[Lewis V.Baldwin] Between Cross and Crescent : Christian and Muslim Perspectives on Malcolm and Martin(pdf){Zzzzz}[BЯ]

There is no more detailed resource about the relationship between Martin King and Malcolm X. The depth of scholarship in this volume extends even to the extraordinary amount of information relegated to footnotes, themselves a gold mine of documentation for all readers interested in the interface between faith claims, politics, and social and cultural transformation.

Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Professors Baldwin and Al-Hadid, at Vanderbilt and Tennessee State Universities respectively, persuasively argue that El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (better known as Malcolm X) and Martin Luther King Jr. shared the same views about the American and worldwide race struggle at their deaths. They offer refreshing biographical insights based on exhaustive research. With the exception of one chapter, which eloquently describes Malcolm X's evolution from Nation of Islam doctrine into Sunni Islam, each chapter presents both men's views on specific topics. The historical material is laced with an overview of contemporary events such as the Million Man March, the United Nations World Conference on Racism and the attacks on America on September 11. The most satisfying portraits emerge out of the chapters on El-Shabazz's and King's relationships with their wives and children. Stronger editing would have eliminated repetition, unnecessary length and a lack of focus. A clear description of how NOI doctrine differs from Islam is missing, leaving the uninformed reader to assume that Sunni Muslims share the NOI's views on race and gender. Baldwin and Al-Hadid show a bias toward King, glossing over his extramarital affairs and plagiarism while extensively quoting El-Shabazz's more incendiary remarks. The authors illustrate how El-Shabazz and King, though not reluctant leaders, unwillingly became prisoners of circumstance El-Shabazz by NOI doctrine and King by white liberals. That these leaders' message still resonates is proof of how profound and gifted they both were, and how much has been left undone since their deaths.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Historically, Christians and Muslims have had a troubled relationship, and these two books nobly aim to generate a dialog between the two faiths. Between the Cross and Crescent successfully contrasts the lives of Malcolm X Shabazz and Martin Luther King Jr. and mostly resolves the creative tension between those leaders' philosophies. Baldwin (religious studies, Vanderbilt Univ.) has deep roots in the African-American Christian tradition, and Al-Hadid (Africana studies, Tennessee State Univ.) is a Sunni Muslim. They have written a contrapuntal biography to stress the importance of interfaith dialog and a Pan-African perspective, and to celebrate community as the highest ideal. Freedom, family, gender roles, democracy, and globalization are the major themes in this publication, the second in the publisher's "History of African American Religions" series. The Prophet & the Messiah is an equally remarkable book. Whereas the Martin/Malcolm title was written primarily from a sociocultural perspective, this one employs a religious viewpoint, intermingling East/West and sophic/mantic perspectives. Moucarry (Islamic studies, All Nations Christian Coll., England) was born in Syria, has lived in both Muslim and Christian communities, and received a Ph.D. from the Sorbonne. Although he is respectful of and sensitive to both religions, he clearly makes the case for the truth of Christianity, at the same time assuring the reader that absolute impartiality does not exist anyway. His 20 chapters include discussions of the Scriptures, key doctrines (e.g., Godhead, sin and salvation), Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and contemporary issues. Helpful appendixes list Muslim theologians and mystics and show a historical time line of Christian-Muslim relations. Although Moucarry's book was written for evangelical Christian readers and Baldwin/Al-Hadid's for college students, they both carry the message to any believer that there is one God, one humanity, one world. Both titles are highly recommended for general and student readerships in public and academic libraries. Gary P. Gillum, Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT

Publisher: University Press of Florida; 1st edition (May 15, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0813024579
ISBN-13: 978-0813024578