Mission

Humantrustees.org aims to foster understanding and cooperation between Muslims and Christians so as to empower them to live up to their God-given calling as “trustees of the earth.” This Christian initiative seeks to accomplish this goal through scholarship, teaching, news commentary, and networking between scholars, members of both communities, and with anyone else who is passionate about peace and human flourishing.
Home
Subscribe to this RSS feed
26 June 2018

Charles Malik, the UN, and Human Rights

Written by
No caption, the photo is one of several embedded in “Remembering Charles Malik,” by Joe Hoover, on the beginning weeks of what was called then the “Arab Spring”; it also contains a 10-min. filmed interview from 1953 with Charles Malik.
The media was abuzz this last week with the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy and its resulting wrenching of children from their parents’ arms. He finally reversed course, but the damage internationally was done. UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein put it this way , “The thought that any state would seek to deter parents by…
Read more...
24 April 2018

Some Thoughts about Economic Justice

Written by
“The level of wealth inequality in the U.S. is staggering and only getting worse. What happens next is up to us.” (Oxfam USA)
Both Bible and Qur’an teach God’s imperative for economic justice. Everyone has a God-given right to the bounty God has bestowed on humankind. And we are duty-bound to share it. More on that below, but first, the piece that got me thinking about this in the first place: a short review by Felix Salmon of Chris Hughes’ book that came…
Read more...
23 February 2018

Augustine of Hippo and Algeria (2)

Written by
Article title: “Christians celebrate restored Algeria basilica”; subtitle: “Christian pilgrims from far and wide walk 700 metres up to reach Algeria's basilica to celebrate mass” (May 2, 2014).
In the first half I looked at the life and work of St. Augustine (354-430), mostly focusing on his multiple identities and how this may have helped him carry out the momentous mission he believed God had given him. I also discussed his view of politics and the surprising fact that, considering his strong views on original sin, he seemed…
Read more...
04 February 2018

Augustine of Hippo and Algeria (1)

Written by
“Basilica St Augustine, Annaba, Algeria – photo by Kristen Hellstrom.” Only a small part of the Roman ruins of Hippo are visible here.
St. Augustine (354-430), dubbed “Foremost Father [of the Church],” was as prolific a theologian and philosopher as he was influential, down to our day. Eminent nineteenth-century theologian and church historian, Adolf von Harnack, saw him as “the incomparably greatest man between St. Paul and the reformer Martin Luther.” Harvard law professor Mary Ann Glendon entitled her review of Jean Bethke…
Read more...

Recent Blog Entries

Books

  • Muslims and Christians Debate Justice and Love
    Muslims and Christians Debate Justice and Love

    This book is now published and available as an ebook. Unfortunately, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, the publisher cannot send out the actual physical books. Read a summary for each of the 6 chapters and buy it on the publisher's page. Here's the abstract, or précis:

     

    Read more...
  • Earth, Empire and Sacred Text
    Earth, Empire and Sacred Text

    This book seeks to construct a Muslim-Christian theological discourse on creation and humanity, which could help adherents of both faiths work together to preserve our planet, bring justice to its most needy inhabitants and contribute to peacebuilding in areas of conflict. For more information or to purchase (now also in paperback!)

    Read more...