I think the Muslim-Christian Research Group did a wonderful job articulating the challenge of navigating truth in the Qur’an from a Christian perspective. However, I am left with a few questions that I still don’t know what to do with.
First, the MCRG discusses the Qur’an as containing a Word of God but clearly stopping short of saying that it is the Word of God. Perhaps many Christians might already be up in arms at the first assertion, but the Qur’an contains truth about the One, true God. Furthermore, starting on pg. 67, the MCRG talks about the Fruitfulness of a Message. I think that it would be historically and theologically ignorant to believe that the Qur’an did not bring people closer to belief in God. This is especially true when one considers the popular paganism of the region–something clearly further away from Gospel than belief in a monotheistic God.
I do not mean to offend anyone in my line of reasoning here; I’m genuinely searching for clarity. The question that I’m still left with though is the role of the Qur’an as a privileged text. As stated before, Christians should affirm that in the Qur’an which coincides with Christianity and should commend the assent to truth (albeit, from the Christian view, limited) that has occurred for millions of people throughout history as a result of it. However, what separates that from another religion’s holy text that brings them closer to the fullness of truth? For example, is it better that one believe in the legitimacy of the Book of Mormon than nothing at all? Yes, I think so; but I’m hesitant to call the Book of Mormon a privileged text too. Where is the line for Christians’ recognition of privileged texts?
Islam & Christian-Muslim Relations, Hamaty 