BIOGRAPHY and SOME Book Descriptions
BIOGRAPHY
Three Books, Two Cities, One Tale
The Grand Finale
Educated in the terrain of theology and science of religion at the Free University Amsterdam, The Universities of Utrecht, Leiden and Cairo, Egypt. PhD thesis on the image of Mohammed in Modern Arabic Literature (1972). Associate Professor from 1971-1978 for the relation between Islam and Christianity at the Near East School of Theology (
Educated in the terrain of theology and science of religion at the Free University Amsterdam, The Universities of Utrecht, Leiden and Cairo, Egypt. PhD thesis on the image of Mohammed in Modern Arabic Literature (1972). Associate Professor from 1971-1978 for the relation between Islam and Christianity at the Near East School of Theology (NEST), Beirut Libanon. From 1978-2003, professor at the Theology Faculty of the Free University of Amsterdam in the field of relations between cultures - including non-western - in the field of science of religion, Islam-scholar.
The Grand Finale
Three Books, Two Cities, One Tale
The Grand Finale
We often hear that we are living in apocalyptic times. Wars like those in the Middle East are just more signs that the end is near. That, however, is a misunderstanding of the message of the Bible and the Qur'an. The basic meaning of "apocalypse" is disclosure, revelation, bringing to light what is happening now and what has happened
We often hear that we are living in apocalyptic times. Wars like those in the Middle East are just more signs that the end is near. That, however, is a misunderstanding of the message of the Bible and the Qur'an. The basic meaning of "apocalypse" is disclosure, revelation, bringing to light what is happening now and what has happened throughout all of history.
The "apocalypse" is not about making predictions about the future but about determining who bears responsibility for injustice in the world. In that sense, all times--including ours--are "apocalyptic," though in a different way than what is usually thought.
Since the devastating Greek conquest of the world by Alexander the Great, there have been apocalyptic insights and "revelatory" readings of the whole Hebrew Bible. The same is true of the New Testament with "Rome" as the world power then. The same apocalyptic message is confirmed by the Qur'an when the Byzantines and the Persians fought for mastery of the world.
The apocalyptic message is that God will put an end to the unjust dominion of violence, money, and lies.
God's kingdom will certainly arrive, but not through violence--after all, there "is no violence in God" (Diognetus).
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A Stranger is Calling
Three Books, Two Cities, One Tale
Three Books, Two Cities, One Tale
Abraham, the father of all believers, plays host to three strangers, one of whom is God, and thus sets an example for others to follow.
Jews, Christians, and Muslims often treat each other as strangers. Their Holy Books are not the cause of their conflicts and enmity but rather show the way to solve them. They tell a common story of
Abraham, the father of all believers, plays host to three strangers, one of whom is God, and thus sets an example for others to follow.
Jews, Christians, and Muslims often treat each other as strangers. Their Holy Books are not the cause of their conflicts and enmity but rather show the way to solve them. They tell a common story of the lifelong journey of the human being to the promised city, the promised land, and the promised world where justice and righteousness reign.
Praise for A Stranger is Calling:
"Relying on rich references to poetry, prose, and art, Wessels probes the age-old and sacred practice of hospitality to strangers. Centering his analysis on the famous Genesis story of Abraham who entertained three strangers, Wessels' indirect message is that we are at risk of incurring great losses when ignoring the stranger. Students of inter-religious encounters, from college courses to meetings in churches, synagogues, and mosques, will greatly benefit from the erudite and in-depth information this book provides."
--Nelly van Doorn-Harder, Wake Forest University
"A Stranger is Calling . . . is by far [Anton's] richest and most ambitious text yet. It weaves a very colorful and rich tapestry of multivalent and diverse traditions. Only an erudite and critical scholar like Anton could have brought such seemingly disparate elements together in such a brilliant and enlightening way. This coherent tour de force invites us to reevaluate our perspectives on truth, history, revelation, and even the divine."
-- Charles Amjad-Ali, from the foreword
Three Books, Two Cities, One Tale
Three Books, Two Cities, One Tale
Three Books, Two Cities, One Tale
Discussing the Bible and the Qur'an in one breath will surprise some Jews, Christians, and Muslims. But Anton Wessels argues that all three traditions must read the Scriptures together and not against each other. As his book title suggests, the three books, in the end, are actually one tale.
Wessels accepts Muhammad as a prophet and ta
Discussing the Bible and the Qur'an in one breath will surprise some Jews, Christians, and Muslims. But Anton Wessels argues that all three traditions must read the Scriptures together and not against each other. As his book title suggests, the three books, in the end, are actually one tale.
