Christian Encounter with Muhammad

Charles Tieszen is SIS Adjunct Professor for Islamic studies and Christian-Muslim relations at Fuller Theological Seminary, USA. He is an editor for the project Christian-Muslim Relations: A Bibliographical History, and he has also most recently published Cross Veneration in the Medieval Islamic World (I.B. Tauris, 2017) and Theological Issues in Christian-Muslim Dialogue (2018) .

• Introduction1. Muhammad as a Christian Catechumen: Sergius-Bahira and a Legendary Counter history2. Muhammad as a Prophet of Inferior Monotheism: John of Damascus and a New History of the World 3. Muhammad as a Retrograde Moses of Minimal Significance: East-Syrian Christians and Public Discussions with Muslims4. Muhammad as a Carnal Warrior and Scheming Ruler: West-Syrian Christians and Refutations of the Prophet5. Muhammad as an Anti-Saint: Martyr Saints and Hamartiography of the Prophet6. Muhammad as a Tainted Vessel of Christ: An Anonymous Counter-Chronicle of the Prophet7. Muhammad as a Vanquished Anti-Hero: A Convert, a Translator and Polemic Exposing the Prophet8. Muhammad as a Powerless Prophet to the Arabs: Paul of Antioch and Letters Written to Muslims9. Muhammad as a Prophet and Colonial Goad for Persecutors: Mary Fisher and a Notorious Encounter with a Sultan10. Muhammad as a Redundant Gabriel And Missionary Conscript: Samuel Ajayi Crowther and West African Mission to Muslims11. Muhammad as a Signpost for Fellow Pilgrims: Lamin Sanneh and Christian Appreciation for the Prophet’s BiographyConclusionBibliographyIndex

Throughout the centuries, Christian writings on Muhammad varied in tone though not so much in content. In response to Muslim veneration of Muhammad’s prophecy, Christians accused Muhammad of being both a false prophet and an unwitting Christian. Using a range of Christian perspectives from different historical contexts, Charles Tiezsen has written an informed, accessible and very valuable contribution to the growing literature on Christian-Muslim studies.