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Zusatztext For those who search for a brief introduction into the role and defensive of cross veneration in the churches of the Middle East, Charles Tieszen's clearly written overview of the subject provides an excellent starting point. Informationen zum Autor Charles Tieszen is SIS Adjunct Professor for Islamic studies and Christian-Muslim relations at Fuller Theological Seminary, US. He is Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and an editor for the project Christian-Muslim Relations: A Bibliographical History. He has most recently published Cross Veneration in the Medieval Islamic World (I.B. Tauris, 2017) and Theological Issues in Christian-Muslim Dialogue (2018) .The first in-depth look at this important theological polemic. Zusammenfassung One of the most common religious practices among medieval Eastern Christian communities was their devotion to venerating crosses and crucifixes. Yet many of these communities existed in predominantly Islamic contexts, where the practice was subject to much criticism and often resulted in accusations of idolatry. How did Christians respond to these allegations? Why did they advocate the preservation of a practice that was often met with confusion or even contempt? To shed light onto these questions, Charles Tieszen looks at every known apologetic or polemical text written between the eighth and fourteenth centuries to include a relevant discussion. With sources taken from across the Mediterranean basin, Egypt, Syria and Palestine, the result is the first in-depth look at a key theological debate which lay at the heart of these communities' religious identities. By considering the perspectives of both Muslim and Christian authors, Cross Veneration in the Medieval Islamic World also raises important questions concerning cross-cultural debate and exchange, and the development of Christianity and Islam in the medieval period.This is an important book that will shine much needed light onto Christian-Muslim relations, the nature of inter-faith debates and the wider issues facing the communities living across the Middle East during the medieval period. Inhaltsverzeichnis Introduction – Tracing the Life of a Theological IdeaChapter 1 – Writing about Crosses in Medieval Islamic MilieusChapter 2 – Muslims and Christians Stumbling over CrossesChapter 3 – The Cross is a Mirror of Muslim IdolatryChapter 4 – The Cross is a Symbol and Source of PowerChapter 5 – The Cross is Christ and the Distinctive Mark of His FriendsConclusion – Cruciform Believers as Icons in the Medieval Islamic WorldAppendix – An Abbreviated Guide to the Sources...
