Views

on

Christian-Muslim Relations

 

by

 

Joseph Kenny, O.P.

 

 

Dominican Publications

Lagos, 1999

 

 

 

                                   TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Chapter 1      Religious freedom in Christian thought

 

Document 1  The status of unbelief

Thomas Aquinas

Document 2  Socio-ethical principles

Jan H. Walgrave

Document 3  Declaration on Religious Liberty

Vatican II

 

Chapter 2      Religious freedom in Islamic thought

 

Document 4  The treatment of ahl adh-dhimma

AÝ-ÜurÝûshî

Document 5  Treatment of unbelievers

Al-Qayrawânî

Document 6  Religious liberty: a Muslim perspective

Muhammad Talbi

 

Chapter 3     Dialogue with Muslims                 

 

Document 7  The salvation of non-Christians

Thomas Aquinas

Document 8  The salvation of non-Muslims

Al-Ghazâlî

Document 9  Guidelines on dialogue

World Council of Churches

Document 10  Islam and dialogue

Muhammad Talbi

See also         Dominus Jesus

 

 

                                                     INTRODUCTION

 

This volume was born out of the course ARelations among peoples of living faiths@, RES 701 of the Masters in Religious Studies, at the University of Ibadan.

This course was introduced from a growing insistence on the importance of this subject in the world and in Nigeria in particular.  Both the Church and the Umma are concerned with the need to promote peaceful and fruitful relations between the two communities, as is evident from uncountable pronouncements made by their respective leaders both in the public media and in private.

The chapters summarize the main directions of Christian and Muslim thought on religious relations, both old and new, both from the closed or hostile side and from the open and friendly side.  These are illustrated by ten documents that are representative of the myriad of writings on the topic.  It is for the reader to evaluate them and take his own position.

This volume covers the essentials of Christian and Muslim thought on the subject, and therefore should satisfy any general reader.

A specialist in Religious Studies, however, should read further in the different areas of this very complicated subject.  He should be familiar with such periodicals as Orita, Bulletin of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, Islamochristiana, The Muslim World, Encounter (Rome), just to mention a few.

For books, one should at least know F. Gioia (ed.), Interreligious dialogue, the official teaching of the Catholic Church (1963-1995) (Boston: Pauline Books, 1997).  The periodicals mentioned above provide bibliographies and book reviews that equip the student with all the references he needs B provided, of course, he can find the titles, if he is in Nigeria.

Apart from books, there is the ever-open and limitless book of field work in the real world of daily Christian-Muslim encounter.  This can never adequately be reduced to print, much less be treated in this volume.

The theoretical questions raised in this volume are difficult, and most readers will find perspectives that are new and challenging to their received ideas. Read on!  It will only strengthen your faith in the end.