'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.' (Matt. 28: 19,20). The words of Christ's Great Commission are simple, but the Christian responses have been marked by their extraordinary diversity. For all the souls that have been 'saved,' many lives have been lost. So what is Christian mission? How did it start out, and what can it bring to our pluralistic modern society and culture? Michael Nazir-Ali's book offers both a history and a theology. It tells the story of mission in each of the major churches--Oriental, Eastern, and Western--before considering the practice of mission in a variety of contemporary contexts. With a third section identifying ways in which mission can be expressed--by Presence, Identification, Dialogue, Action, Evangelization, and Unity--From Everywhere to Everywhere is essential reading for all those who seek a truly global understanding of the Christian faith.

In 1932, the eminent British scholar of Islam, Sir Hamilton Gibb, wrote: "The nobility and broad tolerance of this religion [Islam], which accepted all the real religions of the world as God-inspired, will always be a glorious heritage for mankind. No other society has such a record of success in uniting, in an equality of status, of opportunity, and of endeavor, so many and so various races of humanity." (Whither Islam?) Such scholarly objectivity towards the tolerance which has historically characterized the Islamic tradition as a whole is in short supply these days. Through an insidious symbiosis of fanatical Muslims and prejudiced Islamophobes, the very opposite image of Islam has emerged as one of the most dangerous stereotypes of our times. The most cursory glance at history will not only reveal the falsity of this stereotype of an intolerant Islam, it will also reveal the little known fact that, not so long ago, it was the Islamic world that provided models of tolerant conduct for a fanatically intolerant Christian world tearing itself apart over dogmatic differences. The first part of this monograph examines the historical record of tolerance in the Islamic tradition, illustrating the expression of the principle of tolerance through the rule of such dynasties as the Ottomans, Mughals, Fatimids, and the Umayyads of Spain. In the second, the principle of tolerance is shown to be rooted in the spirit of the Qur'anic revelation and embodied in the exemplary conduct of the Prophet.

Encompassing a wide range of topics--from the timely (health care and business ethics) to the traditional (atonement, suffering and the kingdom of God)—this work features an easy-to-use reference system and eighteen articles that introduce readers to key themes in moral, pastoral and practical theology. Edited by David J. Atkinson and David F. Field with consulting editors Arthur Holmes and Oliver O'Donovan.

The authors whose articles are included in this book reveal conviction and commitment to witnessing to the gospel in their respective contexts. Their writings show action-based reflections and provide variety and panorama. - p. v.