Do We Worship the Same God? Comparing the Bible and the Qur’an by George Dardess (St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2006) addresses a very timely topic in our post-9/11 world. Deacon George Dardess completed research on the Qur’an while studying at an Islamic center where he lives. His book is a great introduction into the comparison of the books and of Islam. Though his target audience is Catholic-Christians who want to begin learning or even dialoguing on whether we worship the same God, other Christians may also benefit from this book. Do We Worship the Same God? features questions appropriate for discussion groups or for individual study, exploring basic Christian beliefs from the Bible.
Dardess begins by posing the question, “Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?” To answer the question, he quotes Vatican II documents, Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church) and Nostra Aetate (Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions). Based on these documents, one discerns that according to Catholics, we do worship the same God, but there is a difference in what we believe about God.
Deacon Dardess uses the New Revised Standard Bible and his own translation of the Qur’an in this comparison. The book is divided into two parts. The first two chapters includes an introduction to Islam and Mohammed and an introduction to the Qur’an. The “official” Qur’an is written in Arabic, though many translations which have been made from it. Dardess points out that the Bible has several versions and translations. The Bible was written under God’s inspiration by various people and over a long period of time. The Qur’an on the other hand was written by the Prophet Mohammed. What he wrote was the message he received over the course of 22 years. In the Bible, there are many books or letters while in the Qur’an it is only one book with many chapters called Suras. Some of what Dardess presents from the Qur’an look very much like Biblical texts.
In part two, Dardess compares the Bible with the Qur’an by introducing a topic then comparing what Christians believe and what Muslims believe about it, including quotes from the Bible and then from the Qur’an. After that he provides discussion questions and commentary. The topics he compares answer, “What do we each believe about…” the following:
• God’s creation of the universe?
• God’s creation of human beings?
• Satan?
• Adam and Eve in the Garden?
• The Annunciation of Mary?
• The birth of Jesus?
• The Crucifixion and Resurrection?
• Jesus’ relation to God?
• The Holy Spirit?
• Prayer?
• Human blessedness?
• The greater jihad?
• The lesser jihad?
• The judgment?
• Heaven and hell?
• God?
This book is a great way to start to learn about Islam on one’s own or in a group. Today’s Christians need to have a better understanding of what Muslims believe and what the Bible says on topics that are addressed in the Qur’an. This book belongs in public, academic, and individual’s libraries.
Deacon George Dardess serves in the Diocese of Rochester, New York. He is the author of Meeting Islam: A Guide for Christians (2005) and co-authored Divine Inspiration (1997). He is a member of both the Muslim-Catholic Alliance and the Commission on Muslim-Christian Relations in Rochester. He gives retreats, lectures, and courses on Islam throughout the United States.
Br. Benet Exton, O.S.B., writes from St. Gregory’s University, Shawnee, Oklahoma.
