Recent events have focused attention on Islam, the often- misunderstood faith of one billion people. Westerners are showing a new curiosity about Islam and other religions, in part, perhaps, because religion is arguably the single most important and volatile factor in geopolitics today. Islam needs to be understood on its own terms, apart from extreme expressions, John Kaltner argues. This revised and expanded edition of a trusted text offers updated information about Islam in an accessibl...

Jews, Christians, and Muslims trace their roots to Abraham and yet it is a shock to many Bible readers that some of the characters and stories in their sacred text are also found in the pages of Islam's sacred text, the Qur'an. By exploring the relationship between the Bible and the Qur'an in Ishmael Instructs Isaac, John Kaltner challenges Bible readers to think about their sacred book in new, exciting ways. In doing so, he leads all to a better appreciation of Islam.Afte...

"In this unexpectedly delightful little book, two Bible professors and a journalist unpack some of the more outrageous interpretations of the Hebrew Bible." — Publishers WeeklyDid you know:that King David swore like a sailor?that the Book of Ecclesiastes encourages drinking, especially beer?that mandrakes were the biblical equivalent of Viagra®?that the law of Moses prescribes bikini waxing?...

Why is there crime-scene tape on my Bible? Elementary, my dear reader.There is an element of detective work to biblical scholarship that entails sniffing out and interpreting clues that often escape the notice of readers. John Kaltner and Steven L. McKenzie introduce the art of sleuthing the Bible, providing the necessary training to hunt for clues and piece them together to understand the larger picture.Sleuthing the Bible helps answer questions that occu...

The Bible and the Qur'an provides an overview of all the figures and groups who are mentioned in both the Bible and the Qur'an. Principal focus centres on the similarities and differences between the presentations of these characters in the two texts, with special emphasis placed on how they appear in the Islamic text. References are also included to how many of the individuals/groups discussed are treated in other Islamic sources.Each figure or group includes: (1) a list of releva...

The current social and political climate makes it easy to benefit from religious misunderstanding. Political and religious leaders create fear of the religious other in order to drum up support for themselves. But the best way to combat deliberate misrepresentation is to provide accurate, timely information about the three great monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Originally published in 2007, What Do Our Neighbors Believe? Second Edition orga...

The Bible and the Qur’an are arguably the most frequently cited and most misunderstood books in history. This book treats an important element of their commonality by exploring how the Qur’an offers new interpretations of some of the characters and stories it shares with the Bible.

Aimed at a general audience, this book provides an overview of how biblical scholars have addressed important issues related to the biblical book of Jonah. Moving far beyond “the story about that guy and the whale,” this work leads readers to appreciate how complex a work Jonah is and the unique contribution it makes to biblical literature. “Both erudite and readable, this book masterfully synthesizes recent scholarship on Jonah via a close reading, a survey of the book’s mysteries, and a ...

This book is a supplement and sequel to To Each Its Own Meaning, edited by Steven L. McKenzie and Stephen R. Haynes, which introduced the reader to the most important methods of biblical criticism and remains a widely used classroom textbook. This new volume explores recent developments in, and approaches to, biblical criticism since 1999. Leading contributors define and describe their approach for non-specialist readers, using examples from the Old and New Testament to help illus...