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Muslims and Christians: A History of Conflict and Conversion
The daily news reminds us of the ongoing conflict between Muslims and Christians across the world, especially in places like Indonesia and Sudan. Even in America, where freedom of religion is a cardinal virtue, many Christians are increasingly anxious about a growing Muslim presence. But this is not a new tension; it stretches back to the seventh century. This eBook is an attempt to give a highlight reel of that history to help us gain perspective on the conflict today.Given the amount of hostility and misinformation in this discussion, it is vital to get the history and facts straight. There are conflicts that will never go away, of course; there are irreconcilable theological differences between Christianity and Islam. But conflicts based on poor historical understanding—well, the world is too dangerous a place to keep fostering those. And we will only be successful at reaching out to our Muslim neighbors with the love of Christ when we come in both grace and truth.Table of – Mark GalliChapter 1: A Confused and Violent Beginning – James A. BeverleyIslam 101Chapter 2: How Early Muslims Treated Their Christian Subjects – Christopher ArmstrongThe Pact of UmarChapter 3: The A Deadly Give and Take– Paul CrawfordThe Battle of Tours, 732: Two Divergent ViewsChapter 4: How Martin Luther Shaped Our View of Islam– Gregory MillerFour Medieval Missionaries to IslamChapter 5: Is Islam a Religion of Violence? – Mateen A. ElassChapter 6: How to Do Muslim Two Classic Christian Models– Samuel Hugh MoffettChapter 7: How Muslims View Us– A conversation with J. Dudley Woodberry
66 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 27, 2012
Gregory Miller has gathered a collection of very helpful insights into Muslim/Christian interactions throughout history and in the pages of the Quran. In the light of today's events, we all need to understand accurately what Islam is and how it has treated Christians as well as how Christians have treated Muslims. The book also contains a very helpful timeline and list of sources.
We learn that early in his career Mohammed viewed both Christians and Jews favourably. As time passed and they continued to reject his message, he views hardened. In the same way the meaning of jihad changed as the Quran developed. By the doctrine of abrogation, the later verses given to him abrogate the earlier verses. The earlier verses emphasize a spiritual jihad. The later verses clearly teach the killing of opponents, kafirs, pagans in the name of Allah. Since the later verses according to this doctrine stand, modern more liberal Muslims have a hard time establishing that jihad is merely a spiritual war against personal sin and evil and injustice.
As Muslim armies overwhelmed Christian countries, they showed a certain leniency. Indeed the Christians themselves often welcomed them since they perceived that they could not be worse than pillaging Byzantine rulers. And thus Islam spread in a hundred years throughout the Middle and across North Africa into Spain. Once established however, Muslim rulers imposed severe restrictions upon Christians in turns of disallowing evangelism or the building of new churches. Christians were required to pay gizia. This matter is all dimmilitude (sp?)--second class citizens.
Over four hundred years until the crusades Muslims continued to attack, conquer and destroy. Unfortunately, the west and Christians in particular have accepted the Muslim view that the crusades were unadulterated evil for which we need to ask forgivenss. Most westerners have accepted this revision of history. Now, there is no doubt that the crusades were a blot on the soul of Christendom. However, they were the natural reaction of centuries of Muslim attacks, refusal to allow access to Jerusalem and the destruction of Christian shrines. Muslim attacks continued for centuries until the fall of Byzantium and the taking over of the Haga Sofia, the great church in Istanbul and making it into a mosque. Muslims have much to be repented of, not just Christians. Too often they have assumed that Christians bear the brunt of cruelty and evil.
This attitude has been exacerbated by the whole era of colonialism, the decay of Muslim civilization, and the treatment of Muslim colonies by France, England, et all. Continuing into the last hundred years with the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.
Miller brings out other interesting facts from the time of the Reformation. Many at that time viewed the anti-Christ as coming from the Muslim world. Martin Luther, along with other reformers had some very negative things to say about Islam. However, Luther encouraged the first translation of the Quran into Latin so Christians could at least understand the religion.
Miller next reviews four Medieval missionaries to Islam, discusses two classic Christian models of apologetics and finishes with how Muslims view us.
It is a very helpful book, well written but not overly scholarly as to scare off the general reader. Highly recommended.
