The book

THE BOOK

Finding Jesus among Muslims 3D

Finding Jesus among Muslims: How Loving Islam Makes Me a Better Catholic

Why should Christians engage in interfaith dialogue with Muslims? Does Islam have anything to offer Christians? What is Islamophobia, and what should we do about it?

These are just some of the questions addressed in Finding Jesus among Muslims, an urgent and award-winning book from author Jordan Denari Duffner. Drawing from church teaching, the stories of saints and martyrs, and her extensive personal experiences living among Muslims in both the United States and the Middle East, Duffner explains why all Christians are called to participate in a “dialogue of life” with Muslims.

Finding Jesus among Muslims was published in December 2017 by Catholic publisher Liturgical Press. The Association of Catholic Publishers named it among the top Catholic books of 2018; Finding Jesus among Muslims was awarded Second Place in the General Interest category.

Where to purchase

The book is available for purchase online through the publisher and major booksellers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Target. The e-book version is available here. You can also ask your local bookstore or Catholic gift shop to stock it.

What you’ll find inside

Finding Jesus among Muslims includes discussion questions for each chapter, making it suitable for study groups and classroom discussions. The extensive glossary and clear writing style make it appropriate for those with little prior knowledge of Islam. Written primarily for a Catholic Christian audience, its educational message can be enriching for readers from any faith (or no faith) background.

At the end of the book, the author also provides an interfaith prayer for use in Muslim-Christian dialogue, as well as thorough guidelines for organizing events with Muslims and a list of resources for further reading and study.

The author

Jordan Denari Duffner
Photo credit: Salt+Light TV

Jordan Denari Duffner is an author and scholar of Muslim-Christian relations, interreligious dialogue, and Islamophobia.

Her books are Finding Jesus among Muslims: How Loving Islam Makes Me a Better Catholic (2017) and Islamophobia: What Christians Should Know (and Do) about Anti-Muslim Discrimination (spring 2021). Jordan is currently pursuing a PhD in Theological and Religious Studies at Georgetown University. A former Fulbright scholar, she is also an associate of the Bridge Initiative, where she previously worked from 2014 to 2017 as a research fellow.

Committed to public theology and religious literacy, Jordan serves as a frequent media commentator and consultant. She has appeared as an analyst on news programs on BBC and Al-Jazeera, television and radio interview shows, and documentaries. Jordan has given numerous talks and webinars on to diverse audiences.

Jordan’s writing on Islam and Catholicism has appeared in numerous outlets including TIME, The Washington Post, and America. In 2016, Jordan penned the Bridge Initiative report, “Danger and Dialogue: American Catholics Perceptions and Portrayals of Islam,” which included the first nationwide survey of Catholics’ views of Islam. She has also published book chapters in academic and lay publications, including Overcoming Orientalism (forthcoming) and A Pope Francis Lexicon (2018).

Jordan’s first book, Finding Jesus among Muslims, won Second Place in the ‘General Interest’ category of the 2018 “Excellence in Publishing Awards” held by the Association of Catholic Publishers. Her 2016 piece on Islamophobia in Living City won a joint 2017 Catholic Press Association First Place Award for best interfaith and ecumenical coverage.

Jordan holds a Master’s degree in theological and religious studies and completed her bachelor’s degree at Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. She is a former Fulbright scholar in Amman, Jordan, where she studied the impact of the media on Muslim-Christian relations. She lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband, Chris.

To contact the author about interview requests or speaking engagements, please use the contact form on this website.

Endorsements and reviews

AWARDS

SECOND PLACE: ‘GENERAL INTEREST’ CATHOLIC BOOK: Finding Jesus among Muslims won a Second Place award in the ‘General Interest’ category of the 2018 ‘Excellence in Publishing Awards’ held by the Association of Catholic Publishers.

ENDORSEMENTS

The book received the following designations from the Catholic Church:
  • Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert Harren, J.C.L., Censor deputatis.
  • Imprimatur: Most Reverend Donald J. Kettler, J.C.L., Bishop of Saint Cloud, October 27, 2017

“In a time of political division and fear, Jordan Denari Duffner offers us a refreshing work of love, compassion and understanding.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley,

Democratic presidential candidate
and former governor of Maryland

“Jordan Denari Duffner’s magnificent new book is a game-changer.”

Omid Safi,
Professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University
 “This book is … a must read by all who take seriously the need for dialogue and understanding, particularly between Muslims and Catholics.”

Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski,
Emeritus Chair of the Bishops’ Committee
on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs

“This is an exceptional introduction to interfaith engagement between Catholic Christians and Muslims.”

Eboo Patel,

Founder and President, Interfaith Youth Core

Continue reading “Endorsements and reviews”

Resources

RESOURCES

Finding Jesus among Muslims includes numerous resources to assist readers on the journey of interreligious dialogue. To complement the guidelines on Muslim-Christian engagement and the recommended readings provided in the book’s appendices, this portion of the website houses links to books, movies, and articles related to Islam, interfaith dialogue, and Islamophobia. It is updated periodically, and when appropriate, resources will be cross-posted under multiple sub-headings.
Continue reading “Resources”