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Iwantedthetruth,notpoliticallyexpedientorideologicallycorrectpositions.And,a followerofChristasIwas,Iwantedthetruthseenwiththeeyesofinvitingand reconcilinglove,notthetruthbornofcoldindifferenceorsimmeringhatred. MiroslavVolf,fromtheIntroduction

ALLAH:AChristianResponse
byMiroslavVolf

FromOneoftheWorldsForemostChristianTheologians,aTimelyand ProvocativeArgumentthatMuslimsandChristiansWorshiptheSameGod
3.6billionpeople,themajorityoftheworldspopulation,professChristianityorIslam.And whileithaslongbeenanuneasycoexistence,thepost9/11worldhasseentensionsriseasboth sidesofthedivideseektoseeonlydifferences,ortoundulyemphasizesimilarities. InALLAH:AChristianResponse(HarperOne;March2011;Hardcover),renownedscholarand YaleDivnitySchoolprofessorMiroslavVolfmakestheboldclaimthatMuslimsandChristians actuallyworshipthesameGodtheonlyGod.Goingevenfurther,herevealsthatapersoncan bebothapracticingMuslimandanactiveChristianwithoutdenyingcoreconvictions.Ashe explains,warriorsintheclashofcivilizationshaveusedreligiontodivideandoppose,failingto recognizetheoneGodwhomMuslimsandChristiansunderstandinonlypartlydifferentways. WritingfromaChristianperspective,andindialoguewithleadingMuslimscholarsandleaders throughouttheglobe,Volfrevealssurprisingpointsofintersectionandoverlapbetweenthese twofaithtraditions;healsoexplainsthehiddenagendasbehindvarioussourcesfromtodays newsstoriestotextstraightoutoftheBibleandtheQuraninsearchofthefullestpictureof wherethesefaithsdivergeandwheretheymeet. Religiouswarsbecomerealwars,Volfargues,andenormouscontemporaryinterestinthe theologicalandhistoricalintersectionsofIslamandChristianityreflectsjusthowmuchisat stake.Persuasivelyarguedandexpertlyresearched,ALLAHoffersaconstructivevisionforanew pluralismandhopeforbuildingacommonfuture. AbouttheAuthor MiroslavVolfistheHenryB.WrightProfessorofSystematicTheologyatYaleDivinitySchool.His previousbooksincludeAgainsttheTide:LoveinaTimeofPettyDreamsandPersistingEnmities (2010)andAfterOurLikeness:TheChurchastheImageoftheTrinity(1998),winnerofthe ChristianityTodaybookaward.AnativeofCroatia,heregularlyteachesandlecturesinCentral andEasternEurope. PraiseforAllah:

NoteveryoneinAmericaisawarethatAllahissimplytheArabicnameforGodandisusedby notonlyMuslimsbutalsoChristianArabs.ProfessorVolfhasrenderedgreatservicetothecause ofmutualreligiousunderstandingandalsopeaceindemonstratinginaclear,convincingand accessiblelanguagethefundamentaltruththatChristiansandMuslimsworshipthesame God.SeyyedHosseinNasr,authorofIslamintheModernWorld CentraltoVolfsbookisonebasicpoint,namelythatChristiansandMuslimsworshipthesame God,howeverdifferentlytheymayrespondtothatdeity.Inboldandcarefullyreasoned arguments,Volfshowshowthisawarenessofcommonbeliefscanandmustformthebasisfor allfuturedialoguesbetweenthetwofaiths.Hisworkisasconvincingasitislucid. PhilipJenkins,authorofJesusWars MiroslavVolfisatheologianwhoshowsthattheologyisnotjustaboutreflectingontheworld, itisessentiallyaboutmendingtheworld.InAllah,hehasshowncourageintakinghisfellow Christiansonapersonal,political,andtheologicaljourneywhichbeginsandendswiththe explorationofGodwhoVolfconcludesisthesameforChristiansandMuslims,albeit understoodindifferentways.Acontroversialbutabsorbingandaccessiblereadforboth ChristiansandMuslims.MonaSiddiqui,professorofIslamicstudies,UniversityofGlasgow ItshardtoimagineaquestionmoreinflammatoryandsensitivethantheoneVolfengagesin thesepages.AnditsimpossibletonameanyChristianleaderbettersuitedtograpplewithit. Eventhosewhodisagreewithhisboldanswer,iftheyreadwithanopenmind,willbestretched anddeepenedastheyread.Andthosewhointheendagreewillbeequippedtobewise peacemakersinaworldtoofullofburningfuses. BrianMcLaren,authorofANewKindofChristianityandNakedSpirituality VolfhaslongbeenoneofourmostfaithfulandengagingcommentatorsontheChristianfaith. Inthisquitewonderfulbook,VolfplacesourChristianknowledgeofGodinrespectful, compassionate,intelligentconversationwithIslam.Ivereadmanyattemptstothinklike ChristiansaboutIslam.ThisisthebestIveread.VolfwonderfullyexplicatesIslaminawaythat demonstratesthebestofChristianthoughtaboutGod. WilliamH.Willimon,bishop,theUnitedMethodistChurch MostbooksonthecriticallyimportantcurrentencounterbetweenChristianityandIslamfocus eitherontheculturalorpoliticalarea.Afewdiscussthereligiousandtheologicalissues.But Volfsbookbrilliantlyaddressesallthesedimensionsintheirintricateinterconnection.Futher, heskillfullyweavesinhisownpersonalexperiencesasoneoftheprincipalparticipantsinthis epochaldialogue.Theresultisawonderfullyreadableandinformativeintellectualandspiritual treatthathelpsbridgeagapthatmustbecomeaconversationandnotaclash.HarveyCox, HollisResearchProfessorofDivinity,HarvardUniversity,andauthorofTheFutureofFaith
ALLAH:AChristianResponse ByMiroslavVolf HarperOne,anImprintofHarperCollinsPublishers March2011|$25.99|Hardcover|ISBN:9780061927072 # # #