bennett's "victorian images of islam" (1992) has been widely cited. for example, by kate zebiri (1997), rollin armour (2003) hugh goddard (2000) and dana l. robert (2008). armour refers to the work of bennett and of such scholars as bernard lewis and john esposito as lying "behind almost every page that follows" (2003: xiv). david thomas described the book as an "illuminating study into an overlooked corner of victorian religious history". in particular, it showed that more diversity of approach existed among earlier contributors but that more often than not it is a priori premises rather than encounter that determine attitude bennett described contributors as confrontational or conciliatory, analysing the work of three scholars in each category. the three conciliators were charles forster, frederick denison maurice and reginald bosworth smith and the three confrontationalists were william muir, william st. clair tisdall and john drew bate. conciliators were those "western writers who questioned the prevailing attitude of cultural and religious superiority that led to a belittling of everything non-european" confrontationalists perpetuated traditional anti-muslim polemic. bennett later commented that while "actual meetings between christians and muslims may result in a change of heart and mind ... more often than not ... it confirms our prejudices, which it has to be said is one of the biggest problems involved in christian-muslim encounter." he stresses, though, that the story of christian-muslim encounter includes examples of harmonious co-existence as well as of hostility. by remembering these experiences we can ensure that future relations are not solely defined by a negative historical memory. ahmad gunney called the book "a valuable contribution to the debate on the important question of islam and the west" and said that "the baptist minister" had to a "certain extent" complemented "the work of three muslim writers, m. a. anees, syed z. abedin and z. sardar" whose book had been published by the same publisher as bennett's. like thomas, gunney remarked that bennett's research showed that even when people are "technically well equipped" and spend "extensive periods of residence in the countries of the world of islam" this does "not necessarily lead to objective judgements, especially if one starts off, as in the case of the three confrontational writers with a priori assumptions about islam." andrews, a shi'a muslim, suggested that the book's study by muslim imams-in-training might "go some way towards breaking down barriers and misconceptions" and observed that "through his own enlightened position" bennett "has done a lot to undermine at least one muslim's preconceptions about christian missionaries, and about baptist missionaries in particular".