Friday, January 03, 2003

Yet Another Book Review:

Jesus in the Qur'an by Edward Geoffrey Parrinder is an attempt to identify all the passages involving Jesus, Mary, and other Christian topics in the Koran, with a modest amount of analysis aimed at finding the similarities. I have no doubt this is a useful tool, but I find his exegesis to be rather strained from time to time. He says we have a greater emphasis on the humanity of Jesus than any century since the first, and I don't know enough to evaluate that claim; but to intimate that Christians are therefore closer to a Moslem position is rather a stretch.

He points up contradictory views of Jesus implied in the various passages, suggesting that (the one biggie that denies the crucifixion aside) references to the Koran can be used to offer non-threatening opportunities for a Moslem to learn who Jesus is.

Overall, it looks useful, but he sees bridges that aren't always there.

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