Journeys of the Muslim Nation and the Christian Church: Exploring the Mission of Two Communities

by David W. Shenk

If you are looking for a good book to put in the hands of someone wanting to understand the differences between Christianity and Islam, David W. Shenk’s work comparing the Muslim ummah or community with the Christian church is an excellent choice.

Herald Press, 616 Walnut Avenue, Scottdale, PA 15683, 2003, 283 pages, $14.99.

—Reviewed by Alan M. Guenther, Ph.D. Islamic Studies, McGill University, re-activating missionary with TEAM.

If you are looking for a good book to put in the hands of someone wanting to understand the differences between Christianity and Islam, David W. Shenk’s work comparing the Muslim ummah or community with the Christian church is an excellent choice.
When we as Christians attempt to describe Islam, we must ask whether a Muslim who reads or hears us could say, “Yes, that is what I believe and practice.” (The same applies to Muslims attempting to describe Christianity.) This task becomes even more difficult when we attempt to analyze how Islam is different from Christianity, because our tendency is to paint an ideal picture of our own faith while focusing on the visible flaws of others. It is refreshing to find a book that so fairly presents the key differences without demonizing the Islamic tradition.

The material is presented in a very approachable style, following a well-constructed outline that moves readers through foundational theological themes. Each chapter concludes with references to the Bible and the Quran, along with thought-provoking questions that would make Journeys a suitable text for an adult Bible study. An annotated bibliography at the end—of both recent and older scholarship on Islam from both Muslim and non-Muslim authors—is comprehensive without being overwhelming.

Shenk’s approach is primarily textual, beginning with the biblical and quranical accounts of creation and how they lay the groundwork for two divergent views of humanity. He then moves to Abraham and the nature of faith. Upon this foundation, Shenk compares Christian and Muslim understandings of leadership, scripture, revelation, power, pilgrimage, prayer and mission. Some contrast studies—the revelation of the Quran with the revelation of God in Jesus Christ, and that of Muhammad’s migration to Medina with Christ’s death on the cross—are familiar yet nonetheless interestingly presented. Others, such as the contrast between the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca and the Christian Eucharist, are ingenious and thought-provoking. Shenk chooses topics which clearly demonstrate the divergence between Christianity and Islam.

The primary text Shenk uses to explain Islam is of course the Quran, which he handles with sensitivity to how it is interpreted by faithful Muslims. He rightly cautions against imposing a Christian understanding of the Muslim scriptures. He does, however, recognize that much of what Muslims believe and practice is based on authoritative traditions outside the Quran. Shenk’s description of Islamic tradition draws on his many years of experience of dialogue with and witness to Muslims. This enables him to present the beliefs and practices of Islam from the mouths of Muslims he has met in contexts as varied as African villages, North American mosques and dialogues between Anabaptist and Iranian scholars. A dominant theme throughout is the centrality of Jesus the Messiah in the life of the church, lending the study a rich, devotional quality.

Check these titles:
Bulliet, Richard W. 2004. The Case for Islamo-Christian Civilization. New York: Columbia University Press.

Kateregga, Badru D. and David W. Shenk. 1997. A Muslim and a Christian in Dialogue. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press.

Zebiri, Kate. 1997. Muslims and Christians Face to Face. Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications.

—–

Copyright © 2005 Evangelism and Missions Information Service (EMIS). All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from EMIS.

�

Comments are closed.