ABSTRACT

Offering an analysis of Christian-Muslim dialogue across four centuries, this book highlights those voices of ecumenical tone which have more often used the Qur’an for drawing the two faiths together rather than pushing them apart, and amplifies the voice of the Qur’an itself.

Finding that there is tremendous ecumenical ground between Christianity and Islam in the voices of their own scholars, this book ranges from a period of declining ecumenism during the first three centuries of Islam, to a period of resurging ecumenism during the most recent century until now. Among the ecumenical voices in the Christian-Muslim dialogue, this book points out that the Qur’an itself is possibly the strongest of those voices. These findings are cause for, and evidence of, hope for the Christian–Muslim relationship: that although agreement may never be reached, dialogue has led at times to very real mutual understanding and appreciation of the religious other.

Providing a tool for those pursuing understanding and mutual appreciation between the Islamic and Christian faiths, this book will be of interest to scholars and students of Islam, the Qur’an and the history of Christian-Muslim relations.

chapter |16 pages

Introduction

part 1|44 pages

The first Christian encounters with Islam 1

chapter 1|16 pages

The history of Christianity in Arabia

chapter 4|1 pages

Conclusion to Part 1A

part 1|112 pages

Early history and trends in interfaith dialogue

chapter 5|5 pages

Introduction to Part 1B

chapter 6|22 pages

The Trinity

chapter 7|19 pages

The incarnation

chapter 8|6 pages

The crucifixion

chapter 9|14 pages

Taḥrīf

chapter 10|25 pages

Muhammad's prophethood

chapter 11|11 pages

Islamic expansion

chapter 12|5 pages

Comments on tone in the phases of dialogue

chapter 13|3 pages

Conclusion to Part 1B

part 2|129 pages

Modern scholarship in Christian—Muslim relations

chapter 14|8 pages

Introduction to Part 2

chapter 15|24 pages

The Trinity

chapter 16|17 pages

The incarnation

chapter 17|10 pages

The crucifixion

chapter 18|13 pages

Taḥrīf

chapter 19|16 pages

Muhammad's prophethood

chapter 20|17 pages

Islamic expansion

chapter 21|5 pages

Comments on the tone of dialogue

chapter 22|14 pages

Inter-textual trends

chapter 23|3 pages

Conclusion to Part 2

part 3|12 pages

Expanding the Qur'anic bridge

chapter 24|8 pages

Ecumenism as humble orthodoxy

chapter 25|2 pages

Concluding thoughts