We learn that early in his career Mohammed viewed both Christians and Jews favourably. As time passed and they continued to reject his message, he views hardened. In the same way the meaning of jihad changed as the Quran developed. By the doctrine of abrogation, the later verses given to him abrogate the earlier verses. The earlier verses emphasize a spiritual jihad. The later verses clearly teach the killing of opponents, kafirs, pagans in the name of Allah. Since the later verses according to this doctrine stand, modern more liberal Muslims have a hard time establishing that jihad is merely a spiritual war against personal sin and evil and injustice.
As Muslim armies overwhelmed Christian countries, they showed a certain leniency. Indeed the Christians themselves often welcomed them since they perceived that they could not be worse than pillaging Byzantine rulers. And thus Islam spread in a hundred years throughout the Middle and across North Africa into Spain. Once established however, Muslim rulers imposed severe restrictions upon Christians in turns of disallowing evangelism or the building of new churches. Christians were required to pay gizia. This matter is all dimmilitude (sp?)--second class citizens.
Over four hundred years until the crusades Muslims continued to attack, conquer and destroy. Unfortunately, the west and Christians in particular have accepted the Muslim view that the crusades were unadulterated evil for which we need to ask forgivenss. Most westerners have accepted this revision of history. Now, there is no doubt that the crusades were a blot on the soul of Christendom. However, they were the natural reaction of centuries of Muslim attacks, refusal to allow access to Jerusalem and the destruction of Christian shrines. Muslim attacks continued for centuries until the fall of Byzantium and the taking over of the Haga Sofia, the great church in Istanbul and making it into a mosque. Muslims have much to be repented of, not just Christians. Too often they have assumed that Christians bear the brunt of cruelty and evil.
This attitude has been exacerbated by the whole era of colonialism, the decay of Muslim civilization, and the treatment of Muslim colonies by France, England, et all. Continuing into the last hundred years with the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.
Miller brings out other interesting facts from the time of the Reformation. Many at that time viewed the anti-Christ as coming from the Muslim world. Martin Luther, along with other reformers had some very negative things to say about Islam. However, Luther encouraged the first translation of the Quran into Latin so Christians could at least understand the religion.
Miller next reviews four Medieval missionaries to Islam, discusses two classic Christian models of apologetics and finishes with how Muslims view us.
It is a very helpful book, well written but not overly scholarly as to scare off the general reader. Highly recommended.
July 3, 2014
This is a basic (very basic) introduction to the history Muslim-Christian relations written for readers of the American evangelical publication "Christianity Today."
The book has a significant and notable weakness. It contains not one single Muslim perspective. It is all written by Christian or non-Muslim authors who, though careful to include a "Muslim perspective," nevertheless share it from a Christian or Western point of view. I would have greatly enjoyed, and the book would have benefited from, a few Muslim authors either addressing this or that issue or - at the very least - being quoted by the present authors. One would assume the work of the specialists contains a more truly balanced approach.
Still, it's a good introduction. I've made use of it in getting to know some new friends who are Muslim or come from a Muslim background. It serves its purpose well enough, but readers should definitely not limit themselves to this book alone as their only way of understanding Islam.
The book has a significant and notable weakness. It contains not one single Muslim perspective. It is all written by Christian or non-Muslim authors who, though careful to include a "Muslim perspective," nevertheless share it from a Christian or Western point of view. I would have greatly enjoyed, and the book would have benefited from, a few Muslim authors either addressing this or that issue or - at the very least - being quoted by the present authors. One would assume the work of the specialists contains a more truly balanced approach.
Still, it's a good introduction. I've made use of it in getting to know some new friends who are Muslim or come from a Muslim background. It serves its purpose well enough, but readers should definitely not limit themselves to this book alone as their only way of understanding Islam.
December 3, 2014
This is a very helpful introduction to the issue of conflict between the two religions. It contains a succinct summary of the history behind the clashes and it also includes insights from the missionary movement among Islamic peoples.
The viewpoint is decisively evangelical missionary yet it is written in a gracious manner that displays a desire for reconciliation. I recommend this as an introductory text to those interested in dialoguing with Muslims.
The viewpoint is decisively evangelical missionary yet it is written in a gracious manner that displays a desire for reconciliation. I recommend this as an introductory text to those interested in dialoguing with Muslims.
June 7, 2016
Informative book.... not heavy reading...
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews