The Jihad of Jesus

Publisher Description

We are caught up in the cycle of so-called ""holy wars."" In The Jihad Of Jesus, Dave Andrews argues that while this inter-communal conflict is endemic, it is not inevitable. Depending on our understanding, our religions can be either a source of escalating conflict or a resource for overcoming inter-communal conflict; and for our religions to be a resource for overcoming conflict, we need to understand the heart of all true religion as open-hearted compassionate spirituality. In the light of an open-hearted compassionate spirituality, we can reclaim the word ""jihad"" from extremists who have (mis)appropriated it as a call to ""holy war,"" and reframe it, in truly Qur'anic terms, as a ""sacred nonviolent struggle for justice""; and we can reconsider Jesus, as he is in the Gospels, not as a poster boy for Christians fighting crusades against Muslims, but as ""a strong-but-gentle Messianic figure"" who can bring Christians and Muslims together. As this book shows, many Christians and Muslims have found Isa (Jesus) and the Bismillah (celebrating the mercy, grace, and compassion of God) as common ground upon which they can stand and work for the common good. The Jihad of Jesus is a handbook for reconciliation and action: a do-it-yourself guide for all Christians and Muslims who want to move beyond the ""clash of civilizations,"" join the jihad of Jesus, and struggle for justice and peace nonviolently side by side. FOR BACK COVER: ""Dave Andrews [is] one of the leading prophetic voices of our time."" --Mike Riddell, Pastor, Activist, Author ""Things I [have been] thinking, but had been afraid to say out loud, Dave [has been] saying boldly... . He speaks to my soul in a way that nobody else does."" --Brian McLaren, Pastor, Activist, and Author ""Dave's reflections demonstrate that Muslims and Christians have much to teach to and learn from each other ... ."" --Halim Rane, Griffith Islamic Studies Research Unit, Brisbane, Australia ""There is no doubt in my heart that the best way of building bridges of understanding is through respectful dialogue... . Dave's approach will surely help us get closer to this noble end."" --Mohamad Abdalla, Griffith Islamic Research Unit, Brisbane, Australia ""I encourage all who are seeking to follow Jesus beyond the bounds of institutional 'Christianity' to read and discuss this important book."" --Wes Howard-Brook, Seattle University FOR INSIDE OF BOOK: 'Dave Andrews (is) one of the leading prophetic voices of our time.' Mike Riddell - Prominent Christian Pastor, Activist and Author of Godzone and Sacred Journey - Spiritual Wisdom for Times of Transition. 'Things I (have been) thinking, but had been afraid to say out loud, Dave (has been) saying boldly. Ideas I (have been) tentatively considering, he has already been living for years. I've seen the beautiful things he has been doing in a particularly challenging neighborhood. You'll see in Dave's writings that he is highly knowledgeable, not only from an academic standpoint, but also from a grass-roots, experiential level. His writing on these subjects grows from what he has done on the ground. He speaks to my soul in a way that nobody else does.' Brian McLaren - Prominent Christian Pastor, Activist and Author of Why did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road? 'Dave Andrews is a man whose life reflects consciousness of God. His personal piety, kindnesses to others and service to the needy are manifestations of Dave's God-consciousness. Dave's reflections demonstrate that Muslims and Christians have much to teach to and learn from each other in respect to navigating a path towards God and living according to God's will.' Dr. Halim Rane - Associate Professor, Griffith University, and Deputy Director, Griffith Islamic Studies Research Unit (GIRU), Brisbane, Australia. 'Dave Andrews speaks and writes as a committed Christian actively engaged in the lives of people of all faith traditions, especially those marginalized by