Understanding Christian-Muslim Relations: Past and Present

269 Pages·2008·1.685 MB·English

by  Clinton Bennett

Understanding Christian–Muslim Relations
Also available from Continuum:
Muslims and Modernity, Clinton Bennett
In Search of Jesus, Clinton Bennett
Understanding Christian–Muslim Relations
Clinton Bennett
Continuum
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© Clinton Bennett 2008
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British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN-10:HB: 0-8264-8782-3
PB: 0-8264-8783-1
ISBN-13:HB: 978-0-8264-8782-7
PB: 978-0-8264-8783-4
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Benett, Clinton.
Understanding Christian-Muslim Relations / Clinton Bennett.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-0-8264-8782-7 — ISBN 978-0-8264-8783-4 1. Christianity and other
religions—Islam. 2. Islam—Relations—Christianity. I. Title.
BP172.B48 2008
261.2'7--dc22
2007036198
Typeset by Free Range Book Design &Production Limited
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Cromwell Press Ltd, Trowbridge, Wiltshire
To the faculty, board members and students – past and present – of
the Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations
(CSIC), University of Birmingham at Selly Oak, Birmingham, UK
Without such a centre, progress in Christian–Muslim understanding
would be even harder to identify
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Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Introduction: Confrontation versus Conciliation, Debate
versus Dialogue 1
1 The Bible: An Agenda for Dialogue or Diatribe? 14
2 The Qur’an and Christianity: Affection or Hostility? 39
3 The Traditional Christian Confrontational Approach
towards Islam: Classical Contributions 64
4 Classical Christian Conciliatory Approaches towards Islam 89
5 The Traditional Muslim Confrontational Approach
towards Christianity 114
6 Classical Muslim Conciliatory Approaches towards
Christianity 138
7 Contemporary Christian and Muslim Confrontation 163
8 Contemporary Christian and Muslim Conciliation 188
Conclusion: Has Progress Occurred? 213
Notes 225
References 237
Index 249
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Acknowledgements

Over the years, many Muslims and many Christians have contributed
to my understanding of Christian–Muslim relations. It would be
impossible to mention all of these people. However, among Muslims
I especially wish to acknowledge my former teacher Hasan Askari,
Farid Esack, Ataullah Siddiqui and the late Zaki Badawi. Among the
Christian contributors I have met, Kenneth Cragg has been the most
influential on my thinking.
I also wish to acknowledge my former teacher and doctoral
mentor David Kerr, my former fellow student Hugh Goddard and
Tom Michel of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
Ataullah, Farid, Hugh and I were all part of an annual consultation
which met under the auspices of the Church Mission Society at
Leasow House, Selly Oak, where we were joined by other leading
contributors to Christian–Muslim understanding, including David
Thomas, Michael Nazir-Ali, Christopher Lamb (who convened
the gathering) and Nancy Lambton. I met Tom when we were
both involved in drafting Issues in Christian–Muslim Relations for
the World Council of Churches. I draw on his scholarship of Ibn
Taymiyyah, based on his own doctoral work, in this book. I have
also made use of an article by David Kerr.
Zaki and I co-drafted several press releases during my tenure as
director of inter-faith relations for the British Council of Churches.
He kindly hosted several visits at the Muslim College, Ealing from my
students and invited me to share the breaking of the fast there during
Ramadan. At times, in the face of what some people do in the name
of Islam, I have felt that in promoting a sympathetic approach to
Islam, I am defending the indefensible. My denial that Islam permits
or encourages acts such as the destruction of the Twin Towers has
been met by incredulity. Many persist in seeing Islam as a violent,
anti-free speech, women-oppressing religion. At such times, I have