Author: Linda Thayer

Growing up Christian, Dr. Linda Thayer came to realize in her teens, that Jesus as 'divinity' and Jesus as the second 'person' of a 'Godhead' (the doctrine of the 'Trinity') were philosophical constructs, evolved later and not part of the New Testament Gospel books' portrait of the Son of Mary. In her 30's, when working as Bible translations consultant and linguistic advisor in West Africa, she had already added all things Islamic to her reading list, along with Biblical Studies. She has three university degrees in linguistic science (BA, MA, PhD), with a minor in anthropology. She believes that her fellow Muslims need to be current with the thinking and findings of modern Biblical Studies in order to meet Christians halfway in understanding the prophetic mission and personal nature of Jesus. To this end, she writes of the historical phenomenon of the Jesus movement from an interfaith perspective that dovetails with the Quran and ahâdîth.

Rectifying Monotheism In Interfaith Exchange – 24

We continue our series on the story of how Christianity veered off the monotheistic path adhered to by Jesus. Instead of remaining faithful to the teaching of Jesus hiimself, Church officials defended the teachings of Paul. Accordingly, they built their doctrine preferring…

HAJJ: Celebrating Abraham, Father of Faith

ONE NEW TO observing Muslims might expect that Hajj, the Pilgrimage of Islam, would be focused on the notable events of the life of Islam’s prophet, Muhammad—perhaps his encounters with Angel Gabriel and his reception of revealed verses, perhaps his ascension to…

Rectifying “Monotheism” In Interfaith Exchange – Part 23

The Christian’s Gospel according to John is prefaced with a Greek philosophy-oriented ‘Prologue’ (John. 1:1-18), which we have referenced repeatedly in this series. According to this passage, a supposed, one-time embodiment of God in human history—what is said to have become God’s…

Monotheism In Interfaith Exchange – 22

We continue discoursing the resolution of the fine print in the Church’s doctrine of the ‘divinity’ of Jesus. The ‘Greek Fathers’ weigh in with their contributions to the development of doctrine and Greek philosophy is back, center stage. The Cappadocian ‘Fathers’ Legitimize…

Learning to Fast with Optimal Benefit

FASTING (Arabic ṣawm) has been used, in various forms, as a spiritual practice for thousands of years at least. It has been trod as a pathway to God through the ages; abstention from food and drink is woven into the fabric of…

The Challenge of the Arabic Quran for English Readers | (Part 2 of 2)

THE NOVICE READER of the Quran needs to be informed that each sûrah has traditionally carried—for convenience of reference—one or more names(s), not part of the revealed text, picking out an Arabic word which occurs somewhere within that sûrah, but not necessarily…

The Challenge of the Arabic Quran for English Readers | (Part 1 of 2)

IN THE MODERN world English readers have access to literally millions of books covering every conceivable topic—and then some. Which ones are worth investing time and effort to enjoy and benefit from? Each major religion has its own sacred texts, collected from…

“God with You” (Part 2 of 2)

ACCORDING TO THE Voice of the Quran, in spite of the gaping gulf between the essence of man and that of man’s Creator, His Presence is closer to our personal being than we could have invented on our own. For very truly,…

“God with You” (Part 1 of 2)

A TREE FALLS in the forest. Now, suppose there is no one within earshot to hear it. Does the unheard collision of that tree with the forest floor qualify as a “sound”? This is a classic philosophical question in the history of…

Monotheism In Interfaith Exchange – 21

Resolving the fine print in the Church’s doctrine of the ‘divinity’ of Jesus—from which doctrine we” seek refuge with Allah”— was an ugly process, at its zenith throughout the 4th Christian century (ce). In previous installments we have viewed opposing positions—one taken…