Christian- Muslim dictionary planned

Christians believe in just one God, a God who is merciful, compassionate and who calls people to a life of goodness. So do Muslims.

Christians refer to Jesus as “Messiah.” So do Muslims – although the word has a different meaning in their faith.

Muslims follow the teachings of Muhammad, who they believe to be the final agent of God. Christians believe the final agent of God is Jesus, who they believe is God’s son.

Such similarities and differences in the faiths will be highlighted in a “Christian-Muslim Relations Dictionary” slated for release in 2012 by Cambridge University Press.

Martin Forward, executive director of Aurora University’s Wackerlin Center for Faith and Action, will lead the project with the help of two other editors.

“We want people who are going to be ordained, people in Muslim religious schools, people in communications, government and business, to be aware of the importance of the relationship between these two religions,” Forward said.

The editors are asking religious scholars from around the globe to contribute to the book, which will include about 900 entries focusing on a vast array of people, places, theologies, denominations, scripture and other core texts.

Some contributors will be professors who have taught religion for years, while others will be priests, imams or the heads of interfaith or nondenominational religious centers.