Wessels accepts Muhammad as a prophet and takes the Qur'an seriously as Holy Scripture along with the Old and New Testaments -- without giving up his own Christian convictions. Respectfully reading the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qur'an together, he argues, is of crucial importance: our world often sees these religious books as the cause of conflicts rather than the solution to them
Van Gogh and the Art of Living
Muslims & the West. Can they be integrated?
Van Gogh and the Art of Living
Vincent van Gogh believed that one had to learn to read, just as one had to learn to see and learn to live. Van Gogh conveyed a message in his work about the path that he himself followed that was "more true to life," the path that human beings walk in their turbulent existence, the pilgrimage along the various stages of the road of l
Vincent van Gogh believed that one had to learn to read, just as one had to learn to see and learn to live. Van Gogh conveyed a message in his work about the path that he himself followed that was "more true to life," the path that human beings walk in their turbulent existence, the pilgrimage along the various stages of the road of life. He does not speak about the meaning of life but about the true art of living. It is fascinating to see and read the moving way in which he wrestled with the deep human questions of the whence, why, and whither of life. He did not see himself doing this on his own but acknowledged kindred spirits and allies in preachers, preacher-poets, painters, writers, and other artists who also attempted to find their own way through life in a similar fashion.
Van Gogh was aware, like no other, of his duty and task in life: his vocation as human being and artist. That means that he was well acquainted with loneliness, fear, and despair, including suicidal tendencies. Nevertheless, he understood himself as cut out for faith, rather than resignation. Human beings follow their life's path, through storms and dangers, on land and on sea, where the "star of the sea" (the Virgin Mary) helps them and provides light. Van Gogh rejected the unhealthy, sickly forms of religion, electing instead to embrace authentic forms of piety.
A Kind of Bible
Muslims & the West. Can they be integrated?
Van Gogh and the Art of Living
The artist who originally wanted to become a preacher like his father. This book argues that although when he realised his vocation was to become a painter he broke with institutional Christianity, he continued to be an evangelist in his distinctive way.
Islam in Stories
Muslims & the West. Can they be integrated?
Muslims & the West. Can they be integrated?
Islam can be called a 'narrative community': in which stories are told about how people deal with one another and with God; what norms and values they have in their life that can give them guidance in any age and in any new environment; how they can cope with their life and death; and how faith, morality, rules of behaviour can be han
Islam can be called a 'narrative community': in which stories are told about how people deal with one another and with God; what norms and values they have in their life that can give them guidance in any age and in any new environment; how they can cope with their life and death; and how faith, morality, rules of behaviour can be handed on to the following generation. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are all three narrative communities. It is good if they all learn to tell one another stories in order to contribute to mutual understanding. This book begins with 'Negative Stories' since many people in the West primarily think about stories of fanaticism, intolerance and terror. Then the stories around Muhammad's call to prophethood are discussed as well as stories from the Qur'an (in comparison with Biblical one's). The Islamic way (sharia'ah) indicates the way shown to Muslims. 'Stories of Faith' is about what Muslims believe and how faith relates to philosophy. Besides the 'external' way of the law Muslims follow the mystical path dealt with in 'Mystical Stories'. How Muslims relate to Jews and Christians is discussed in the story of a Father who had two sons: Abraham (Ibrahim) and his two sons Ishmael and Isaac. The Jesus of the Muslims is presented in the different stories regarding his life and ministry. In 'Islam in the diaspora' Muslim novelists living in Europe tell about the Muslim identity between different cultures. The book concludes with the story of the common pilgrimage of human kind symbolised in the story of the mysterious 'Green man'.
Muslims & the West. Can they be integrated?
Muslims & the West. Can they be integrated?
Muslims & the West. Can they be integrated?
The question: "Will East and West ever meet?" (Rudyard Kipling) is no longer rhetorical. East and West have met and are trying to live together in our cities. However, living together is accompanied by much tension. Can we talk about a cold war being fought against Islam? Do these conflicts find ground in religious beliefs and is the
The question: "Will East and West ever meet?" (Rudyard Kipling) is no longer rhetorical. East and West have met and are trying to live together in our cities. However, living together is accompanied by much tension. Can we talk about a cold war being fought against Islam? Do these conflicts find ground in religious beliefs and is the Christian West confronting the Muslim East? Will the Third World War be fought between believers and unbelievers? Is islamic anger caused by religious beliefs? Can we find a means to overcome islamophobia on the one hand, the demonization of the West on the other hand? This book tries to tackle these questions by pointing out that precisely the most unique features of cities like Amsterdam originated out of and in fact still do lie in the interaction between different cultures. One can learn from seeing one's own culture through the eyes of foreign artists. A series of portraits of prominent figures show how the model of the prophet Muhammad has been understood and followed in different ways. There is not one uniform islam. There are only different Muslims. Are 'terrorists' driven by the prospects of heavenly reward? Are Church and State separated in Islam? What about modern understandings of the Qur'an? It depends if one listens to the godfathers of 'fundamentalism' or rather to mainstream Islam. This book argues that the enmity between the East and the West is no world wide clash of civilizations and cultures, but primarily grounded in differing economic and political interests. For East and West to really meet one another, it is necessary for both to commit themselves to mutual understanding, respect, and fair relations.
