Essay in a New Book: Islam, Human Rights and 'Our Way of Life'

Dear all,

I am pleased to announce the release of a new book which I contributed to. Between Naivety and Hostility; Uncovering the best Christian responses to Islam in Britain is published by the Authentic Media in the UK and co-edited by Steve Bell and Colin Chapman.

The book contains 20 essays by leading Christian experts on Islam issues and seek to challenge and inform the British church. The vision behind the book was our growing concern over dangerious views on immigration, social cohesion and Muslim-Christian relations taking roots in the British church. We sought to produce a book that will counterbalance such views and yet at the same engage and raise genuine issues that needs to be addressed.

My essay in the book is titled "Islam, Human Rights and Our Way of Life" is an attempt to demonstrate that Islam is not inherintly at odds with democracy, human rights and the ever elusive phrase 'our way of life'. However, I also raise that there are certain areas, such as mainstream Islamic views on apostasy, homesexulaity and gender, that needs serious reform by Muslims today.

Regards,

Ziya Meral