Customer Reviews

Cross & Crescent: Responding to the Challenge of Islam

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For many and obvious reasons good books by competent Christian authors addressing a resurgent Islam are no longer scarce. Overall, this is a most helpful development. But perhaps there is a downside, for instance, some genuinely good books are bound to suffer by comparison. Colin Chapman's Cross and Crescent is one such book. Although well written and brimming with useful information and practical advice, yet, at just about every point along the way, I kept thinking of other titles that dealt with the issue at hand in greater depth or with more specificity. While Chapman is eminently qualified to write this kind of book and models not only knowledge of his subject but careful and nuanced engagement, practical application, and a caring, compassionate tone; I still struggle to know how to endorse this book.

Don't misunderstand; this is a good book, a very good one. But it is not what I consider `a stand alone book'. That is, I am honestly glad to have read it, but with so much in note form and containing so many summaries of the work and insights of others, I can only think of it as supplementing other good books on this topic. Chapman's Cross and Crescent is helpful: it is accessible; it is evangelical in its commitments; it challenges western stereotypes, outlines the basic tenets of Islamic belief, sheds light on the practice and cultural-religious outlook of Muslims globally, and it considers different ways of sharing Christian faith with Muslims. However, it just too often feels like one is reading from a syllabus or course notes; the content is valuable, not to mention well laid-out, but brevity of treatment leaves you wanting more and having to look elsewhere for it. (Perhaps the author will oblige us by following up this volume with more in-depth treatments? I'd certainly endorse that).

Excellent source for the Christian who wants to understand the basics of Islam. Well organized, not too difficult, but comprehensive and concise. Well-informed from experience, not theory. Compassionate to the need for Christ. Highly recommended!

I'm looking for any info to share with others so it is important to know whaere they are coming from.

This is a must read if your interested in the current issues affecting Christian leadership in the face of mass conversion to Islam. In the Phillipines more then 100,000 a year convert away and in Europe similar numbers are found as well as in India. This book explains the current crises and the challenge. Explained here is how the radical secular fascists are attacking Christianity at the same time as Islam is allowed to preach in the public schools. A wonderful companion to `Militant Islam Reaches America' this book will help you realize the current crises and what must be done. A wonderful inspiration to bring the reader back to the joys of the Christian faith which is the religion of peace and exposing the treatment of women in Islam and the denial of basic human rights in Islamic countries.

I am simply appalled by the sentiments expressed by the last reviewer. Having said that, I was also not aware of the huge numbers of people converting to Islam - truly inspiring! May God increase them in knowledge and piety, and grant them success both in this world and in the hereafter. It is reassuring to see that so many are able to rise above all the negative propaganda to discover, appreciate and ultimately recognise Islam as the religion of truth - surely a difficult thing to do when they are being bombarded by so much falsehood from the popular media.

Note that the overall tone of the book, despite regurgitating a number of stereotypical misrepresentations of Islam, is actually quite reasonable and balanced on the whole and not at all reflected by the tone of the previous reviewer.

As for specifics, arguably the single most crucial distinction between Christianity and Islam is the claimed divinity of Jesus. The selection of Qur'anic verse quoted on pages 198 and 199 make very clear what the Qur'an has to say on the matter - that Jesus is neither God, nor the Son of God, is not Divine, and is not to be worshipped alongside with God.

These few verses taken from the Qur'an make for a much more powerful argument for Christians to throw away the ill-fitting shackles of Jesus' supposed divinity and to accept Islam, than does the author's rather lame effort to argue for the contrary. Indeed it appears that the author can only grasp at straws... "The original background to the denials of the divine sonship of Jesus *seems* [emphasis mine] to have been Muhammad's crusade against the gods and goddesses in Mecca who were though to have sons and daughters...". No Muslim who believes the Qur'an to be the Word of God (and certainly not propaganda material for Muhammad's 'crusade') is going to take such dubious speculations seriously.

Another weakpoint I felt was the handling of the question of the Bible's corruption. While it is probably true to say that most Muslims who make this claim do not have detailed knowledge of where, when, why, and by whom such corruptions were made, this does not justify using this ignorance to pretend that there has been no corruption of the Bible at all. Bruce Metzger's "The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration" should be a useful reference for those in any doubt.

Overall, reasonably balanced and thought-provoking, though sadly from the Christian perspective, arguments do fall short where it most matters.