Cross & the Crescent

by Jerald F. Dirks

Book Overview

In The Cross and The Crescent, Dr. Dirks, a former ordained minister (deacon) in the United Methodist Church, a graduate of Harvard Divinity School and with a doctorate in clinical psychology, reaches... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1590080025
• ISBN13: 9781590080023
• Release Date: August 2001
• Publisher: Amana Publications
• Length: 260 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Solid research, comprehensive explanations, MUST read!

Dr. Dirks has drawn the lines in history for us to see. This book gathers together the pieces of so many details, and puts them into a narrative that's easy for the reader to understand. If you've ever wondered about Islam, or the divergeng (and very similar) origins of Islam or had questions about how the two religions differ, this is the book for you!I look forward to reading his new book, "Abraham, Friend of God." If it's as comfortably thorough as Cross & the Crescent, I"m sure to be pleased!

Lots of useful information

This book gives a reader lot of useful information, either a christian or a muslim the author gives a indepth information of both religion. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in doing a comparative religion study.

An Excellent Read

Having read this book and taken a class on comparative religion with the books author, I can say that it is truly fascinating book. For me who was baptized and confirmed as Lutheran, I found it amazingly interesting what the christian theologians know and do not tell the laity. The information is easily verifiable by reading the book with a bible in hand, page by page, reference by reference. I was particularly interested in the comparisons between the religions and their similarities and also their differences and what those differences are based on or found in. Especially given that most the time answers are available but the Pastors, Preachers, Deacons, and Reverends will tell you to just have faith. Which to me is a cop out. I have gotten from him a list of books that you can further read, the apocrypha, that shows the true foundation and teachings of the original christianity. For anyone who likes history and religious study, this is an absolutely fascinating and educational read, despite the review from the reader in Colorado who purports to be from Harvard. Even if you don't agree with someones point of view we all can always learn from each other and this is an excellent learning tool for such learning. Does it matter what the Authors religion is?? He doesn't say because it is not the focus, what he teaches in this book is, and it is good.

Precise and well researched

A well written book. The author backed up his points and informed the reader when he was expressing opinion. Sources were explained in terms of origin and reliability. I would definitly recommend this book to anyone looking to answer their questions on the relativity of Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

Excellent book for understanding judeo-christian and islamic

This is the best book I have read so far that gives an honest ,lucid and credible understanding of the evolution of the judeo-christian tradition as well as islamic tradition. There are concise flowcharts that present information graphically and several references . A must read for anyone with an inquisitive mind and a definite challenge to age-old held popular idead. Very insightful into seminary education and knowledge that doesn't percolate to common peoples.