Christian Exegesis of the Qur’an: A Critical Analysis of the Apologetic Use of the Qur’an in Select Medieval and Contemporary Arabic Texts

182 Pages·2016·1.55 MB·English

by  J. Scott Bridger

Christian Exegesis
of the Qur’ān
A Critical Analysis of the Apologetic Use
of the Qur’ān in Select Medieval and
Contemporary Arabic Texts
J. Scott Bridger
C
Christian Exegesis of the Qur’ān
James Clarke & Co
and
The Lutterworth Press
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Christian Exegesis of the Qur’ān
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Christian Exegesis
of the Qur’ān
A Critical Analysis of the Apologetic
Use of the Qur’ān in Select Medieval
and Contemporary Arabic Texts
J. Scott Bridger
C
James Clarke & Co
I dedicate this book to my beautiful and loving wife, Miriam, and
our five children: Elijah, Isaiah, Ethan, Moriah, and Isaac. I have
never been the same since meeting you in Jerusalem on Christmas
Eve, 1998. You are God’s gift to me—a source of blessing and
encouragement through the many years of study, residency, and life
overseas in oftentimes very challenging circumstances. I would not
have persevered were it not for your smile.
James Clarke & Co
P.O. Box 60
Cambridge
CB1 2NT
United Kingdom
www.jamesclarke.co
[email protected]
ISBN: 978 0 227 17575 0
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A record is available from the British Library
First published by James Clarke & Co, 2016
Copyright © J. Scott Bridger, 2015
Published by arrangement
with Pickwick Publications
Unless noted otherwise, all biblical citations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News
Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2011.
All rights reserved. No part of this edition may be reproduced, stored
electronically or in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without prior written permission from the
Publisher ([email protected]).
Contents
Acknowledgments | vii
Abbreviations | ix
1 Christian Theology and the Qur’ān | 1
2 The New Testament and the Apologetic Use
of Noncanonical Sacred Literature | 41
3 Christian Exegesis and Apologetic Use of the Qur’ān
in Select Medieval Arabic Texts | 65
4 Christian Exegesis and Apologetic Use of the Qur’ān
in Select Contemporary Arabic Texts | 105
5 Theologizing in Arab-Muslim Milieus | 129
Bibliography | 161
Acknowledgments
This book would not have been possible without the investment of
many dedicated mentors, teachers, and friends. First and foremost
among them are my parents and family members. All of you have shown
me undivided support over the course of many years dedicated to re-
search, study, and residency in several different countries. I especially
thank God for the prayers of my mother, which have sustained me and
my family in the face of numerous challenges. Among the pastors who
have invested in my life, a special word of thanks is due to Joe Drummer
and Charles Farag. You taught and modeled for me a deep and sustaining
devotion to Christ and an unwavering commitment to the gospel. Next,
I must thank my brothers in the faith who have sharpened me over the
years. Among them are Matthew Harding, Clark Sneed, Michael Liter,
and Scott Newton. Several professors have left a lasting influence on my
thinking while under their tutelage over the years. Although I cannot
take time to mention all of them, a special word of thanks is due to the
following: Keith Eitel (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary);
John Feinberg and Harold Netland (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School);
Ofer Livne, George Kanaza, Edna Kidron, Vardit Rispler, Reuven Snir,
Khalid Sindawi, Ali Hussein, Arieyh Kofsky, Ibrahim Geries (University
of Haifa); Gabriel Said Reynolds (University of Notre Dame); John
Hammett, Ant Greenham, and especially my friend, Bruce Ashford
(Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary). Bruce urged me to tackle
the question this book addresses when my inclinations were to settle for a
less controversial topic. I also want to thank the many friends and mem-
bers in the Body of Christ from the Middle East (or residing there) whose
love, commitment, and passion for the gospel has had a lasting impact on
my life. Among them are: Ibrahim Arafat, Tony Joubran, Shmuel Aweida,
Freddie Drayton, the late Kamal Hussein, Bishara and Lubna Deeb, Ziad
vii
viii Acknowledgments
Faraj, Khalil Fawakhri, Rani Espanyoli, Renod and Karen Bejjani, Duane
Alex Miller, Brent Neely, Doug Coleman, Ray and Rosemary Register,
and the many friends and colleagues whose names I cannot list here.
Finally, I want to express my love and gratitude to Jesus, my Messiah,
Savior, and King. You called me from the darkness into the light and have
given me an incorruptible gift of faith —the faith of my father Abraham.
To you alone belongs glory and honor and praise.
Abbreviations
AJCP Alif: Journal of Comparative Poetics
ASTJ Ashland Theological Journal
BSOAS Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies
CMR Christian-Muslim Relations: A Biographical History. 5 vols. Ed-
ited by David Thomas et al. Boston: Brill, 2009.
DOP Dumbarton Oaks Papers
EI2 Encyclopedia of Islam. 2nd ed. Edited by P. Bearman et al.
Leiden: Brill, 2002.
EMQ Evangelical Missions Quarterly
HTR Harvard Theological Review
IJFM International Journal of Frontier Mission
JAL Journal of Arabic Literature
JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society
JES Journal of Ecumenical Studies
JIS Journal of Islamic Studies
MW Muslim World
NTS New Testament Studies
OC Oriens Christianus
PO Parole de l’Orient
REI Reveue des etudes islamiques
RSR Religious Studies Review
RT Religion & Theology
ix
x Abbreviations
SFM St. Francis Magazine
SM Studia Missionalia
TJ Trinity Journal
TB Tyndale Bulletin
WW Word & World
XV Xristianskij Vostok