Europe Was It Ever Really Christian?
Images of Jesus. How Jesus Is Perceived and Portrayed in Non-European Cultures
Images of Jesus. How Jesus Is Perceived and Portrayed in Non-European Cultures
The decline of Christian beliefs and Christian practice in modern Europe has often been commented on, and there have been calls for a 're-evangelization' of Europe. But how far has Europe really been Christian? That is the fascinating issue explored in this book. In a historical survey of the Graeco-Roman, Celtic and Germanic backgrou
The decline of Christian beliefs and Christian practice in modern Europe has often been commented on, and there have been calls for a 're-evangelization' of Europe. But how far has Europe really been Christian? That is the fascinating issue explored in this book. In a historical survey of the Graeco-Roman, Celtic and Germanic backgrounds against which the gospel was first preached, Anton Wessels asks how Christianity came to be related to pre-Christian cultures. Were these swept away or just given a new significance? Which elements of them were abolished and which Christianized? Did Christianity prevail only by incorporating much of what had previously existed? These questions are not just asked out of curiosity. What has long fascinated the author is whether an insight into the spread of Christianity through Europe can be of any help in presenting the gospel in today's secularized world. There is much talk of the cinculturation' of the gospel in other cultures: African, Asian and Latin American; but Europe can be no exception here and the inculturation of the gospel in European countries is something of which Europeans should be far more aware. Here is a wealth of fascinating information, from the Graeco-Roman mystery religions through the Arthurian legends to the German festivals. And here is an area of exploration which is likely to prove increasingly important
Images of Jesus. How Jesus Is Perceived and Portrayed in Non-European Cultures
Images of Jesus. How Jesus Is Perceived and Portrayed in Non-European Cultures
Images of Jesus. How Jesus Is Perceived and Portrayed in Non-European Cultures
Jesus has been depicted in many different ways all over the world. But has he been betrayed as well as portrayed? That is the question this book sets out to answer. Antdn Wessels begins by reminding us of the changing portraits of Jesus in European art down the ages, from the youthful shepherd through the conquering emperor to the suffer
Jesus has been depicted in many different ways all over the world. But has he been betrayed as well as portrayed? That is the question this book sets out to answer. Antdn Wessels begins by reminding us of the changing portraits of Jesus in European art down the ages, from the youthful shepherd through the conquering emperor to the suffering and dying Christ. Later chapters range further afield. We meet Jewish perspectives on Jesus and Christian perspectives on Jesus, and then see the oppressive way in which Christ was introduced to the Indians of the New World, a way which is contrasted with the more modern approach of the liberation theologians. We are introduced to black Asian and Asiatic perceptions of Christ, and the way in which Jesus is brought into relationship with Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism. How true and trustworthy are our images of Christ? Are they legitimate, or are they distortions to serve the not-soprivate agendas of those who present them? By the end of the book, the reader is left with a good deal of food for thought.
Understanding the Qur'an
Images of Jesus. How Jesus Is Perceived and Portrayed in Non-European Cultures
Understanding the Qur'an
A clear and comprehensive introduction to the Qur'an. Anton Wessels discusses the problems of translating the Qur'an and the role of the Qur'an in Islam. Chapter-by-chapter he examines the major topics that the Qur'an addresses: Muhammad and revelation, God's power and human responsibility, the Qur'an as a law book. Two final chapters
A clear and comprehensive introduction to the Qur'an. Anton Wessels discusses the problems of translating the Qur'an and the role of the Qur'an in Islam. Chapter-by-chapter he examines the major topics that the Qur'an addresses: Muhammad and revelation, God's power and human responsibility, the Qur'an as a law book. Two final chapters discuss Muslim relations with Jews and Christians, and the ways in which Christians approach the Qur'an.
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Images of Jesus. How Jesus Is Perceived and Portrayed in Non-European Cultures
Understanding the Qur'an
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