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The Tent of Abraham: Stories of Hope and Peace for Jews, Christians, and Muslims
In recent years there has been an explosion of curiosity and debate about Islam and about the role of religion, both in the world and in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The numerous books published on these questions speak to issues of politics, history, or global security. None speaks to the heart and the spirit, and yet millions of people experience these issues not as political, economic, or intellectual questions but as questions of deep spiritual, emotional, and religious significance.
The Tent of Abraham provides readers with stories that can bring all the faiths together. Written by Saadi Shakur Chishti, a Scottish American Sufi, Rabbi Arthur Waskow, an American Jew, and Joan Chittister, a Benedictine sister, the book explores in accessible language the mythic quality and the teachings of reconciliation that are embedded in the Torah, the Qur'an, and the Bible. It also weaves together the wisdoms of the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditions into a deeper, more unified whole.
The Tent of Abraham is the first book to tell the whole story of Abraham as found in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim sources and to reenergize it as a basis for peace.
"At a time when we have seen too much certainty [of dogmatic faith], The Tent of Abraham reminds us that the kind of confusion, fear, and dismay that so many of us are experiencing can be the start of a new religious quest . . . The Tent of Abraham brings three religious traditions together so that we may all become more familiar with the faiths lived by the strangers around us."--Karen Armstrong, from the Foreword
Rabbi Arthur Waskow is the director of The Shalom Center in Philadelphia and author of numerous books, including Seasons of Our Joy (Beacon/ 3611-0/ $18.00 pb) and Down-to-Earth Judaism. Joan Chittister, OSB, is a best-selling writer and lecturer. She lives in Erie, Pennsylvania. Saadi Shakur Chishti (Neil Douglas-Klotz) is an internationally known Sufi scholar and writer. His most recent book is The Sufi Book of Life.
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, one of the authors of The Tent of Stories of Hope and Peace for Jews, Christians, and Muslims is the "weaver" of a new haggadah or "telling" for Passover. It is called "The Passover of A Seder for the Children of Abraham, Hagar, and Sarah."
This Seder is built on the Biblical and Muslim stories of Abraham, Hagar and Sarah, Ishmael and Isaac, rather than on the story of the Exodus from Egypt. It has been and can be used as a context for thought and action toward peace in the Middle East, by Jewish families, congregations, and communities; by groups of Jews and Palestinians or Jews and or by groups of all three Abrahamic faiths.
The Tent of Abraham provides readers with stories that can bring all the faiths together. Written by Saadi Shakur Chishti, a Scottish American Sufi, Rabbi Arthur Waskow, an American Jew, and Joan Chittister, a Benedictine sister, the book explores in accessible language the mythic quality and the teachings of reconciliation that are embedded in the Torah, the Qur'an, and the Bible. It also weaves together the wisdoms of the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditions into a deeper, more unified whole.
The Tent of Abraham is the first book to tell the whole story of Abraham as found in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim sources and to reenergize it as a basis for peace.
"At a time when we have seen too much certainty [of dogmatic faith], The Tent of Abraham reminds us that the kind of confusion, fear, and dismay that so many of us are experiencing can be the start of a new religious quest . . . The Tent of Abraham brings three religious traditions together so that we may all become more familiar with the faiths lived by the strangers around us."--Karen Armstrong, from the Foreword
Rabbi Arthur Waskow is the director of The Shalom Center in Philadelphia and author of numerous books, including Seasons of Our Joy (Beacon/ 3611-0/ $18.00 pb) and Down-to-Earth Judaism. Joan Chittister, OSB, is a best-selling writer and lecturer. She lives in Erie, Pennsylvania. Saadi Shakur Chishti (Neil Douglas-Klotz) is an internationally known Sufi scholar and writer. His most recent book is The Sufi Book of Life.
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, one of the authors of The Tent of Stories of Hope and Peace for Jews, Christians, and Muslims is the "weaver" of a new haggadah or "telling" for Passover. It is called "The Passover of A Seder for the Children of Abraham, Hagar, and Sarah."
