The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (1154 page)

's earthly life; his actual teachings are not reported. He is conceived through the power of Allah, the message being conveyed to the virgin Maryam by ‘Our Spirit’ (19. 17–22), later identified with the angel Jibr
l
Gabriel
(cf. 3. 45–7). He speaks in the cradle, to vindicate his mother's reputation (19. 30).
His miracles are said to include making birds out of clay, healing the sick, blind, and lepers, and raising the dead, (3. 49, 5. 113). The strange story of his making a ‘table prepared’ appear from heaven is thought by some to be an echo of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, or of the Last Supper (5. 115–18; s
ra 5 is named ‘the Table’). This is to be a ‘solemn festival and a sign’ (5. 117).
The crucifixion is apparently denied in the Qur
n: ‘They killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them’ (4. 157); but the Arabic can be taken to mean that the resurrection contradicted what they thought had happened.
s
has several titles: ‘Word’ from All
h, and a ‘Spirit’ from him, though neither term corresponds to the Christian concept; ‘Servant’, ‘Prophet’, ‘Messiah’, ‘Messenger’, and ‘only a messenger’ (4. 171, 5. 78). He is ‘strengthened by the Spirit of holiness’ (
r
al-qudus
; 5. 113, 2. 253). His humanity is emphasized, and the Christians are severely rebuked for ascribing divine status to him. The Qur
n, however, objects to ideas which are not orthodox Christian teaching. There is within Arabic a distinction between
ibn
, ‘son’, which can be used metaphorically or to denote a spiritual relationship, and
walad
, ‘son’ or ‘offspring’, in a more literal sense. It is this latter term which the Qur
n employs in the verses just quoted, and the point is appreciated by some Muslim commentators.

 
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A variety of groups which flourished in the 1960s, differing somewhat in social organization, doctrine, and ritual, but all committed to a literal,
fundamentalist
interpretation of scripture. For these groups, sometimes referred to as ‘Jesus Freaks’ or ‘Street Christians’, worship centred on the person of Jesus and emphasized the continuing, direct activity of the
Holy
Spirit.

 
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