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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
List of contents
General Introduction, David Thomas (University of Birmingham, UK)
1. Muslim Arabic works
Introduction, David Thomas (University of Birmingham, UK)
2. Christian Arabic works
Introduction, David Thomas (University of Birmingham, UK)
3. Andalusian Arabic works
Introduction, Juan Pedro Monferrer Sala (University of Cordoba, Spain)
4. Syriac, Persian and other Eastern language works
Introduction, Thomas Carlson (Oklahoma State University, USA)
5. Greek works
Introduction, Johannes Pahlitzsch (University of Mainz, Germany)
6. Latin and European vernacular works
Introduction, Graham Barrett (University of Lincoln, UK)
7. Table of themes
8. List of contributors
Index
About the author
David Thomas FBA is Emeritus Professor of Christianity and Islam at the University of Birmingham, UK.
Summary
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
Additional text
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.
