Adventist Use of the Qur’an: An Old Debate

In recent decades, Seventh-day Adventists have had several interactions discussing the use of the Qur’an for mission. Some Adventist ministers and workers have used the Qur’an as a tool to draw people into a discussion of faith and to guide people into an understanding of God that fits with the biblical portrayal. This has not been without controversy, and debate has taken place in formal and informal ways. This issue is often described as though it was a new form of mission Adventists are utilizing on the cutting edge of mission (Diop 2005; Maberly 2006). What this article demonstrates is that there have been Adventists who used the Qur’an in their discussions of faith with Muslims for nearly 100 years, if not more. The debate may feel fresh, but it is not a new debate. This article focuses on several examples from the 1920s through 1963.