Anton Wessels

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).

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.

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. Anton 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-so private agendas of those who present them? By the end of the book, the reader is left with a good deal of food for thought.

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 'inculturation' 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

A clear and comprehensive introduction to the Qur'an. Discusses the content, the problem of translating the Qur'an and the role of the Qur'an in Islam. Looks at the major subjects addressed in the Qur'an: Muhammad and revelation; God; the Last Judgment.

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.