American Evangelicals: Conflicted on Islam

Description

Ashlee Quosigk explores the diversity of opinion within the largest religious group in the US—Evangelical Christians—on the topic of Islam. Evangelicals are often characterized as monolithically antagonistic toward Muslims. This book challenges that stereotype, exposing the sharp divides that exist among Evangelicals on Islam, and examines why there is division. Drawing on qualitative research on two congregations in the US, as well as on popular Evangelical leaders, this book details the surprisingly diverse views Evangelicals hold on Muhammad, the Qur’an, interfaith dialogue, syncretism, and politics. This research is invaluable for providing a better understanding of what Evangelicals think, and why. The book also offers insight into the problem of why conflict exists and why Evangelicals differ, while advancing culture war theory and qualitative methods. Specifically, it explores differences in moral authority (assumptions that guide one’s perceptions of the world) among Evangelicals and explains how those differences influence their views on Islam. The findings are relevant to religious relations worldwide as everyone appeals to moral authority (for example, orthodox authority such as the Bible or progressivist authority such as intuition) irrespective of their geographic location Title Page Copyright Page Contents Illustrations Preface Foreword Acknowledgments Abbreviations Chapter 1: Preparing For Battle: An Introduction to the Study Chapter 2: External Enemies and Internal Strife: A Historical Review of Evangelicalism and Its Conflicts Chapter 3: The Great Divide: Evangelical Identity and Conflicting Moral Authorities Chapter 4: Evangelical Leaders: Conflict and Diversity in Places of Power Chapter 5: Evangelical Congregants: Strife, Variety, and Moderation Chapter 6: Complexities of Evangelical Views on Islam: Comparative Perspectives of Leaders and Congregants Chapter 7: Making Sense of the Conflict: Where Do We Go From Here? Appendix 1: Qualitative Approaches: Justification of Methods and Data Analysis Appendix 2: Biographical Reflexivity, Researcher Identity, and Ethical Considerations Appendix 3: Additional Demographics and Level of Engagement with Muslims References Index