This Seder is built on the Biblical and Muslim stories of Abraham, Hagar and Sarah, Ishmael and Isaac, rather than on the story of the Exodus from Egypt. It has been and can be used as a context for thought and action toward peace in the Middle East, by Jewish families, congregations, and communities; by groups of Jews and Palestinians or Jews and or by groups of all three Abrahamic faiths.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
17 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Joan D. Chittister
205 books296 followersJoan Daugherty Chittister, O.S.B., is an American Benedictine nun, theologian, author, and speaker. She has served as Benedictine prioress and Benedictine federation president, president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, and co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 10, 2009
This was a very informational book regarding the lines drawn between the three most controversial monotheistic religions of our time. Each few chapters is written by a leader of the Hebrew, Christian and Muslim religion. It focuses more so on how truly relative these religions are and the similarities should in turn eclipse the differences that divide them. It closes with the efforts that women in these groups have had over the years in uniting all women with and the education of the children. "The hands that rock the cradle are the hands that rule the world.." when you educate a man you educate an individual when you educate a woman you educate a village...It was hopeful and empowering.
July 25, 2011
Some would call me an atheist, others would call me an agnostic, and still others would refer to me as someone who is open spiritually. I usually find myself not limited by definitions, especially when dealing with religion. Literalists and fundamentalists might view me as blasphemous, as not deserving of contact or conversation when it comes to the idea of questioning the meaning and existence of what we refer to as “God”. I have experienced this with family members and especially friends who used to be accepting of me until I “fell out of favor with God”. I then found them turning to the apostle Paul’s command to not associate with those brethren who refuse to accept “our teachings”.
This is the background and way of thinking with which I approached the book The Tent of Abraham by The Christian Joan Chittister, the Muslim Murshid Saadi Shakur Chishti and the Rabbi Arthur Waskow. The book centers around the Abrahamic tradition which is the common thread through these great monotheistic beliefs. Since I intend to make my life’s work peace and conflict resolution, especially as it relates to the situation in Palestine, it is important to understand the commonalities between these pious believers in God instead of focusing on the differences that tear the world apart.
Religion becomes a topic of environment (as I often state). Your place of birth, family history, etc… Through this way of growing up, we are taught to hate the other’s version of coming to a knowledge of God. Yet at the same time we are taught that God is too big for us to comprehend, and Her/His ways are unfathomable. If this is the case, what if God is simply the spiritual and extrasensory experiences we have in our day to day lives? What if God is the common factor that simply ties together the laws of nature and makes all of humanity equal and one? Most importantly, the world’s religions need to realize that there are different ways of coming to God or even of perceiving the spiritual.
I have great respect for the writings of the new atheists (Dawkins, Harris, Hutchens, etc…) as I am open to many different ways of thinking when it comes to religion. I especially appreciate their brilliant way of illustrating that when it comes to faith, all rationality is thrown out the window. When the contradictions of the various Holy Scriptures are pointed out to the religious, they dismiss the very questions as blasphemous. You can not argue religion. We all know this. It is precisely because of this dogmatism and fundamentalism that we are led to war. If God is bigger than we can imagine, how can God be confined to some pre-conceived notion and not be a changing and changed force?
What The Tent of Abraham attempts to do is look for the GOOD in religion. Even though I do not belong to any religion, I do believe there is much good to learn from it, yet humanity constantly gets in the way. It is only through education and open-mindedness that the wars between East and West (that are so often based on religion), can be averted. All religions preach helping the poor and taking care of those in your midst that are different than you. The pious woman or man is not to ignore someone simply because they are the “other”, because their beliefs don’t directly coincide. No, we are to work together for a common good. These brave members of the Abrahamic tradition have come together in this book to look for commonality. They are not afraid of questioning themselves for the errors of their religious traditions in treating the other as an equal. That is the kind of religious dialogue that I can respect. It is in the same spirit that I am drawn to Socialism as an ideology that supports equality vs. hate and ignorance of that other culture.
I am familiarizing myself with Judaism and Islam as I will be in the part of the world where the three religions collide. Having been raised Christian, I know that side of the story. This book helped me gain a better understanding of some of the other ways to God. Joan Chittister had one of my favorite quotes of the book when she stated of the Israeli/Palestinian situation that “Ironically, what binds these peoples together is exactly what is driving them apart. And yet, at the same time, it is precisely what drives them apart that may hold the key to bringing them together again.” May the respect among the peoples of Abraham be realized in our time. It will be my life’s work to do my small part in reconciliation and to counter the bias and hatred that is completely contradictory to the peace messages of these religions.
This is the background and way of thinking with which I approached the book The Tent of Abraham by The Christian Joan Chittister, the Muslim Murshid Saadi Shakur Chishti and the Rabbi Arthur Waskow. The book centers around the Abrahamic tradition which is the common thread through these great monotheistic beliefs. Since I intend to make my life’s work peace and conflict resolution, especially as it relates to the situation in Palestine, it is important to understand the commonalities between these pious believers in God instead of focusing on the differences that tear the world apart.
