Jesus of Arabia: Christ through Middle Eastern Eyes

by Andrew Thompson Senior Chaplain, St. Andrew's Anglican Church, Abu Dhabi

Overview

In Jesus of Arabia, the Reverend Canon Andrew Thompson introduces an unfamiliar Jesus—Jesus in the context of his home in the Middle East. Whether readers believe Jesus to be a prophet or the messiah, Thompson enhances our understanding of his work and character by looking at his social context as a man and Middle Easterner. Jesus’s teachings take on new meaning as Thompson explores themes including family in Arabia, gender roles in the region, food culture, and more.

Jesus of Arabia looks at the bridges between Islam and Christianity through the figure of Jesus and how the two communities may reflect each other despite their differences. Thompson draws on his experience as a priest in the Anglican Church and his many years living in the Middle East to analyze the often conflicting roles and loyalties concerning family, culture, and God. A timely and incisive work, Jesus of Arabia invites us to consider contemporary views of the Middle East and how a figure like Jesus might be received today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538109458
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	01/26/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	958,312
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

The Reverend Canon Andrew Thompson MBE is senior chaplain of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Abu Dhabi. He has served the church in the United Kingdom and throughout the Middle East and the Gulf. Previously a youth worker, he was featured recently in the documentary One on Christian-Muslim dialogue shown at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival. He was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for services to human rights and interfaith dialogue. He is a Canon of Bahrain Cathedral in the Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Foreword

Introduction

Section 1 – Family, Tribe & Possessions
Camel
Majlis
Wedding

Section 2 – Religion
Fast
Pearl
Feet

Section 3 - Women
Scent
Water
Hospitality

Section 4 – Poet & Story Teller
Shepherd
Bread
Run

Conclusion

Section 5 – The Elephant in the Room
Appendix A Corruption of Scriptures?
Appendix B Muslim Understanding of the Crucifixion
Appendix C The Identity of Jesus
Appendix D The Bible and Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula

Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

01/08/2018
Thompson, an Anglican priest living in Abu Dhabi, draws on over 20 years working in the Middle East to de-Westernize Gospel stories in this accessible book of clarifications. Intrigued by aspects of Gulf Arab culture that reminded him of the world portrayed in the New Testament, Thompson decided to dig into the ways Gospel stories have been distorted over time and across cultures: “I want to retrieve the Jesus of history who through accident of modern imperialism and colonialism has become infused with a Western identity.” Thompson weaves together reflections on such topics as camels, seating dilemmas in the majlis (meeting room), the dangers of ancient pearl diving, and the differences between English and Middle Eastern sheepherding. Acknowledging frankly the speculative quality of this cross-cultural approach, Thompson also provides suggestions for future exploration and encourages efforts towards Muslim-Christian religious dialogue. Thompson’s gentle, earnest faith is evident throughout, as are his respect for the Muslim religion and his love for the Gulf region and its peoples. Though this impressionistic, wide-ranging account contains some vague premises and poorly expressed arguments, it offers engaging perspectives on Gospel stories that are rarely considered by Western readers. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

In his book Andrew Thompson helps Muslims and Christians understand the Middle Eastern heritage of Jesus. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking to grasp the words of Jesus as they applied to his day, and now apply to ours.

Pastor Jim Burgess

The Reverend Canon Andrew Thompson, from his varied and always reflective experience in the lands of the Gulf and the Arabian peninsula, makes a thought-provoking contribution to Christian–Muslim friendship and understanding.

The Right Reverend Michael Lewis

.. . .I would like to propose that Thomson’s work is a stimulating reflection available to those readers who are interested in interfaith dialogues between the monotheistic religions. Moreover, the book is highly recommended to all who are interested in religious topics.

Andrews University Seminary Studies

Thompson’s treatise is so ingratiating that anyone seeking to understand Jesus better may cherish it.

Booklist

Andrew Thompson brings a wealth of experience and insight to this contemporary and engaging contribution to the dialogue between Christianity and Islam. He writes with integrity as someone with a commitment to all the peoples of Arabia: honest about the challenges, but hopeful about the bridges that can be built and the discovery of common ground that can lead to mutual flourishing. Thompson provides lively and incisive analysis as a critical friend and commentator respected by Christians and Muslims alike.

Mark Poulson

Jesus of Arabia is one of those rare books that has both a theological depth and an inviting accessibility. Thompson has written a gem about the Jesus most of us in the West never meet—the real one. A brown-skinned, short, Middle Eastern man. I highly recommend both this book and its author.

Carl Medearis

Thompson’s treatise is so ingratiating that anyone seeking to understand Jesus better may cherish it.

Booklist