Review – The Challenge of Islam to the Church and its Mission

In this book, Dr Sookhdeo clearly believes that the Western Church is sleep-walking into danger in its appeasement of Islam and is deeply concerned about the likely impact on those Christians living in often hostile Muslim countries.

Sookhdeo has written this strong polemic against the rapprochement of inter-faith dialogue with Islam so beloved of certain Christian groups. It’s clear that he feels more at home with the Vatican on this issue than with some evangelicals! A number of well-known Christian leaders come in for criticism here.

Patrick Sookhdeo knows his subject well. Born a Muslim in South America, he converted to Christianity and is a recognised authority on Islam.  I learnt a great deal from this book, not least that I actually know so little about Islam myself. Much of what he writes I found disturbing and we would do well to heed the warning. His brief summaries of the current issues faced by the presence of Islam in the West are simply excellent.

The book is not that clear on what needs to be done and questions whether our western secular, liberal democracies are already being changed irrevocably by the gradual rise of Islamic thought and practice.

Sadly, I’m not sure that the book will get the circulation that it undoubtedly deserves as I’d never heard of this American publisher.  Oh … and this is a revision of a 2006 UK published edition.

The Challenge of Islam to the Church and its Mission

Patrick Sookhdeo

2008     192pp

Isaac Publishing USA

ISBN 978-0-9787141-5-4

Note – This book was provided FOC by Clem Jackson, Editor of Christian Marketplace magazine for the purpose of writing this review. Further details can be found at http://www.christianmarketplace.org.uk. You can download a free copy of the digital version of the magazine from the website.