Review Of Dave Andrews The Jihad Of Jesus
For many people, the word jihad is likely to conjure up images of bearded men wearing suicide vests, of black-robed militants brandishing AK-47s, or of clandestine terrorist cells plotting to overthrow the United States.
But what if, instead of representing violence, hate, war, and death, jihad was understood as a nonviolent struggle for peace, justice, understanding, love?
In his book The Jihad of Jesus (Wipf & Stock, $22), Dave Andrews draws upon Christian and Muslim history, theology, tradition, and scripture in a quest to reclaim jihad as a powerful challenge for both Christians and Muslims “to practice the radical, alternative, participatory, empowering, nonviolent jihad of Jesus” (163).
Andrews readily acknowledges the checkered history …show more content…
Andrews believes that, yes, the cruelties perpetuated in the name of Christianity and Islam are not mere aberrations of inherently peaceful faiths, but instead are a natural out-working of the “closed set perspective” that currently defines those …show more content…
In doing so, we can exchang the “not-so-holy” so-called “Holy Wars” for a nonviolent jihad that is characterized by a “whole-hearted strong-but-gentle struggle for justice against injustice” (103).
Andrews’ proposal for reclaiming jihad as a shared ideal of Muslims and Christians is grounded in the person of Jesus, as understood by both faiths. He views Jesus as the definitive exemplar of someone engaging in a nonviolent jihad for love and justice. Andrew also shows how the principles of active and participatory nonviolent struggle espoused by Jesus have been realized in a variety of contexts, through the powerful examples of Francis of Assisi, Badshah Khan, Leyman Gbowee and Muhammad Ashafa. In this respect, The Jihad of Jesus isn’t simply a reflection on our current fractured state of affairs or a naively optimistic call for future change, it is a guidebook that proposes meaningful and practical foundations for true change.
As tensions between Muslims and Christians continue to escalate around the world, The Jihad of Jesus provides valuable context, insight, and clarity regarding inter-faith relationships and serves as a clarion call to reconciliation and
But what if, instead of representing violence, hate, war, and death, jihad was understood as a nonviolent struggle for peace, justice, understanding, love?
In his book The Jihad of Jesus (Wipf & Stock, $22), Dave Andrews draws upon Christian and Muslim history, theology, tradition, and scripture in a quest to reclaim jihad as a powerful challenge for both Christians and Muslims “to practice the radical, alternative, participatory, empowering, nonviolent jihad of Jesus” (163).
Andrews readily acknowledges the checkered history …show more content…
Andrews believes that, yes, the cruelties perpetuated in the name of Christianity and Islam are not mere aberrations of inherently peaceful faiths, but instead are a natural out-working of the “closed set perspective” that currently defines those …show more content…
In doing so, we can exchang the “not-so-holy” so-called “Holy Wars” for a nonviolent jihad that is characterized by a “whole-hearted strong-but-gentle struggle for justice against injustice” (103).
Andrews’ proposal for reclaiming jihad as a shared ideal of Muslims and Christians is grounded in the person of Jesus, as understood by both faiths. He views Jesus as the definitive exemplar of someone engaging in a nonviolent jihad for love and justice. Andrew also shows how the principles of active and participatory nonviolent struggle espoused by Jesus have been realized in a variety of contexts, through the powerful examples of Francis of Assisi, Badshah Khan, Leyman Gbowee and Muhammad Ashafa. In this respect, The Jihad of Jesus isn’t simply a reflection on our current fractured state of affairs or a naively optimistic call for future change, it is a guidebook that proposes meaningful and practical foundations for true change.
As tensions between Muslims and Christians continue to escalate around the world, The Jihad of Jesus provides valuable context, insight, and clarity regarding inter-faith relationships and serves as a clarion call to reconciliation and