The Impulse of Freedom in Islam

John van Schaik, Christine Gruwez and Cilia ter Horst; Translated by Philip Mees

Availability:
Out of print

Quick Look

  • A collection of essays discussing various aspects of the tension between freedom and predestination in Islam
  • Examines the issue from the perspective of Rudolf Steiner’s work
  • A rare opportunity to examine a frequently misunderstood aspect of one of the world’s fastest growing religions

This collection of essays on the tension between freedom and predestination in Islam inspired by Steiner's work offers interested non-Muslims a rare opportunity to examine a frequently misunderstood aspect of one of the world's fastest growing religions.

Format:
paperback
Size:
234 x 156 mm
Publisher:
Lindisfarne Books
Subject:
Religion & Spirituality
Extent:
192 pages
ISBN:
9781584201632
Publication date:
30 Apr 2014

Description

The word Islam means 'surrender to God', a difficult concept in our secular Western culture. Among other things, it indicates dependence and predestination. Allah calls on human beings to surrender in freedom to their God (Sura 96). Allah is merciful and forgiving; at the same time, however, Allah is the all-seeing one and the one who humbles. In Islam, free will and predestination have an uneasy relationship with each other -- but isn't this true for every religion?

In this collection of essays, three authors discuss various aspects of the tension between freedom and predestination in Islam from the perspective of Rudolf Steiner's work. They throw sometimes surprising light on the freedom impulse of Islam.

This timely book offers interested non-Muslims a rare opportunity to examine a frequently misunderstood aspect of one of the world's fastest growing religions.

Author

John van Schaik studied medieval mysticism and gnosticism at the University of Utrecht and the University of Antwerp, specializing in the relationship between esoteric Christianity and the established Church. He did his PhD at the Catholic University of Nijmegen. He is a co-founder and Director of the Origenes Institute in the Netherlands. He is the author of Why Jesus Didn't Marry Mary Magdalene (Floris Books 2006).

Christine Gruwez taught at the Waldorf School in Antwerp for a decade, and now teaches at Emerson College, at the Goetheanum and in Japan.

Cilia ter Horst studied religion and Arabic at the University of Amsterdam, with a dissertation on 'Freedom in Islam'. She teaches philosophy.

Links

This book is available in the US from Steiner Books.

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