David Derrick has accomplished a monumental task in surveying Kenneth Cragg’s life and writings and sifting Cragg’s own particular spiritual thinking, in light of his personal interaction with Islam and Muslims of the Middle East. As the title suggests, the depth of Cragg’s own spirituality was profoundly Trinitarian and Incarnational, much informed by Cragg’s lifelong interaction with the Eastern Church in the Middle East, but also informed by Islamic scholars who were not shackled by the Sunni Orthodoxy which predominates today. Cragg’s attention to Sufi influences which underlie Islamic identity in previous centuries, until the rising influence of Salafism in the last century, is one of the key components of Cragg’s insistence that Muslims and Christians share more spiritually than many today can contemplate.

Derrick’s comprehensive inclusion of quotations from myriad scholars and thinkers ensures that the reader is given ample opportunity to consider influences that may be seen in Cragg’s voluminous writing. Unfortunately, the volume of quotations also makes it difficult for readers to follow the author’s train of thought as the text moves from one reference to another. It also distracts the reader from any identification of Cragg’s personal thoughts on his own spiritual life. This book is worth the effort to read thoughtfully, but it does require effort on the part of the reader.

Derrick’s focus on Cragg’s contribution, as an Islamic scholar, overshadows Derrick’s own comments about Cragg’s contribution as a Christian theologian per se. He does affirm that there was never any question of Cragg’s depth of commitment and devotion as an Evangelical Christian, but there isn’t much commentary on how Cragg’s interaction with Islam informed his thinking and writing about Christian theology. My own friendship with Bishop Cragg was based almost entirely on his theological contributions at meetings of Christian clergy and teachers, where his renowned expertise about Islam only surfaced as a secondary and comparative perspective, informing the overall presentation. For me, Cragg was a mentor as a theologian, a priest/bishop and most of all as a person who avidly continued to learn throughout his whole life.

Derrick presents Cragg’s perception of Christian mysticism in a very limited context. Although the survey of Dag Hammarskjöld’s spiritual writings is known to have influenced Cragg’s own life and spirituality, it seems odd that there is almost no investigation of the plethora of Christian mystical writing that Cragg certainly encountered in his study and association with other Christian theologians. Hammarskjöld’s biographical writing certainly reveals a particular perspective on personal spirituality, at a time in European history where secularism dominated social perceptions, other than among professional theologians. That Derrick’s book offers good insight into how Cragg’s personal spirituality certainly benefited from his reading of Islamic mystics (mainly Sufi practice) is an intriguing consideration for any theologian today, especially in the light of predominant Islamophobia among Christians and secular people alike.

The book certainly provides the reader with a broad and insightful look at Cragg’s influence on interfaith work. It’s clear that the scholarship involved in Cragg’s lifelong interaction with Islam and Muslims was an invaluable contribution toward breaking age-old prejudices and ignorance about Islamic culture and society. There is also a clear sense that Islamic scholars respected and accepted Cragg’s descriptions and presentation of Islam, which is no small matter, where generally it is unacceptable for non-Muslims to write about Islam. Reading this book will enable the reader to comprehend the enormous contribution Cragg made to strengthening interfaith work and building secure bridges among people of intentional religious identity who struggle to understand each other.

Canon Dr Bill Schwartz DMin, OBE

Archdeacon in the Gulf (Retired)

Anglican/Episccopal Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf

Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East