I was at a seminar presentation at Heythrop College this week by Revd Dr David Marshall on the work of the renowned German Jesuit scholar of Islam, Christian Troll. David was my supervisor for the Masters thesis I completed, has been chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury and taken a leading role in the Building Bridges dialogue programme set up by Lambeth Palace. He's a wonderfully astute and precise academic and it was wonderful hearing him give an overview of someone who has been a mentor to him on Christian-Muslim relations.
Christian Troll worked on a structure of Christian-Muslim dialogue that takes seriously the similarities and differences of the respective faiths; always engaging respectfully and seeking to get behind the reasons for the questions we bring to each other. This method was published in the book "Muslims Ask, Christians Answer", which David translated from the German and is available to download here. It was a reminder of what an invaluable resource this tool is in bringing deeper understanding. I will provide a permanent link to this resource on my blog as it also provides ongoing questions from Christians and Muslims which Christian Troll continues to respond to. The site is a fascinating window into the bemusement that Christian theology and belief often provokes in Muslims, and in Christian Troll's accessible and authoritative style you have a world class Catholic scholar sensitively walking through some of the foundations of, for example, Trinitarian beliefs.
Take a look at the site and let me know what you think. I have to go along with Christian Troll's view that peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims demands this kind of constructive and respectful interaction; an interaction that braves the difference and the proclamatory claims of our respective faiths rather than diminishes them.
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