light of recent crises in the region). Highly recommended for academic and large public libraries.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Kenneth Cragg is an eminent Anglican priest and scholar. He spent forty-five years in the Anglican Archdiocese of Jerusalem as Professor of Philosophy, Chaplain, and Assistant Bishop. His published works include hundreds of scholarly articles and more than thirty books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 340 pages
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press (November 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0664221823
• ISBN-13: 978-0664221829
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,118,871 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The book misses his main point., February 14, 2009

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This review is from: The Arab Christian: A History in the Middle East (Paperback)

The objective of the research at this book is less discussed and less profound than it should be. The author of the book tells the wide context of 2000 years of history with elaborate detail of the non Arab Christian context. There are minute references to 700 years of Christianity that had preceded Islam. The author had not bother him self to research deeply about the Byzantine Persian warfare and its effects about the Arabs. There is no good research about The Christian kingdoms of the Ghassanids; The The Lakhmids and Kindah. The book deals mainly with Islam and Muslims more than any thing else. I don't see the point why a person who wants to read about the Christian Arabs should read in depth about the origins of Islam at Hejaz while not emphasizing the point that after the Islamic conquest of the east, the Christians had became a second ranked inhabitant at their own country. furthermore, there are chapters that deals with Christian Lebanese and Coptic Egyptians not as minorities who would wish to keep their unique identity and seek equality with majority but as a blurred individualistic persons with no deep and clear relation to their Christianity or even oppress their true identity. For those who would like to read a general history of the Middle East, they might find this book useful, but for those who wish to explore history of Christianity at the Middle East they would not find what they seek at this book.