The book by Abjar Bakhou presents Medieval Christian author
Gerasimus and his discussion with Islam. His aim was to show that
Christian teachings are not irrational, but rather subtle and
complex. As a Christian philosopher and theologian, Gerasimus used
the experiences of those of the past to facilitate his own response
to critics. However, two important differences separated him from
earlier apologists, which demand his own insight and innovation.
First, the new language of intellectual discourse was Arabic, which
was not accommodating for expressing traditional Christian
doctrine, and required the development of a vocabulary out of terms
already heavily influenced by the Qur'anic worldview. Second, the
new religion challenging Christianity was one of absolute
monotheism, which shared neither a common scriptural nor cultural
heritage, and rejected the very possibility of a Trinity and
Incarnation. Although a common theme in early Christian apologetics
was the refutation of Judaism, the debate generally centered on the
interpretation of the Old Testament, showing that Jesus was indeed
the Messiah. The Qur'an, while acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah,
explicitly rejects the Christian doctrines of the Incarnation and
the Trinity, and presents itself as the revelation, which
supersedes all previous revelation. Thus, although Christians and
Muslims share certain themes and figures (such as Creation and the
Last Judgement, Abraham, Moses, Mary and Jesus), Muslims refuse
evidence contrary to the Qur'an, leaving Christians without
recourse to traditional scripture-based arguments. Gerasimus, as a
Christian apologist and mutakallim, accepted these challenges and
began the process of explaining and translating his faith in the
new milieu to make it coherent and rational. In his treatise,
Gerasimus reveals himself to be a full participant in this
important period of intellectual history; he sets down the basic
points of controversy and outlines a response to them in a form
that would be an excellent introduction to Christian theology
written for the Muslim environment. Gerasimus was also a mutakallim
in his own right, the Christian counterpart to those Islamic
scholars who sought to defend their faith through rational
arguments. In an effort to argue the legitimacy of Christianity,
Gerasimus attempts to create a common language that influences the
meaning of terminology and concepts of intellectual development in
Muslim - Christian debates. Such language would set the stage for
centuries to come. This is certainly his greatest contribution.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
