Building Bridges Seminar

A record of the 2015 Building Bridges Seminar for leading Christian and Muslim scholars, this collection of essays explores the nature of divine and human agency through themes of creation's goal, humankind's dignity and task, and notions of sovereignty. Part I sets the context for the book with "Human Action within Divine Creation: A Muslim Perspective" by Mohsen Kadivar of Duke University and "On the Possibility of Holy Living: A Christian Perspective" by Lucy Gardner of Oxford University. The rest of the book includes paired essays—one from a Muslim perspective, one from a Christian perspective—that introduce scriptural material with commentary to aid readers in conducting dialogical study. In her conclusion, coeditor Lucinda Mosher digests the illuminating small-group conversations that lie at the heart of the Building Bridges initiative, conversations that convey a vivid sense of the lively, penetrating, but respectful dialogue for which the project is known. 

download | PDF of the book (provided by Georgetown University Press)

Table of Contents

Part I: Overviews

• Human Action within Divine Creation: A Muslim Perspective | Mohsen Kadivar
• On the Possibility of Holy Living: A Christian Perspective | Lucy Gardner

Part II: God's Creation and Its Goal

• God’s Creation and Its Goal: A Muslim Perspective | Sohaira Zahid Siddiqui
• God’s Creation and Its Goal: A Christian Perspective | Richard Bauckham
• Scripture Dialogue 1: God’s Creation and Its Goal | Passages from the Qur'an; Passages from the Bible

Part III: The Dignity and Task of Humankind within God's Creation

• Creativity, Covenant, and Christ | Brandon Gallaher
• To Be Khalīfa: The Human Vocation in Relation to Nature and Community | Maria Massi Dakake
• Scripture Dialogue 2: The Dignity and Task of Humankind within God’s Creation | Passages from the Bible; Passages from the Qur'an

Part IV: Human Action within the Sovereignty of God

• Human Freedom and Divine Sovereignty: Muslim Perspectives | Feras Q. Hamza
• Human Action within the Sovereignty of God: Christian Perspectives | Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen
• Scripture Dialogue 3: Human Action within the Sovereignty of God | Passages from the Qur'an; Passages from the Bible

Part V: Reflection

• Discussion in Doha: Listening in on the Building Bridges Process | Lucinda Mosher