Fatwah n. a spiritually instructive opinion, usually given as the answer to a question about religious law.
When asked to name the greatest commandment, Jesus issued a fatwah: “Love God with every fiber of your being and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Living the Questions is proud to introduce our newest DVD series, “The Jesus Fatwah,” a dynamic 5-session program that takes Jesus’ admonition to love our neighbors as we love ourselves seriously — even (and in these tense times, especially) if that neighbor is Muslim.
A “Jesus Fatwah” class at Dayspring United Methodist in Tempe, Arizona had over 120 participants (including the Imam and 15 members of a local mosque) [October 2014]
“The Jesus Fatwah” is an engaging catalyst for conversation about resisting the Islamophobia that is rampant and, in many segments of our society, growing stronger. With nearly 20 Muslim and Christian contributors and a helpful participant guide written by author and pastor, Rev. Ben Daniel (author of The Search for Truth About Islam: A Christian Pastor Separates Fact from Fiction), “The Jesus Fatwah” is a perfect vehicle for educating those unfamiliar with Islam about the basics of the faith and how, as followers of Jesus, we are compelled to reach out in love to our Muslim neighbors. The downloadable participant guide includes discussion questions to maximize your group’s experience.
Help stem the rising tide of Islamophobia with the newest DVD curriculum from Living the Questions!
In Arabic, the word “fatwah” simply means “opinion” and, in a religious context, a fatwah is a spiritually instructive opinion, usually given as the answer to a question about religious law. Jesus was a master of the art of fatwah. His opinions, revered by Christians and Muslims alike, remain among the most beautiful and powerful fatwahs ever issued. Jesus pronounced what is perhaps the most famous of his fatwahs when a lawyer asked him to name the greatest of all the commandments. He said, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
With violence and mayhem on the rise in the Middle East and public opinion of Islam plummeting, this is a critical time in both international affairs and for the day to day lives of Muslims everywhere. Much of what passes for information about Islam is weed-like disinformation rooted in ancient stereotypes and watered by fear — and disseminated by a multi-million dollar industry bent on stoking a growing Islamophobia.In LtQ’s new The Jesus Fatwah series, bothIslamic and Christian scholars offer reliable information about what Muslims believe, how they live out their faith, and how we can build relationships across the lines of faith.
The Jesus Fatwah features seventeen Islamic and Christian scholars, including:
Hans Küng (Islam: Past, Present and Future)
Brian McLaren (Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?)
Eboo Patel (Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim)
Stephen Prothero (God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World–and Why Their Differences Matter)
Feisal Abdul Rauf (What’s Right with Islam Is What’s Right with America)
Along with five half-hour sessions on one DVD disc, a downloadable participant guide and discussion questions are provided to foster both conversation and action. Written by the Rev. Ben Daniel, author of The Search for Truth about Islam: A Christian Pastor Separates Fact from Fiction, the participant guide lays out succinct conversation topics which are then expanded on by the video-based contributors.
In an age of increasing Islamophobia, we believe it’s especially important for Christians to take Jesus seriously and love their neighbors as they love themselves — especially the Muslim ones! The Jesus Fatwah can help you and your faith or discussion group begin the process of discovering who Muslims really are, what they actually believe, and how we can work together in working toward a world at peace.
Be one of the first to receive this important new series by pre-ordering today!
Order NOW through September 30th via the Living the Questions Website to receive our Special Pre-Publication Discount Price of $79.00(plus shipping/handling). Save $20 over the regular price of $99 (plus shipping/ handling). There is no coupon code to enter. Through September 30th, the discounted price will automatically be given at checkout.
Attention International Customers: This product is only available in NTSC format.Please verify that your DVD player can read/play NTSC formatted DVDs prior to ordering.
Mosques in America are being set on fire. Sikhs, mistaken for Muslims, are cut down in their own Temple. Muslim graves desecrated in Chicago. Violence against Muslim-Americans is getting worse and religious leaders remain silent — especially on 9/11. Aysha Hidayatullah says, “One wonders how Muslims could actually flourish and come into their own if they weren’t constantly worried about the scrutiny of people who seem to be watching for any sign that confirms the dominant narrative about Muslims being violent, un-assimilable foreigners.”
Ever since 1660, when Mary Dyer was executed by the Puritans for being a Quaker, the persecution of religious minorities has quietly been tolerated in America. Never mind the irony that the Puritans came to America to escape religious persecution. Evidently, the American ideal of religious freedom only applies if you’re a Christian.
Dr. Aysha Hidayatullah is Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies in the Department of Theology & Religious Studies at the Jesuit University of San Francisco
She teaches undergraduate courses on Islam, gender, race, and ethics. Her research interests include Muslim feminist theology; modern and contemporary exegesis of the Qur’an; representations of women in early Islamic history; Islamic sexual ethics; constructions of femininity and masculinity in various aspects of the Islamic tradition; feminist methodologies in the study of Islam; and the pedagogy of Islamic studies.
“LtQ Clips” offer thought-provoking observations and comments on spirituality and religion from prominent authors, scholars, and thinkers. These excerpts from “Living the Questions” curriculum are designed to spark conversation in questioning the dominant pop theology of American Christianity.
Pastors David Felten and Jeff Procter-Murphy, along with the voices of top Bible scholars and church leaders—including Marcus Borg, Diana Butler Bass, John Dominic Crossan, Helen Prejean, and John Shelby Spong—provide a primer to a church movement that encourages every Christian to “live the questions” instead of “forcing the answers.”
Based on the bestselling DVD course, "Living the Questions: The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity" tackles issues of faith, dogma, and controversial subjects that many churches are afraid to address. "Living the Questions" is the most comprehensive survey of progressive Christianity in existence today.
Available at www.livingthequestions.com, through online booksellers, and as a Kindle download!
“A welcome book that is bold (without being contentious) and courageous (without needing to be triumphant), Felten and Procter-Murphy give voice to a faith that provides a profound alternative to the dominant ideology of ‘American Christianity.’ Attention should be paid!”
— WALTER BRUEGGEMANN, PROFESSOR EMERITUS, COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
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