Once we investigate the historical records and conclude that Jesus claimed to be God and rose from the dead, we now have a foundation to say, “What does Jesus teach about the Bible? What does he teach about the Old Testament? Does he intimate anything about the coming New Testament?” From that basis we can have a foundation to believe in the inerrancy and inspiration of Scripture: Because I believe in Jesus, I believe in the Bible, and not the other way around. If we do it the other way around, like Bart Ehrman did, we’re setting ourselves up for failure.
When you’re talking with a non-Christian, understand that they don’t believe the Bible is the Word of God. Come at it from a different angle, a historical angle. That’s what my friend David did with me when I didn’t believe in the Bible, and it ultimately worked.
Let’s look at this question another way. Before the New Testament was written, someone claimed to be a Christian because they believed in the resurrection of Jesus. They were still a Christian, even before they believed anything about the New Testament.
The New Testament doesn’t determine whether or not you’re a Christian. It’s Jesus, and your beliefs about Jesus, that determine whether you’re a Christian.
The New Testament is essential to understand more, to develop your faith, to know Christian doctrine–but it is built on Jesus and what he has done for us, not the other way around. To put the Bible before Jesus would be idolatry.
What are you studying in your doctoral program?
My first master’s degree was through Biola University. I got a degree in Christian apologetics, and my thesis was focused on Islam: What are Muslims and their views today of Jesus?
I got another master's degree at Duke University, this time in religion. My thesis was again on Christianity and Islam. I compared the composition of Mark’s Gospel to the composition of the Quran.
I’m now at Oxford University, and when you get your doctorate at Oxford you often enter a master’s program and then move on to the doctorate. My master’s degree here was on Judaism and Christianity in the Greco-Roman world, so I’ve been studying Judaism very intensively from 200 B.C. through about A.D. 500. I’m also studying Christianity from its inception to A.D. 200, which is about when the church split off from Judaism and we see the beginnings of papal claimants in Rome.
My studies, as I enter the doctorate, will be Mark’s Gospel, looking specifically at the end of Mark’s Gospel. How do we explain the ending? Most scholars these days are convinced that verses 9 through 20 of chapter 16 of Mark are not original to the text. They're not in the earliest manuscripts. They were added in later.
I think there is a hidden treasure here at Mark 16:8, one that could significantly change the way we see Mark’s Gospel. I’m hoping to suggest something brand new, and we’ll see how the Lord leads and what He does. Please pray for me, and for the work to impact scholarship the way I think it has the potential to do!
What do you see coming in the future as Muslim-Christian relations seem to be getting worse?
I’m not sure Muslim-Christian relations are getting worse. I think they might actually be getting better, especially with all the immigrants, such as my parents, who have come into Western nations, Christian nations.
If you look at the trajectory of Islamic and Christian history, Islam, which began in A.D. 610, has been at war with Christianity since its inception. Muhammad himself tried to fight Byzantine Christians, and shortly after he died his companions—specifically Amr ibn al-‘As—went into Egypt and started conquering Christians there. That conflict continued through the Crusades and all the way into modern times. Some would even say the fight continues today. Over the history of Islam, Muslims have been divided from Christians. Of course there have been times of good friendship between some Christians and some Muslims, but it’s been tense for centuries.
In the past hundred years or so, because the world has grown smaller through various technologies such as the airplane and television, Muslims and Christians are beginning to interact much more than ever before.
I think relations are getting a lot better. You do have some elements like ISIS, and ISIS is not a small group by any means: Estimates vary from 20,000 to 200,000 fighters in ISIS, though a probable number is between 50,000 and 80,000. That’s significant, but that should not take all of our attention. We should look at the significant number of Muslims who are coming to Christ, tremendous numbers. Millions, even. More Christians have come out of Islam in the past 14 years than in the past 1,400 combined.
I think Muslim-Christian relations have been improving, and this is a great time of exodus out of Islam for Muslims. It's a very hopeful time for those of us who want to make Muslim friends and share the gospel with them. Quite often they are very beautiful people from beautiful cultures. I can’t wait to see heaven filled to the brim with people who have been born in a Muslim context but who ultimately gave their lives to Christ.
Bonus Videos
Watch Nabeel Qureshi answer important questions about Christianity and Islam.
You’ll need an Internet connection to watch these videos.
Use password Nabeel to gain access to the videos. This password is case sensitive, so make sure “N” is upper-case, and “abeel” is lower-case.
What is the difference between jihad and the Crusades?
Watch here: http://zondervan.com/nabeel-video-jihad-and-crusades
Is Islam a religion of peace?
Watch here: http://zondervan.com/nabeel-video-islam-and-peace
Don’t Islam and Christianity teach the same thing?
Watch here: http://zondervan.com/nabeel-video-differences-between-faiths
Are Allah and the God of Christianity the same?
Watch here: http://zondervan.com/nabeel-video-allah-and-christian-god
No God but One: Allah or Jesus?: A Former Muslim Investigates the Evidence for Islam and Christianity Page 30
