Overview

This Reader brings together nearly 80 extracts from major works by Christians and Muslims that reflect their reciprocal knowledge and attitudes. It spans the period from the early 7th century, when Islam originated, to 1500. The general introduction provides a historical and geographical summary of Christian-Muslim encounters in the period and a short account of the religious, intellectual and social circumstances in which encounters took place and works were written. Topics from the Christian perspective include: condemnations of the Qur'an as a fake and Muhammad as a fraud, depictions of Islam as a sign of the final judgement, and proofs that it was a Christian heresy. On the Muslim side they include: demonstrations of the Bible as corrupt, proofs that Christian doctrines were illogical, comments on the inferior status of Christians, and accounts of Christian and Muslim scholars in collaboration together. Each of the six parts contains the following pedagogical features: -A short introduction -An introduction to each passage and author -Notes explaining terms that readers might not have previously encountered

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9781350214101

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Reviews

Many of the themes that still feature in exchanges between Christians and Muslims date from the first centuries of encounter. This selection of texts, grouped according to the languages employed, many translated into English for the first time, makes it possible for readers to see how each side attempted to defend their own religion or to attack the other, during these centuries. Readers will be able to see which themes dominated, which developed or changed and which were dropped, and how context influenced perceptions and attitudes. * Clinton Bennett, Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies, the State University of New York at New Paltz, USA * A fascinating short journey in the history of Christian-Muslim encounters in pre-modern times. This anthology of texts provides a revealing window into how Muslims and Christians perceived each other from the beginning of Islam and throughout medieval times. It offers the reader a unique collection of translated texts from languages that include Arabic, Latin, Greek, Syriac and many others. * Umar Ryad, Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, KU Leuven, Belgium * The Bloomsbury Reader in Christian-Muslim Relations gives readers a chance to meet the history of Christian-Muslim encounters through the experiences and thoughts of those involved in them at first-hand. Helpful commentary from a diverse community of scholars adds vital context to the primary sources. The Reader will become one of the standard texts that teachers and students depend upon. * Charles Tieszen, SIS Adjunct Professor for Islamic studies and Christian-Muslim relations, Fuller Theological Seminary, USA *

Author Information

David Thomas FBA is Emeritus Professor of Christianity and Islam at the University of Birmingham, UK.

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