Claiming Abraham: Reading the Bible and the Qur'an Side by Side
"Michael Lodahl reads the Qur'an alongside the Bible he professes and also the rabbinic commentary he admires. Through the pages of this lovingly crafted book, all Abrahamic believers are invited to feast together on God's word."--Peter Ochs, University of Virginia"Claiming Abrahamis a lively and succinct theological presentation of religious traditions from the point of view of their own exponents. Lodahl offers the reader the considerable assets of personal sensitivity along with a clear exposition of ideas and concepts. A work of acute reflection that combines integrity with charitableness."--Lamin Sanneh, Yale Divinity School; director, World Christianity Initiative at Yale"In a novel approach to interreligious dialogue, Lodahl puts the Bible and the Qur'an in conversation with one another. The result is a fascinating study that shows how the two scriptures often draw upon and reshape the same pool of traditions. A fine guide for those interested in exploring the shared scriptural heritage of Jews, Christians, and Muslims and its implications for the future."--John Kaltner, Rhodes College"Claiming Abrahamoffers readers an introduction to the relationship between the Bible and the Qur'an that is both easy to understand and rich in detail. Most impressively, Lodahl avoids clichés and superficial assumptions by illustrating how these religious traditions are more often in disagreement than in agreement over figures such as Adam, Abraham, and Jesus. Ultimately, Lodahl presents an account of these matters that is marked by candor, clarity, and a firm grounding in Christian theology."--Gabriel Said Reynolds, University of Notre Dame"Scholars will find this book brimming with comparative/interreligious and exegetical/intertextual insights. For all other readers, including those wondering if it is possible to acknowledge the revelatory status of the Qur'an while remaining committed to faith in Christ,Claiming Abrahamaccessibly engages the theological matters at stake in ways that, if taken seriously, will both deeply inform Christian faith in a pluralistic world and transform the next generation of Christian-Muslim relations."--Amos Yong, Regent University School of Divinity"Claiming Abrahamhas recourse to a fine repertoire of skills in reading scripture and in theological interpretation, to lead us on a journey of discovery of the similarity-in-difference that characterizes the ways Christianity and Islam can be seen to relate to one another. 'Similarity-in-difference' is the key, for each will prove illuminating in understanding the other. . . . Our conversation does indeed go on . . . and the better so in the wake of careful comparative studies like this one."--David Burrell, CSC, Uganda Martyrs University