There will be a new feature in the Christmas program at one Norwegian elementary school this year: the Quran. But it’s only the latest example of the Muslim holy book showing up in a Christian environment. The Stigerasen School in Skien, Norway, announced last week that this year’s Christmas festivities would feature students reading not only the typical Bible verses but also two verses from the Quran. The Quranic verses are about Jesus, but Muslims consider Jesus only a prophet, not the Son of God. And
Christmas is not an Islamic holy day; Muslims typically do not celebrate it at all. The Quran has pushed its way into other Christian settings around the world. In January, passages from the Quran were read from the lectern of St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow, Scotland. The cathedral had invited local Muslims to join its service on the feast of Epiphany to promote understanding between Christianity and Islam. A Muslim student read from the Quranic chapter that tells the story of Jesus’ birth to the virgin Mary. READ MORE
