Islam: An Introduction for Christians

by Paul Varo Martinson

These and many other questions are answered in this informative introduction to Islam. Christians of all denominations will find reliable and up-to-date information on Islam and its relationship to Christianity. The first part of the book surveys the faith and life of Islam, exploring the subjects of the Quran, Muhammad, beliefs about God, justice and the law, women and family, and death and eternal life. Part 2 tells about Islam in North America, both its early history and the current situation. Part 3 describes various groups and movements within Islam. Part 4 looks at Islam and Christianity, their encounters in history, the Bible and the Quran, and how Jesus is regarded by Muslims. Part 5 presents a Christian evaluation of Islam. Carefully researched and clearly written, Islam: An Introduction for Christians is an ideal book for both individual and group use.

264 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1994

Reviews

[DC · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was probably a radical-ish book when it was published 30 years ago, and I kept thinking of the ways it might have been updated in the intervening years. I kept wanting to read a companion piece called Christianity: An Introduction for Muslims... and really, the book is intended as a starting point and in no way should be considered definite or final. The weirdest thing about the book are the anachronistic photos that are included - they aren't contemporary to 1994, but look like photos from the early 20th Century - and this seems an odd choice, implying to me some idea about being frozen in time, which... is that subtext about the authors' perceptions on the conflict between contemporary life and Islam? We should reject notions that the two are incompatible.

I was impressed by the gentle tone of the book and treatment of topics like the concept of sharia - which, contrary to recent mainstream media portrayals or possibly the way it's interpreted in some polities, is pointed to as a fairly straightforward way to live righteously, peacefully, and generously. Peace. Love. Generosity. Aren't those values we can all get behind?

[Brooke Ramlakhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a helpful intro to the fundamentals of Islam and the overlap between Christianity and Islam. Didn't talk a lot about how westerners contribute to the persecution of Islamic folk and tried to treat the situation as "equal"