The Bible : An Islamic Perspective : Introduction to the New Testament (Dr. Jay R. Crook)
Description
ISBN: 9781567447453
Author: Dr. Jay R. Crook
Publisher: ABC International Group Inc. (2005)
Pages: 210 Binding: Paperback
Description from the publisher:
Introduction to the New Testament provides the historical background, social context, and other relevant information for the volumes of The Bible: An Islamic Perspective series about the stories of the New Testament. After a survey of the sources and nature of Islamic traditions about these stories, from the time of the Prophet and the Quran to the Middle Ages (represented by the Commentary of Surabadi), we next turn to Palestine in New Testament times and the complex societal situation of the Jews under Roman occupation. We then explore the history of the canon and text of the New Testament and consider its authenticity as a source for the life and teachings of Jesus. We also review extra-Biblical writings such as the Gospel of Barnabas, the works of Josephus, and the references of Jesus and Christians in early Graeco-Roman, Jewish, and Patristic writings for their testimony. This volume provides the foundation for the examination of the individual stories in the other New Testament volumes, but may stand on its own as short survey of early Islam and the New Testament.
About the Author --
Jay R. Crook (Md. Nur) was born in upstate New York, the second son of a clergman, but spent his formative years in the New York metropolitan area. A chance acquaitance awakened his interest in Islamic culture and civilization, and he soon embraced Islam. After completing his military service and saving some money, he traveled to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to study for a few years. He wound up spending most of his working life in the Middle East, especially in Iran and Saudi Arabia. Hired by the Peace Corps as a field representative, he finished in 1971 as Deputy Director in the Iran program. He then enrolled in the Doctoral Program of Persian Literature for Foreigners at Tehran University and received his Ph.D. in 1978. His doctoral thesis was A Comparison of the Quranic Stories of Surabadi With the Bible. Much revised and expanded, it has become the core of The New Testament: an Islamic Perspective and its companion volume The Old Testament: an Islamic Perspective. Subsequent to leaving Iran in 1980, he worked as an English teacher in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia before retiring in 1997. He now resides in the American Southwest and has translated several books from Persian into English, including Kashifi’s The Royal Book of Spiritual Chivalry and Ghazzali’s The Alchemy of Happiness.
