Abraham's Children: Jews, Christians and Muslims in Conversation

Description

A collection of essays by leading scholars from the perspective of each faith addressing key issues which both divide and unite Jews, Christians and Muslims. The world today is only too painfully aware of the tension, suspicion and at times outright hostility that exists among followers of the three great monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In Abraham's Children distinguished scholars from all three faiths examine the key issues which either unite or divide Jews, Christians and Muslims today and offer constructive suggestions for developing mutual understanding, trust and co-operation. The book is divided into two parts. Part One, Foundations of Faith, explores the significance of Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Part Two, Resources for the Modern World, deals with such diverse topics as the image of God in humanity, religion and pluralism, gender, the environment and life after death. Each section is followed by a chapter identifying areas of common ground, as well as continuing differences and questions needing further exploration. The Oxford Abrahamic Group has been meeting for more than ten years. This book is the product of the fruitful interaction of its members, all of whom are highly conscious that monotheism itself is under question in the modern world. The book demonstrates that faith cannot be shared more widely without an acute awareness of the questions the world poses.

Richard Harries was Bishop of Oxford and is a popular speaker and broadcaster. Rabbi Dr Norman Solomon is a member of the Oxford University Unit for Teaching and Research in Hebrew and Jewish Studies., and was previously Director of the Centre for the Study of Judaism and Jewish-Christian Relations in Birmingham. Tim Winter is Lecturer in Islamic Studies at University of Cambridge, UK.

"Distinguished scholars from all three faiths examine the key issues which either unite or divide Jews, Christians and Muslims today and offer constructive suggestions for developing mutual understanding. Abraham's Children is the product of the fruitful interaction of the Oxford Abrahamic Group. Its contributors demonstrate that faith cannot be shared more widely without an acute awareness of the questions the world poses." -SirReadaLot.org, June 1, 2006 "Rabbi Solomon acknowledges that within the space of the Oxford Abrahimic interfaith dialogue, apologetics and selectiveness play a role in shaping the presentations. Yet, he argues, the continued existence of such a group directly challenges those who reduce reality to a conflict between civilizations, between Islam and the West." -Jewish Herald-Voice, June 2006 Included in Publishing News' Religious Books feature, 2nd December 2005. Book Discussion in Jewish Herald-Voice -15 June 2006 "a treasure trove of perspectives arising from actual diologue between representatives of the Abrahamic religions... All the essays maintain a human quality.... They stimulate and provoke while expressing a mood of respect, without covering over differences in an easy pluralism." Reviewd by Stephen Ibbotson in Baptist Times, 2008 "A dialogue at whatever level between Jews, Christians and Muslims is to be highly applauded, particularly, as in this collection of essays, where the dialogue involves theological principles and beliefs. A theological dialogue along the varied themes of this work is a significant undertaking, and the authors should be thanked for their work." - Mario O. Souza, CSB, Toronto Journal of Theology, July 2008 -- Mario O. Souza, CSB "One can nitpick over the choice of topics (Where is Israel, land, fundamentalism, scripture, democracy, free speech, or violence/just war?), but this may simply point to the need for a second volume. There is, however, a more appropriate problem to note here: the book's format. Although effort was made to provide something of a commentary and discussion on each chapter topic (through concluding essays by the editors), these discussions tend simply to repeat the ideas of the essays (in places annoyingly so) with what I can only describe as integration as a final goal...Admittedly, the editors never promise to capture the full ethos or expression of the meetings, but it would have been helpful to have something more of the exchange represented...The dialogue in this collection tends to emphasize similarities, at times researching or stretching to find them." -Joel N. Lohr, Review of Biblical Literature, August 2008 "It is impressive that such an erudite but carefully focussed book can be written at all from its triple launch-pad....there is illumination on almost every page" ANVIL Vol.25 No.2 2008 -- Christoper Lamb 'This is the book for our troubled times....in reading and meditating on this lovely book, we can avoid the despair shown by Huntington and Falwell.' ~ Gordon Graham, Church of Ireland Gazette, 13/10/2006 -- Gordon Graham "This book's interfaith exercise in mutual understanding could help to promote more cooperation between the three religions in environmental protection." -- The Muslim World Book Review "the standard of all the essays is uniformly high and the style lucid" "This collection is hugely valuable" "special congratulations must go to the editorial team for nursing such a superb collection and binding it together with such plausibility." "this book will be immensely useful for all sorts of purposes" -- Gavin D'Costa Journal of Jewish Studies "Abraham's Children: Jews, Christians and Muslims in Conversation is a wonderful compilation of essays by knowledgeable Jewish, Christian and Islamic scholars.... The book serves as an excellent resource for anyone interested in discovering the views on pluralism, gender, the environment and life and death from these three monolithic faiths."- Allan F. Wright, Catholic News Service, December 15, 2006 -- Catholic News Service "Abraham's Children examines the ket issues which unite or divide Jews, Christians and Muslims today" Baptist Times, December 2007 "profound and scholarly" Rachel Montagu, Common Ground Title mention in Church of England Newspaper, 21 July 2006 -- Rev'd Dr Marcus Braybrooke * Church of England Newspaper * '[T]he reader has 27 perspectives, with brief summaries from the editors. The result is an informative exploration of how each has engaged with the other.' Rt Revd Dr Cragg, Church Times, 22/09/2006 -- The Rt Revd Dr Cragg * Church Times *