EMQ » October–December 2018 » Volume 54 Issue 4
[memberonly folder=”Members, EMQ2YearFolder, EMQ1YearFolder”]A Christian Reads the Qur’an: Honest Reading, Honest Reflection
By James Wright
CreateSpace, 2018
296 pages
ISBN: 978-1984937933
USD $11.99
Available for download at christianreadsquran.com
Reviewed by Gail Schlosser, Assistant Director of The Lilias Trotter Center (liliastrottercenter.org) and adjunct faculty at Houghton College in Houghton, New York.
Dr. James Wright admits that he wrote this book as his “pilgrimage away from ignorance” (195) in order to engage his Muslim friends with integrity when it comes to spiritual matters. He’s read the Qur’an thoughtfully and respectfully. He expects his Muslim friends to do the same with the Bible—the “earlier books” mentioned in the Qur’an. This volume helps enquirers along the way in their search for truth.
Wright’s warm, gentle tone permeates the pages as he demonstrates his deep knowledge and understanding of the Qur’an. As a missionary and researcher with years of experience he knows from whence he speaks. And, most importantly, he “speaks the truth in love” in the context of relationships with Muslim friends.
In fifty-four chapters, Wright reflects on all 114 suras of the Qur’an (he combines the shorter suras in chapters 39–54). Wright acknowledges that though there are other ways to read the Qur’an (e.g., topically or chronologically) he purposely chose to go through it sura by sura as it stands. Throughout the book he reminds us that he has indeed considered each verse carefully and has done his best to understand its context and audience. Wright demands intellectual integrity from his readers regarding their holy scriptures and the search for truth.
Each chapter unpacks the major thought(s) or theme(s) of a sura using terminology familiar to Muslims. The author admits he wants to know what the Qur’an says about important topics such as “the Creator, creation, good and evil, angels and demons, heaven and hell, prophets, the Tawrat, Zabur, Injil and Isa al-Masih” (6). Wright compares and contrasts these major topics and more.
I appreciate his attempts to find as much in common as possible between the messages of the Qur’an and the Bible, starting with the Semitic roots of the Arabic and Hebrew languages. Focusing on that which we have in common is a fantastic way to build bridges and scale the walls between the two faith communities. Yet he is not afraid to respectfully rebuke and challenge inconsistencies when necessary: “If Allah says something in one place of the Qur’an, then it should agree with something he says in another place. Allah might reveal something in different words, but the later revelation should only improve on the first revelation, not contradict it” (19).
Nor does Wright shy away from addressing the common “hot topics” with which Christians and Muslims engage: The Bible’s “corruption,” the role of the prophets, the Trinity, the sonship of Jesus and his death and resurrection, and the way to heaven and eternal life.
While written with a Muslim reader in mind, this book is a valuable resource for Christians who want to know more about the Qur’an’s contents and its relation to the message of the Gospel. It is a fantastic resource for answering the most common questions, misconceptions and objections our Muslim friends bring to the table. I highly recommend it, especially for those with no previous exposure to the Qur’an.
