Mark D. Siljander's Blog

Dear Friends,
We are excited to announce that Mark’s first book, A Deadly Misunderstanding is now owned by Bridges to Common Ground. The rights have been transferred to Bridges from Harper Collins. We are working diligently to  release the 2nd edition of this book. We hope to have the new version available to purchase for the holiday gift giving season 2015.
Please follow us on: Facebook or on the: Bridges website which will include the ability to signup and pre-order the new 2nd edition copy of ADM. For more information please check BridgesNow.com
This web store and signup process will also be incorporated for Mark’s 2nd book to be released by mid-2016. This book will pick up where ADM left off and further detail Mark’s exciting journey. For the time being, the only way to acquire a copy of the first edition of ADM is by purchasing a used copy on Amazon.
Thank you for your patience; We are excited to re-release ADM!

Check out my friend Carl Medearis' new book…

Speaking of Jesus

Some of us fear moments when we need to defend our theology. Some of us seek them out. In reality, the majority of the witnessing encounters we'll ever be involved in will be involuntary. They will involve less-than-optimal conditions, unexpected questions, and the split-second decision of how to represent our faith. So how do we draw others to God in the midst of these ordinary conversations?

A team of friends have paused to take inventory of the remarkable success in a peacekeeping model we call "Trac5." Along with the other traditional tracks of engagement it contributed to the rapprochement with Libya, deployment of UN Peacekeeping Forces in Darfur, release of 20 Korean Christian missionaries taken hostage by the Taliban, and recently the release of two girls charged with apostasy for "converting to Christianity" in Iran.

Our model is spiritually and relationally focused...

When an Arabic speaking Muslim friend saw Mel Gibson’s movie Passion of the Christ with most of the dialogue in Aramaic, he was very surprised that he did not need most of the subtitles in English to understand the movie!

This connection is a critical bridge builder: sister languages, Arabic, and Aramaic, the written language which was once the global language, stretching from the Near East to Malabar in India and East China.

Dr. Sidney Griffith, a Catholic priest and noted Syriac scholar, states that, “neither Qur’anic nor Aramaic scholars have seen fit to make the linguistic connection and it is about time that connection was made.”

Western academia has been primarily concentrated on Biblical Greek. What we need to now consider is the Aramaic/Syriac New Testament, written in the language Jesus actually spoke, as an additional tool for comparative analysis. I have found this an invaluable tool working with the Islamic world in seeking bridges to the common ground.

Muslims respect the similarity of words, meanings, and relate to the Eastern traditions and idiomatic nuances of the Aramaic. They are very similar to the Arabic of the Qur’an and the Hebrew of the Torah; and can help unlock useful mysteries within the Eastern Holy Books.

The Prophet Muhammad and Aramaic

Some Islamic historians tell us that trusted Assyrian and Syriac speaking believers in Jesus interacted with the Prophet Muhammad and likely read to him from the Aramaic Eastern Text. The very word Qur’an, which means “The Recital,” is derived from an Aramaic/Syriac word qiriana.

Original Revelation of the Holy Books: Why the Aramaic has special meaning for Muslims

The most compelling logic for use of the Aramaic New Testament in building bridges to the Common Ground deals with the Muslim view of “original revelation.”

Islam holds that God, through the angel Gabriel, spoke the revelation to the Prophet Mohammed in Arabic and is considered the official language of “The Recital.” Thus, the only accepted written version is Arabic.

Since Jesus spoke Aramaic, Muslims believe (consistent with Islamic logic) the “Holy” written version of the Gospel would be in Aramaic.

It is helpful to note that Aramaic was the first written Semitic script of the three, followed by Hebrew and finally, Arabic. The ever widening “gulf” separating us is unfortunate, but it is my hope that studying the related Semitic languages of the East will serve as a key foundation, providing evidence that our faiths have more in common than we have believed in the past.

When an Arabic speaking Muslim friend saw Mel Gibson's movie Passion of the Christ with most of the dialogue in Aramaic, he was very surprised that he did not need most of the subtitles in English to understand the movie!

This connection is a critical bridge builder: sister languages, Arabic, and Aramaic, the written language which was once the global language, stretching from the Near East to Malabar in India and East China.

Dr. Sidney Griffith, a Catholic priest and noted Syriac scholar...

Christian & Islamic Views of God: Our differences don't change who God is

One student, in a last effort to refute the presentation, conceded "Islam may be referring to the same God as the Jews and Christians linguistically, but Islam sees God very differently than Christianity."  In a similar vein, I received through a friend a recent email from Ravi Zacharias' ministry. The email from Ravi's staff confirmed that we don't disagree on the name of God, but rather His character. I agree that...

In Part 1 we addressed the differences in belief about Allah and God and began the discussion by sharing research and perspective on the argument that Allah is a pagan moon-god.  We continue this dialogue with a linguistic overview of the words used to name God in various languages.

Is the English "God" Pagan?

If one argues the name "Allah" is pagan-based, what about the origins of the English word "God?"  I personally was stunned to learn that it actually has more historic baggage than...

In Part 1 we addressed the differences in belief about Allah and God and began the discussion by sharing research and perspective on the argument that Allah is a pagan moon-god.  We continue this dialogue with a linguistic overview of the words used to name God in various languages.

Is the English "God" Pagan?

If one argues the name "Allah" is pagan-based, what about the origins of the English word "God?"  I personally was stunned to learn that it actually has more historic baggage than...

In a recent message to my email list subscribers I touched on the fact that we need a new strategy for interactions between Muslims and Christians, whether in America or in other countries throughout the world. I suggested Jesus of Nazareth as a model for our interactions. He demonstrated how to respect and strengthen relationships with those who were like him and those who were very different from him. He pointed people to God and painted a picture of what God's Kingdom is really like.

One...

In a recent message to my email list subscribers I touched on the fact that we need a new strategy for interactions between Muslims and Christians, whether in America or in other countries throughout the world. I suggested Jesus of Nazareth as a model for our interactions. He demonstrated how to respect and strengthen relationships with those who were like him and those who were very different from him. He pointed people to God and painted a picture of what God's Kingdom is really like.

One...