Customer Reviews

Muslim-Christian Relations: Past, Present, Future (Faith Meets Faith)

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Fr. Ovey Mohammed (unusual name for a Jesuit, eh?) does an excellent and concise job of painting the past and present history of the geographical and theological issues and conflicts that continue to separate Christianity from Islam. You do not have to agree with everything he writes -- but you do have to think seriously about it. Though written by a Catholic, and judged by me, a Protestant, it presents the information in as neutral a light as possible -- I would be interested to have a Muslim opinion on it as a cross check. He clearly has the desire to keep communication and cooperation open between Christianity and Islam. As a North American Protestant living in a multicultural but majority liberal-Muslim nation overseas, this book has given me just what I wanted - food for thought, and sources for further study, should I need them. This would be an ideal text for a Sunday School or Fellowship Class, as well as for self study.

"Muslim-Christian Relations: Past*Present*Future" by Ovey N. Mohammed, (1999). While 144 pages long, only 94 pages of paperback text -- the remainder consisting of appendices, addresses of interfaith groups, index and notes. This Canadian Jesuit author tires to meld Islamic theology and, thereby, Muslims, into the Catholic flock. Chapter 1 is a brief introduction to Mohammed and Islam. Chapter 2 focuses on the "cultural, political, and economic obstacles" between Muslims and Christians from Mohammed through World War II (1945). Chapter 3 examines "the theological obstacles in the encounter.... It tries to explain why Catholics... took the opportunity to develop a positive theology of Islam that not only accepts Islam as part of God's plan of salvation but also leaves Catholics free to accept the prophethood of Muhammad after Jesus and the Qur'an as revelation after the gospels. The chapter attempts to show that this positive attitude to Islam is based on the new Catholic understanding of revelation and the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation. It also investigates whether or not the new understanding of revelation can be harmonized with the Qur'anic view and tries to explain why Abraham, our common forefather in faith, can play a decisive role in bringing the followers of the two largest religious communities closer together" (p.2). Chapter 4 considers "the prospects for Muslim-Christian collaboration by reflecting on how Christian and Muslim perspectives on salvation, mission and dialogue can negatively or positively affect these prospects." The author did not reveal any blemishes in Mohammed's character. The author barely notes Islamic military invasions into southern and eastern Europe, but opined "The peaceful isolation of the Ottoman Empire was soon shattered by developments of the West" as European imperial colonialism expanded eastward in the 1800s (p. 37). The author noted after WWII the "voluntary migration of millions of ordinary Muslims to predominantly Christian countries" which requires both camps to "search for harmony." The author briefly discusses the views of several Christian theologians regarding Islam: Dante, Aquinas, St. Francis of Assisi, Ricoldo de Monte Crucis, George of Trebizond, John of Segovia, Alexander Ross, Miguel Asin y Palacios (1940s), Father Louis Massignon (1940s), and others. The author noted "It is also ironic that Aquinas should refer to Islam as a religion of violence..." (p.46). The author doesn't really reveal much from either the Quran or the sunnah; he finds few faults with Islam. The author details various religious works and conferences that attempt to bridge the two religions. The author is perhaps too hopeful that Muslims will convert to Christianity. Written before the times of Osama bin laden and al-Qaida's headhunting expeditions. As an Islamorealist, I nonetheless found this paperback to be informative.