I am happy to commend this excellent book, and praise God for the hard work Richard Shumack has done in researching and writing it.
Books are important for different reasons. This is an important book because of the significance of its subject for Muslims, Christians, and those all who live in the West. And it is a useful book, because it is a guide to the beliefs of Islam. These beliefs are not commonly thought about or explored, and yet Islam is of crucial relevance in our contemporary world. We all need to learn how to relate to Muslims. And it is a useful book because it is easy to read, well set out, well-informed, and respectful of both Christianity and Islam. It is not based on the bland and incorrect assumption that “all religions are the same”; nor does it attempt to protect Christianity by an ignorant and vitriolic attack on Islam.
One of its virtues is that it compares the two world-views, theologies, or philosophies of Islam and Christianity. It includes some relevant but useful observations on the practice of both, but mainly deals with the world of ideas. This is a useful way of defusing the potential conflict, and providing an effective means of exploring both. It attempts to be even-handed, assessing strengths and weaknesses, and using the same methodology in evaluating both.
It covers a comparison between the following controverted topics from the perspective of each: the nature of certain belief; the nature of God and of Allah; the problem of sin; the Trinity; the Incarnation; the cross and the Atonement; the Inspiration of the Bible and the Koran; the relationship of law and love; and the connection between politics and religion. It documents and takes seriously historic and contemporary objections to Christianity by Muslim teachers and philosophers, and discusses plausible Christian answers to those objections, and then shows how Islam fares when evaluated from those same perspectives.
Why should you read this book?
- The relationship between Islam and Christianity is a key contemporary global issue.
- Islam has been described as ‘Judaism for Gentiles’, because it combines belief in one god with a strict moral code, without Judaism’s particular connection with one race.
- Islam’s main objections to Christianity, namely incarnation, atonement and Trinity, are similar to the objections of Christian deists and liberals to the same doctrines.
- Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are the three monotheistic world religions, and each one of them is an interpretation of the same scriptures, namely our Old Testament. It is instructive to compare two of those interpretations.
- It provides an excellent model for a respectfully comparing Christianity with other world-views, as well as other religions. It provides a good model of comparing a contemporary world-view with Christianity. It is a good model of evangelism.
- Many of Islam’s criticisms of Christianity are also held by many who are not Muslims, and its defence of Christianity has wider application and usefulness.
- It is a book about ideas, about truth, and about deep assumptions which shape actions and attitudes; so it is a happy antidote to superficiality and prejudice.
- It attempts to win people by appropriate reasoning, rather than by winning arguments and alienating people. A good model for us all!
In my own case, I learnt a great deal about Islam as a world-view, philosophy, or theology. And I also grew in my appreciation for the Christian faith, God’s work in Christ, and the Bible. Seeing an alternative help me to appreciate the riches found in Christ.
If you are a Christian who has not thought about the content of your faith, then the comparison with Islam will help you to see the distinctive values of Christianity and its gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and his atoning death.
The book is not too deep for an ordinary person to understand: it communicates theology and philosophy in a manageable style. The fastidious theologian or philosopher may not be convinced by all the arguments. The stories and comparisons used to convey theology and philosophy do not always work. For example Cerberus the three-headed dog sheds no light on the nature of the Trinity. The interpretation of Christian theology, though generally broadly conservative, will not be as robust and precise as some would like it to be. However the value of the book lies in its subject matter, range of topics, and accessible style. Muslims and Christians will benefit from reading it; and indeed anyone who reads it will benefit from it. May God use it for his good gospel purposes.
Richard Shumack, The Wisdom of Islam and the Foolishness of Christianity: A Christian Response to Nine Objections to Christianity by Muslim Philosophers, Sydney, Island View Publishing, 2014.
The book is a finalist for the Australian Christian Book of the Year.
