Shared Stories, Rival Tellings Early Encounters of Jews, Christians, and Muslims By Robert C. Gregg (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015. 713 pages.)

Abstract

“What are the differences and similarities between the early encounter and
pivotal stories of the Abrahamic faiths?” is the main question underlying this
engaging academic book. Recently, there has been a revitalization of discussions
about Jewish-Christian-Muslim relations in academia and in interfaith
work around the United States. This book comes at a timely and crucial time,
one in which where there is so much misunderstanding and misinformation
about these particular faiths, especially about the questions of origins and absolute
truths. Gregg’s methodology and choice of texts, illustrations and sacred
stories are intriguing and complex. The book captures the reader in a detailed
textual analysis that seems hard to sustain; however, his writing wins one over
with its clarity and enticing content that one cannot stop reading this tome of
a book. He provides an extensive yet accessible guide for many religious texts
that also include artwork as well as historical writings to illuminate religious
interpretations and their impact on community relations.