95 Contributors 96 Editorial Samuel L. Adams 98 The Islamic Mary as a Protagonist and Qur’anic Daughter Younus Mirza Scholarship on Christian-Muslim relations often notes that the Islamic Mary (Maryam) is not seen as a figure in her own right but rather is viewed as ancillary to Jesus/‘I¯sa¯. This paper will argue that the Islamic Mary is a protagonist, as the Qur’an defines her role, extols her spiritual state, and places her within its worldview. Maryam fits within the Qur’an’s larger framework of a daughter who is both similar to and distinct from the Christian Mary. 107 Early Islam: An Arab Christian Perspective Mitri Raheb The essay provides an Arab Christian perspective on early Islam. It examines the geopolitical and ecclesial context in which early Islam emerged in the seventh-century Middle East. In a context marked by religious fluidity and national churches, the essay argues that Qur’anic verses form the basis for viewing early Islam as part and parcel of the reception history of the Judeo-Christian tradition of late antiquity. 117 At the Border of Christian Learning: Islamic Thought and Constructive Christian Theology Joshua Ralston The Christian theologian must find a way to attend to the history of Christian-Muslim polemics in a non-confrontational fashion that still accounts for disagreement and difference. Many Muslim voices offer profound and challenging questions concerning Christian theology. This essay proposes that Christian theology can engage with Islamic thought as a key resource in the theological quest for a more truthful and just witness to God. 129 Christians and Muslims in Egypt Stanley H. Skreslet This essay surveys the long history of Christian-Muslim relations in Egypt. Interfaith relations in this context have ranged from cordial to tense, depending on a variety of internal and external factors. 140 Protestant Portrayals of Islam: From the Reformation to Modern Missions Deanna Ferree Womack This study compares Protestant portrayals of Islam during the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation and the nineteenthcentury era of imperialism and missions. It considers the earliest Protestant writings about Islam and the views of the first Protestant missionaries who had close personal contact with Muslims. To understand the historical thought patterns that still influence contemporary American Protestant views of Muslims, the article examines common theological themes, statements about women and sexuality, rhetoric about Islamic violence, and shifting approaches to Muslims over the centuries. While addressing misrepresentations of Islam, this study finds that Protestant understandings of Islam are not always skewed or hostile. Religious rivalry and condemnation have made a lasting impact, yet this history also reveals appreciative views of Islam from which we could learn today. Between Text and Sermon 156 Genesis 22:1–19 David L. Barnhart, Jr 159 Exodus 6:1–13 Sarah Travis 162 Matthew 11:1–10 (with Qur’an 3:48-51) José Francisco Morales Torres Major Reviews 165 A Theology for the Twenty-First Century by Douglas F. Ottati Rachel Baard 168 Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope by Esau McCaulley 168 Black Samson: The Untold Story of an American Icon by Nyasha Junior and Jeremy Schipper Matthew Schlimm 171 2 Kings by by Song-Mi Suzie Park Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch 174 Shorter Reviews 192 Book Notes