Christian/Muslim Struggle:
Wrestling Match of The Giants

Issues for attention in 2005 +

Bible and Qu'ran

Being "People of the Book" puts Christianity, Judaism and Islam into a family situation. We all claim to find authority and authenticity in the written word. Basing our claims on a "revealed word" tradition means that we claim supernatural authority for our opinions based on the sacred books. When asked how we know what we claim to know, we often say that it is so because we know it is so since it was given from an outside source to a founder.

Apparently these three monotheistic traditions claim to have access to the same divine source, with various names, and yet each has received a unique word in a book or books. This discussion will focus on the Christian and Muslim holy book controversy.

The Bible, made up of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, is accepted across Christianity as the sacred text of prime importance. The Bible is translated into hundreds if not thousands of languages. There is no one sacred language. Christianity has no one sacred culture or national heritage. Meaning of the words of the Bible is studied and commented on endlessly. Translation means understanding both the sense of the Bible ideas and the unique language and culture into which the words are being made understandable through translation.

The Qu'ran, sacred text for all Muslims everywhere, is a text given directly to Muhammad by Allah and is present most fully in the Arabic language. There is no possible actual translation but there are transliterations or paraphrases in various languages. The sound of the words as well as the actual meaning are equally precious to the Muslim faithful. Since the Qu'ran contains all that is necessary for structuring society its words have practical impact on the daily lives of believers. Cultures need to change an adjust in order to fit the dictates and theology of the Qur'an..

Over the past four hundred years the Bible has been exposed to relentless examination, study, scientific analysis, form criticism and all manner of investigation. Such attention has strengthened the message of the Bible.

Presently the Qur'an is said to be without a history and hence not available for examination and analysis. As the revealed word of Allah (God) the Qur'an is to be accepted and believed, not questioned.

The Bible is accepted as the record of the salvation story by nearly all Christians. Some receive the Bible as the literal words of the Creator and value certain translations as the most authentic. Others find in the Bible the story of the faith journey of a people - Jewish and Christian - toward the fullness of God. Others find in the Bible a collection of wisdom that informs the human family.

Translation and scholarship are accepted as faithful ways of handling the Bible. No one language is seen as the language of God. Hence no one cultural expression is carried by the Christian message. Along with the Bible, the faith experience is translated into all cultures. Scholarship is welcomed as people apply the best of research and thought to enter deeply into the creation and transmission of the Scriptures. Faithful questions are at heart of Christian devotion. The Holy Spirit provides the believer with passion for understanding and belief.

I sense that at this point in history there is little room for conversation about the Qu'ran within the Christian community. Part of this is a concern to be open and to avoid offending Muslims. Another part of the explanation is lack of information about the Qu'ran, the Islamic community, and the challenge being faced by individual Christians who decide to be open about their faith in the wider world. This is apparently a subject matter to be either avoided or denied. I am of the opinion that the sooner we get at opening the Qu'ran to public view the better. To rest at ease in the Christian global village and pretend that the authority of the written holy book of another religion is of no consequence is to court serious problems.

Here lies one round in the wrestling match of profound importance. More on this in the next writing. D. Krueger

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