The Qur’an and the West – Some Minding Between – Kenneth Cragg

THE QUR’AN AND THE WEST
Some Minding Between

Kenneth Cragg

‘Islam and the West’ is an over-worked formula among pundits and journalists—in any context—‘and’ is too versatile a word to escape confusion. ‘The West and Islam’ certainly belong together as never so urgently before but the formula deserves to be more rigorously explored.
One way of doing so is to move to ‘the Qur’an and the West’ for ‘Some Minding Between’ the original, defining text of Islam and the current pre-possessions of Western thought and culture. This can readily bring into focus themes that prejudice and enmity would never identify.
Profound common issues are evident on every hand—meaning via language, the authority of ‘text’, the role of ‘reading’, the sanctions of truth, the moral nature of power, the use and abuse of science. What of this sacramental earth in human custody, the discipline of technology and the pride of nations on a single planet? How do we understand and pursue this moral tenancy of time and place? What ought ritualised faith to mean in relevance to contemporary life? How might divergent ‘establishments’ ‘do justly, love mercy and walk humbly’?

Kenneth Cragg has served as both scholar and bishop in the lands of the Middle East and also held academic posts in the UK, Lebanon, Nigeria and the USA.

He is the author of many studies in contemporary relations between the Semitic faiths. He is an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, and an Hon. D.D. of the Universities of Leeds and Toronto and former Bye-Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

Language: English
ISBN:  9781901764437
2006, hardcover, 236 pages; many illustrations, map, 8.5” x 6.0”