Resonating with the Word

Drawing on the work of Jesuit scholar Daniel Madigan, this article examines how Christians might share the Christian faith in Jesus with Muslims without resorting to polemics. Using Madigan's concept of "mutual theological hospitality," it proposes "the Word" as a hermeneutical key that Christians and Muslims can use to explore, in parallel, the divinity of Christ, the Incarnation, and Redemption alongside Islamic reflection on the Qur'an as God's uncreated speech. The article argues that recognizing correct parallels between Jesus and the Qur'an, Mary and Muhammad, and flesh and Arabic as vehicles of the Word allows believers to engage each other's traditions with humility rather than defensiveness, ultimately calling Christians to witness through self-sacrificing love rather than argumentation.