Discussing the Bible and the Qur'an in one breath will surprise some Jews, Christians, and Muslims. But Anton Wessels argues that all three traditions must read the Scriptures together and not againsteach other. As his book title suggests, the three books, in the end, are actually one tale. Wessels accepts Muhammad as a prophet and takes the Qur'an seriously as Holy Scripture along with the Old and New Testaments -- without giving up his own Christian convictions. Respectfully reading the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qur'an together, he argues, is of crucial importance: our world often sees these religious books as the cause of conflicts rather than the solution to them.

Abraham, the father of all believers, plays host to three strangers, one of whom is God, and thus sets an example for others to follow. Jews, Christians, and Muslims often treat each other as strangers. Their Holy Books are not the cause of their conflicts and enmity but rather show the way to solve them. They tell a common story of the lifelong journey of the human being to the promised city, the promised land, and the promised world where justice and righteousness reign.

Vincent van Gogh believed that one had to learn to read, just as one had to learn to see and learn to live. Van Gogh conveyed a message in his work about the path that he himself followed that was "more true to life," the path that human beings walk in their turbulent existence, the pilgrimage along the various stages of the road of life. He does not speak about the meaning of life but about the true art of living. It is fascinating to see and read the moving way in which he wrestled with the deep human questions of the whence, why, and whither of life. He did not see himself doing this on his own but acknowledged kindred spirits and allies in preachers, preacher-poets, painters, writers, and other artists who also attempted to find their own way through life in a similar fashion. Van Gogh was aware, like no other, of his duty and task in life: his vocation as human being and artist. That means that he was well acquainted with loneliness, fear, and despair, including suicidal tendencies. Nevertheless, he understood himself as cut out for faith, rather than resignation. Human beings follow their life's path, through storms and dangers, on land and on sea, where the "star of the sea" (the Virgin Mary) helps them and provides light. Van Gogh rejected the unhealthy, sickly forms of religion, electing instead to embrace authentic forms of piety.

We often hear that we are living in apocalyptic times. Wars like those in the Middle East are just more signs that the end is near. That, however, is a misunderstanding of the message of the Bible and the Qur'an. The basic meaning of "apocalypse" is disclosure, revelation, bringing to light what is happening now and what has happened throughout all of history. The "apocalypse" is not about making predictions about the future but about determining who bears responsibility for injustice in the world. In that sense, all times--including ours--are "apocalyptic," though in a different way than what is usually thought. Since the devastating Greek conquest of the world by Alexander the Great, there have been apocalyptic insights and "revelatory" readings of the whole Hebrew Bible. The same is true of the New Testament with "Rome" as the world power then. The same apocalyptic message is confirmed by the Qur'an when the Byzantines and the Persians fought for mastery of the world. The apocalyptic message is that God will put an end to the unjust dominion of violence, money, and lies. God's kingdom will certainly arrive, but not through violence--after all, there "is no violence in God" (Diognetus).

Jesus has been depicted in many different ways all over the world. But has he been betrayed as well as portrayed? That is the question this book sets out to answer. Antdn Wessels begins by reminding us of the changing portraits of Jesus in European art down the ages, from the youthful shepherd through the conquering emperor to the suffering and dying Christ. Later chapters range further afield. We meet Jewish perspectives on Jesus and Christian perspectives on Jesus, and then see the oppressive way in which Christ was introduced to the Indians of the New World, a way which is contrasted with the more modern approach of the liberation theologians. We are introduced to black Asian and Asiatic perceptions of Christ, and the way in which Jesus is brought into relationship with Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism. How true and trustworthy are our images of Christ? Are they legitimate, or are they distortions to serve the not-soprivate agendas of those who present them? By the end of the book, the reader is left with a good deal of food for thought.

Beschrijving - De geschiedenis van joden, christenen en moslims als één verhaal - Actueel, verzoenend en gefundeerd betoog - Aparte aandacht voor geweld en vrouwenrechten in Bijbel en Koran Dickens analyseerde de Franse revolutie als A Tale of Two Cities. Ook de geschiedenissen in Bijbel en Koran zijn zo te beschouwen: de stad van onrecht (Babel/Mekka) tegenover de stad van vrede en gerechtigheid (Jeruzalem/Medina). Wat zegt dat verhaal over onze huidige steden? Spannend is dat het nieuwe Jeruzalem trekken zal dragen van Babel.

In ’t Is een vreemdeling zeker gaat oud-hoogleraar Godsdienstwetenschap Anton Wessels op zoek naar overeenkomsten in Jodendom, Christendom en Islam. Vaak wordt door aanhangers van de drie religies vreemd en soms zelfs vijandig naar elkaar gekeken. Maar als men elkaars taal werkelijk leert verstaan, komt er oog voor wat verbindt. Anton Wessels schreef eerder Thora, Evangelie en Koran dat vertaald werd in het Engels en het Arabisch.