Paul Meets Muhammad: A Christian-Muslim Debate on the Resurrection

by Michael R. Licona

Other authorsLee Strobel (Foreword)

Paperback, 2006

Status

Available

Genres

Religion & Spirituality

All Topics

Nonfiction

Collection

Bible study, theology

Publication

Baker Books (2006), 176 pages

Description

Imagine if the Apostle Paul were alive to defend the truth of Jesus's resurrection-only to be countered by none other than the prophet Muhammad himself. In an approach as creative as any scholar has taken, Michael R. Licona describes an invention that can make historical figures appear alive and present. Imagining an audience of both Christians and Muslims, Licona crafts a lively debate between Paul and Muhammad, each speaking on and analyzing the validity of the Qur'an, the gospel accounts, and both Christian and Muslim doctrine. Intriguing and entertaining, Paul Meets Muhammad uniquely offers evangelism advice for Christians who want to speak the gospel to Muslim friends and neighbors. This fictional scenario presents a powerful, comprehensive defense of Jesus's resurrection and of Christianity itself.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member thedenathome

An interesting concept. In this case a little more technological as the means of presenting Paul and Muhammads' arguments is as if they are able to be there in person via some new technology but the concept as a whole, to have 2 (or a few) people from history debate one another is not original.

Nonetheless, to have the Apostle Paul interact with Muhammad is valuable. Paul, is on the hot seat as it were to "prove" the resurrection of Jesus. Muhammad has the easier task of presenting an argument to cast doubt on that fact of history. As a Christian, I believe that Paul takes the day as he goes to the writings of others in history to show how the most reasonable, most likely case, is that Jesus did truly die, was buried and was then resurrected and was seen by multiple eyewitnesses. The arguments that Muhammad presents, in my opinion, were nothing more than a rehash of historic Islamic doctrine with suppositions in the place of agreed upon historical facts. His reconstruction of the events of that first Easter weekend are, to my mind, fanciful and unconvincing.
The book itself is well written and well organized in a mock discussion/debate format with a moderator and the 2 debaters. The framework device of the holographic presentation of the 2 primaries is not too obtrusive and only slightly off-putting. Nonetheless, Licona is well placed to present these arguments with his background in theology and history. Possibly the Muslim side of the debate could have been strengthened had a Muslim scholar had more input into the Islamic ways of thinking...although it appears that Licona did make use of a former Muslim's insights. Well worth reading. This book will give you food for thought.

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