Religion becomes a topic of environment (as I often state). Your place of birth, family history, etc… Through this way of growing up, we are taught to hate the other’s version of coming to a knowledge of God. Yet at the same time we are taught that God is too big for us to comprehend, and Her/His ways are unfathomable. If this is the case, what if God is simply the spiritual and extrasensory experiences we have in our day to day lives? What if God is the common factor that simply ties together the laws of nature and makes all of humanity equal and one? Most importantly, the world’s religions need to realize that there are different ways of coming to God or even of perceiving the spiritual.
I have great respect for the writings of the new atheists (Dawkins, Harris, Hutchens, etc…) as I am open to many different ways of thinking when it comes to religion. I especially appreciate their brilliant way of illustrating that when it comes to faith, all rationality is thrown out the window. When the contradictions of the various Holy Scriptures are pointed out to the religious, they dismiss the very questions as blasphemous. You can not argue religion. We all know this. It is precisely because of this dogmatism and fundamentalism that we are led to war. If God is bigger than we can imagine, how can God be confined to some pre-conceived notion and not be a changing and changed force?
What The Tent of Abraham attempts to do is look for the GOOD in religion. Even though I do not belong to any religion, I do believe there is much good to learn from it, yet humanity constantly gets in the way. It is only through education and open-mindedness that the wars between East and West (that are so often based on religion), can be averted. All religions preach helping the poor and taking care of those in your midst that are different than you. The pious woman or man is not to ignore someone simply because they are the “other”, because their beliefs don’t directly coincide. No, we are to work together for a common good. These brave members of the Abrahamic tradition have come together in this book to look for commonality. They are not afraid of questioning themselves for the errors of their religious traditions in treating the other as an equal. That is the kind of religious dialogue that I can respect. It is in the same spirit that I am drawn to Socialism as an ideology that supports equality vs. hate and ignorance of that other culture.
I am familiarizing myself with Judaism and Islam as I will be in the part of the world where the three religions collide. Having been raised Christian, I know that side of the story. This book helped me gain a better understanding of some of the other ways to God. Joan Chittister had one of my favorite quotes of the book when she stated of the Israeli/Palestinian situation that “Ironically, what binds these peoples together is exactly what is driving them apart. And yet, at the same time, it is precisely what drives them apart that may hold the key to bringing them together again.” May the respect among the peoples of Abraham be realized in our time. It will be my life’s work to do my small part in reconciliation and to counter the bias and hatred that is completely contradictory to the peace messages of these religions.
May 24, 2020
I read this book as part of a local book club. Written by Joan Chittister, Murshid Saadi Shakur Chishti, and Arthur Waskow, a Christian, Muslim, and Jew, The Tent of Abraham: Stories of Hope and Peace for Jews, Christians, and Muslims is an exploration searching for common ground. The authors, who are committed to this search, present and explore different traditions about Abraham without arguing over “what really happened.” Abraham is not an historical figure, but as a legendary character he has found a place to pitch his tent among all three monotheistic traditions.
Although it wasn’t the purpose of the book, one of the reflections it stirred in me was the how unstable Abraham appears. He hears voices. He abandons his mistress and son in the desert. He attempts murder on his other son. He passes his wife off as his sister. And yet both the Bible and the Quran present him as an honorable man, a friend of God. I’ve read the accounts of Abraham so many times that I can’t count them, but this aspect never occurred to me. The book has contributions from other writers, one of whom suggests Sarah and Hagar, Abraham’s wife and mistress, were friends. It was interesting that this retelling didn’t condemn a kind of polygamy we’re used to having presented as a male evil. It has been quite some time since I’ve read a book about biblical characters that was so open.
Of course, the point of the book, as I note in my blog post on it (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World) is to find a peaceful solution to not only the Middle Eastern problem, but also to religious hatred in general. Exclusive claims to ownership of either land or a deity’s affection can lead to murderous results. The authors hope to bring people together in a celebration of a character they all have in common. Abraham, however, doesn’t come out as entirely noble. He perhaps does represent what humans are really like. If we accept that, then we might be able to find peace.
