Stefan Wild. God, Man and Prophet in the Koran. Twentieth century Muslim Exegetes and the Modern Worldview. [in German only: Stefan Wild. Mensch, Prophet und Gott im Koran. Muslimische Exegeten des 20. Jahrhunderts und das Men- schenbild der Moderne.] Gerda Henkel Lecture. Rhema: Münster, 2001, 54 pp., 9,20 €.

Wild’s essay provides a clearlywritten and useful summary of the Koranic view of God and human beings. His discussion of Islamic and non-Islamic concepts of revelation brings out clearly the immense gulf which continues to separate the two positions. His survey of some Muslim exegetes’ alternative, non-traditional approaches makes plain to what extent research findings differing from the customary consensus are limited to individual intellectuals and a handful of theologians, whose cautiously stated conclusions have not seldom resulted in their being threatened, expelled from office or country or even losing their life. Traditional theology still calls the tune nearly everywhere and is not about to listen to them or even grant them freedom of research.