Greetings! I am not one to assess the "icon-ness" or effect/impact on the general religious (and academic) culture of theological study or mainstream religions in the US, (given that I don't know much about either), therefore, I am asking all those who are in the know and haunt degreeinfo: Who is SAMUEL M. ZWEMER, F.R.G.S., eminent Professor of the History of Religion and Christian Missions, at Princeton Theological Seminary (circa 1900s) in terms of effect on Christian teaching in the US (especially vis a vis Islam)? What is F.R.G.S.? Forgive my ignorance but that is why I am asking! Cheers, Kenneth K. A.
click here This is a PDF file/article that tells a good bit about his life and work. FRGS: Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society Hope that helps! Kevin
Thanks Kevin, Indeed, thank you very much. I am quite grateful for this good information you supplied. Can you (or anyone of the good people on this list) offer "assessment" in terms of Zwemer's impact on American Christian (fundamentalist?) views of Islam? Any views out there concerning this? I just want to know if anyone out there considers Zwemer, being a specialist in Islam, an icon of American missionary work that shaped American Christian groups' view of Islam to date. I welcome any comments on this view. Thanks in advance. Kenneth K. A.
Zwemer can probably be described as the most prominent and well-known English-speaking Christian missionary to Islam who has ever lived, but it's not clear to me how many of his ideas about Islam proper have carried over into the evangelical community. Maybe someone more familiar with Zwemer--and more familiar with missions, for that matter--can comment. My take from skimming a couple of his books is that he did his homework, but did not always provide a sympathetic and realistic portrayal of Islam (as he unquestionably did have an agenda, something he probably would have admitted himself). Cheers,