Although it wasn’t the purpose of the book, one of the reflections it stirred in me was the how unstable Abraham appears. He hears voices. He abandons his mistress and son in the desert. He attempts murder on his other son. He passes his wife off as his sister. And yet both the Bible and the Quran present him as an honorable man, a friend of God. I’ve read the accounts of Abraham so many times that I can’t count them, but this aspect never occurred to me. The book has contributions from other writers, one of whom suggests Sarah and Hagar, Abraham’s wife and mistress, were friends. It was interesting that this retelling didn’t condemn a kind of polygamy we’re used to having presented as a male evil. It has been quite some time since I’ve read a book about biblical characters that was so open.
Of course, the point of the book, as I note in my blog post on it (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World) is to find a peaceful solution to not only the Middle Eastern problem, but also to religious hatred in general. Exclusive claims to ownership of either land or a deity’s affection can lead to murderous results. The authors hope to bring people together in a celebration of a character they all have in common. Abraham, however, doesn’t come out as entirely noble. He perhaps does represent what humans are really like. If we accept that, then we might be able to find peace.
March 10, 2015
I think I would actually give this book 3.5 stars. There were parts of it I really liked, but I was disappointed with other parts. I also think future readers need to know that the three authors who contributed to this book are not necessarily representative members of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities. I read this book with an interfaith discussion group, and the Muslims in the group wanted the rest of us to know that we should not assume that most Muslims are represented by the author. So while it is an interesting read, if you want to learn about the similarities and differences of the Abrahamic faiths, this is not the book I would recommend.
August 15, 2014
This book gives three interpretations of the Abraham/Sarah/Isaac/Hagar/Ishmael story. It lent itself to a wonderful, wide-ranging discussion. A small caveat about the possibility of touching on political aspects of the Middle East, but that was not a problem for us. (Review By Sudbury Group)
We could have spent two months on this book to allow everyone to read it thoroughly. The authors tell the story of Abraham and his family through the lenses of all three faith traditions. There is a lot of content about the present day issues in Israel and Palestine. We found that by focusing on how the authors used the Abraham story to effectively weave positive examples into the modern day scenario kept us away from the political focus and on the shared story. This is a rich resource that deserves careful reading and discussion. Recommended in spite of the Middle East examples.(Review by Metro West)
noted as a good discussion-starter.
We could have spent two months on this book to allow everyone to read it thoroughly. The authors tell the story of Abraham and his family through the lenses of all three faith traditions. There is a lot of content about the present day issues in Israel and Palestine. We found that by focusing on how the authors used the Abraham story to effectively weave positive examples into the modern day scenario kept us away from the political focus and on the shared story. This is a rich resource that deserves careful reading and discussion. Recommended in spite of the Middle East examples.(Review by Metro West)
noted as a good discussion-starter.
October 29, 2008
A wonderful book stressing the commonalities, rather than the differences, between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The world needs this kind of thinking NOW. See also "Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths," by Bruce Feller.
November 2, 2011
Currently on page 79. Reading along with various texts for classes. Interesting getting three veiws (Christian, Jewish, Muslim) about our Abrahamic father.
Finished. It was a great comparison. Not difficult reading. We can all only hope for peace.
Finished. It was a great comparison. Not difficult reading. We can all only hope for peace.
March 20, 2009
A series of essays where each author/religious expert provide an in depth discussion on particular OT stories/figures. It started out good but quickly dissolved into redundancy. The Abraham Connection is a much better work on the topic. I ended up dissappointed.
April 21, 2009
Fascinating comparison of the Abraham stories from the three major religions that consider Abraham integral to their theology. All three writers focus on this "ancestor" as a common point of reference to any Middle East peace process today.
March 16, 2017
I learned so much reading this book! I definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to learn how much Jews, Christians and Muslims have in common. It's so important to know what unites us... there is already enough talk about what divides us.
January 1, 2010
A deeply conscious sharing from three remarkable persons representing the Abrahamic traditions -
April 6, 2010
This book showed me that we aren't so far apart, if women ruled the world there would be peace, AND most importantly, if we could get politics out of religion, we could all get along.
Currently reading
September 14, 2010while people are free do crass disrespectful things , many don't consider whether its in good taste or appropriate ..
we [people] are pretty short on good manners and respect .
we [people] are pretty short on good manners and respect .
September 20, 2011
This is a fantastic book I cannot put down. Gives me a new lens (and heart)through which to see much of the world.
Read
January 31, 2013The author uses the story of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael and Isaac to lead us to paths to peace for Israelis and Palestinians as well as ideas we could use for our personal peace.
March 5, 2015
Interesting to read the perspectives of 3 Faith traditions.
March 18, 2016
A very interesting study about the Abraham story as examined by the 3 faith traditions of Christian, Jewish and Muslum.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews