Interfaith Chat: The Holy Books Important in Islam & Christianity | Dr. Asad Tarsin & Rev. John Bost
Channel: Muslim Community Center - MCC East Bay
Date: 2022-03-15

Interfaith Interconnect of Tri-Valley hosts March virtual religion chat with a Lutheran and a Muslim with the question: "What holy books or other texts are important to your religion?"

The panelists are Rev. John Bost (Holy Cross Lutheran Church) and Dr. Asad Tarsin (Muslim Community Center - East Bay).

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This chat was sponsored by Interfaith Interconnect and delivered via the Muslim Community Center - East Bay (MCC East Bay) in Pleasanton, California on March 9, 2022.

Dr. Asad Tarsin
After completing his bachelor's degree in Islamic studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Asad continued his study of Islamic theology, sacred law, philosophy and spirituality with some of the country’s most prominent Muslim scholars including Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Dr. Sherman Jackson, among others. He served as the curriculum director for the Deen Intensive Foundation for the last ten years and has a particular interest in creating sustainable models of education for new and returning Muslims. He has been designing Islamic educational programs and teaching the basics of Islam for more than a decade. He lectures and teaches courses on Islam across the country. “Being Muslim: A Practical Guide” is his first published work. He is an emergency physician by training and lives in California with his wife and three children.

John Bost
I joined Holy Cross as Lead Pastor and Head of Staff at the end of 2006. In addition to my full-time role as Lead Pastor I also have the honor of serving as President of the Advisory Council of the Livermore Homeless Refuge, a position I have held since 2013.

As a perennial supporter of underdogs my entire career, I spend some of my time in prison as an Executive Volunteer with Defy Ventures, an organization dedicated to transforming the lives of people with criminal histories through entrepreneurial training and collaboration.

In addition to my work with churches and organizations across the country, I served as Chairman of the Board for the Haitian Timoun Foundation (HTF) from 2008-2011, an organization dedicated to bringing hope, sustainability, and dignity to the children and people of Haiti.

I hold degrees in Social Work with a minor in Sociology from Appalachian State University, Boone, NC; a Masters of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH; and I’m currently finishing a certificate in Nonprofit Executive Management from The University of Illinois at Chicago. I have served congregations in North Carolina, Ohio, Illinois, and California. Along the way I delivered pizzas; worked as a dialysis chaplain in Vellore, India; as an investigator with Child Protective Services; a cashier at a candy store in Santa Monica; a warehouse worker at a Southern Baptist book store; and won a dance contest on the Ellen Show, not once but twice.

As Lead Pastor at Holy Cross, I have helped lead the congregation to become a top 100 congregation in giving to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s World Hunger program. Holy Cross is also in the top 10% of ELCA congregations in the country in giving beyond its four walls, giving over $82,000 to partner organizations in 2018 alone. I am particularly excited about my current role with the City of Livermore as an advisory member to the Vineyard 2.0 project. This project involves the purchase and development of a former church site to build a 23-unit permanent-supportive housing complex with a full complement of wrap around services. With an ETA for 2021/22, this project will serve as Livermore’s flagship facility for what is possible in finding meaningful solutions to Livermore’s growing homeless population.

I also am the luckiest person alive to be married to Shawnda and to be the proud father to three amazing kids: Zoey (16), Journey (13), and Sam (9), not to mention two dogs - Charlie and Bailey - and two cats - Paisley and Penelope.

I also love rock-n-roll and Broadway, but not necessarily in that order.

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