Title: My Muslim Friends Learn About Jesus: For Adjudicators and Claimants Who Seek Refugee Status on Account of Conversion to Christianity.
Author: Prof. Charles Mwewa
Reviewer: Stephen Misori
Buy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1988251893
For over six years, Prof. Charles Mwewa, an accomplished author of all genres and advocate in Canada, has represented refugee claimants from Islamic nations facing brutal religious intolerance for converting to Christianity.
In his book, My Muslim Friends Learn About Jesus, Prof. Mwewa provides practical tools and tested materials that have helped many successfully defend their refugee claims at the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) of Canada.
Featuring real client responses and an entire Gospel of John for reference, this guide offers crucial insights for navigating religion-based refugee claims. Prof. Mwewa’s work underscores Canada’s role as a safe haven for those persecuted for their faith.
In the first chapter, he provides a detailed overview of core Christian beliefs, such as humanity’s fall from grace, redemption through Jesus Christ, and key doctrinal concepts like Holy Communion, the resurrection, and the Trinity.
He explains the significance of Christ’s sacrifice, the promise of eternal life, and the Rapture. Mwewa also addresses fundamental Christian practices, such as repentance and the meaning of the Beatitudes.
Written in a clear and accessible style, the chapter offers a concise yet comprehensive introduction to Christian theology, particularly for those unfamiliar with the faith.
Prof. Mwewa offers a profound and insightful exploration of key Christian beliefs, including sin, redemption, forgiveness, and repentance, among other theological concepts.
He underscores the significance of personal responsibility in sin, emphasising how actions that hurt others or go against one’s conscience are sinful. He explores the concepts of forgiveness as a divine mandate and redemption through Christ’s sacrifice, presenting these doctrines as central to the Christian faith.
The book also addresses foundational beliefs such as resurrection, the Trinity, and Holy Communion, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of Christian doctrine and its spiritual significance.
This book never shies away from describing the guidelines and criteria for individuals who have converted to Christianity, particularly those who may be seeking asylum based on religious conversion.
The author outlines key aspects that demonstrate a genuine shift in faith, focusing on practical changes in behaviour and attitudes.
He identifies registering with a local church, exhibiting newfound love and forgiveness, engaging in community service, and changing their lifestyle significantly from their previous religious practices.
Additionally, Mwewa stresses the importance of demonstrating love, which is regarded as the ultimate sign of true Christian conversion. The contrast between the old religion and new Christian beliefs is also highlighted—such as moving from routine to heartfelt practices, experiencing freedom, respect, and peace in contrast to possible past experiences of violence or abuse.
Most significantly, the book reflects on specific aspects of Christian teachings, drawing from the Gospel of John, particularly chapters 1-4. The Gospel portion describes Jesus’ divinity, his early ministry, and significant events like the marriage at Cana and the encounter with the Samaritan woman.
It emphasizes Jesus’ role as the Son of God, the bringer of grace and truth, and the one through whom eternal life is given.
He writes about the story of Jesus healing a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. This man was lying by the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, where people with various infirmities would gather, hoping to be healed when an angel stirred the waters. Jesus saw the man, understood his long-term suffering, and asked if he wanted to be healed.
The man explained his inability to reach the pool in time for healing. Jesus then told him to “rise, take up your bed, and walk,” and the man was immediately healed, even though it was the Sabbath.
The healing on the Sabbath caused controversy among the Jewish leaders, as they considered it unlawful to carry a bed on that day. When questioned, the man pointed to Jesus as the one who had healed him. Later, Jesus found him in the temple and told him to “sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.”
As the chapter continues, Jesus defends His actions and explains His relationship with God the Father. He claims that the Father works continuously, and so does He. This further enrages the Jewish leaders, who seek to kill Him, accusing Him of breaking the Sabbath and claiming equality with God.
Jesus teaches that He can do nothing by Himself, but only what He sees the Father doing. He emphasizes that the Father has given Him the authority to give life and execute judgment.
Jesus also speaks of the resurrection, both of life and damnation, for those who do good and evil, respectively.
He stresses the importance of believing in Him, as He is sent by the Father and has the words of eternal life. He challenges the religious leaders, saying that while they search the Scriptures for eternal life, those very Scriptures testify of Him, yet they refuse to come to Him for life.
He concludes by reminding them that their trust in Moses should lead them to believe in Him, as Moses wrote about Him.
Chapter 6 begins with the well-known miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand. Jesus, seeing a great crowd following Him, tests His disciple Philip by asking where they could buy bread for the people.
Philip responds that even a large sum of money would not be enough to give everyone just a little. Andrew, another disciple, points out a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. Jesus takes the loaves and fish, gives thanks, and distributes them to the crowd. Amazingly, after everyone is fed, the disciples gather twelve baskets full of leftovers.
The crowd, amazed by the miracle, wants to make Jesus king, but He withdraws to a mountain alone. Later, as His disciples cross the sea, they encounter a storm. Jesus walks on water toward them, calming their fears and bringing them safely to shore.
The next day, the crowd finds Jesus and questions how He got across the sea. Jesus tells them that they are seeking Him because they were fed, not because of the signs He performed. He encourages them to seek the “bread of life” that endures to eternal life, which He will give. When they ask for a sign, Jesus explains that He is the true bread from heaven, and whoever comes to Him will never hunger or thirst.
This leads to further discussion, as the crowd struggles to understand how Jesus, whom they know as the son of Joseph, can claim to have come from heaven. Jesus continues to emphasize that He is the living bread, and whoever eats His flesh and drinks His blood will have eternal life, a teaching that causes many disciples to turn away from Him.
In a moment of testing, Jesus asks the twelve disciples if they will also leave. Simon Peter responds, affirming their belief that Jesus has the words of eternal life and is the Son of the living God. Jesus acknowledges this, but also foreshadows the betrayal by Judas Iscariot.
In Chapter 7, Prof. Mwewa captures Jesus’ time in Galilee, where He avoids Judea because the Jewish leaders are seeking to kill Him. With the Feast of Tabernacles approaching, His brothers encourage Him to go to Judea to show His works publicly, but Jesus declines, saying His time has not yet come.
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Later, He secretly goes to the feast, where there is much discussion about Him among the people. Some consider Him a good man, while others think He deceives the people. Jesus teaches in the temple, where the Jewish leaders are amazed by His knowledge, even though He has not been formally educated.
The author takes his readers through the Gospel of John, detailing the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus, His trial before Pilate, the crucifixion itself, and His resurrection. He captures the denial of Jesus by Peter, the questioning of Jesus by Pilate, the crucifixion, the burial, and the resurrection and appearance of Jesus.
Mwewa, through this account emphasises the fulfilment of prophecies, Jesus’ kingship, and His post resurrection appearances, which serve as a foundation for Christian faith in His divinity and resurrection.
