Comparative History of Catholic and Aš‘arī Theologies of Truth and Salvation

Mohammed Gamal Abdelnour, Ph.D. (2020), SOAS University of London, is a faculty member at Al-Azhar University (Cairo) and a postdoctoral researcher at SOAS. He has published several articles on Islamic theology and religion, including The Islamic Theology of Interfaith Marriages between Theology, Law and Individual Ijtihad (RSIS, June 2020).

• Transliteration and DatingAcknowledgementsIntroduction1The Importance of the Subject2The State of the Field2.1Rifat Atay2.2Mohammad H. Khalil2.3Esra A. Dag3Critical Evaluation and Objectives of the Monograph4Methodology (from Theology of Religions to Comparative Theology)5Methodical Concerns5.1Important Qualifications and Limitations5.2Periodization and Structure5.3Overview of the Monograph1 The Early Catholic Theology of Salvation1The Salvation Epistemology of the Early Church Fathers1.1St. Paul (d. c. 64/67)1.2The Inclusivist School1.2.1Justin Martyr (d. 165)1.2.2Irenaeus (d. c. 180/90)1.2.3Clement of Alexandria (d. c. 215)1.2.4Origen (d. c. 253)1.3The Exclusivist School1.3.1Ignatius (d. c. 117)1.3.2Tertullian (d. c. 240)1.3.3Cyprian (d. 258)1.4Augustine and the Consolidation of Exclusivism2 Soteriology of the Early Church Fathers2.1The Apokatastasis2.2 Christ’s Descent into Hell2 Early Aš‘arite Theology of Salvation (Hadith-Based Theology)1Early Aš‘arite Epistemology of Intra-Muslim Salvation2Early Aš‘rite Intra-Muslim Soteriology3Early Aš‘arite Epistemology of Inter-Religious Salvation4Early Aš‘arite Inter-Religious Soteriology5Early Aš‘arites and the Question of Intercession6Conclusion and Comparison3 St. Thomas Aquinas’ Theology of Salvation1Aquinas’ Epistemology of Salvation2Aquinas’ Soteriology3Thomistic Influence on Later Theologians4 Abu Hamid al-Gazali’s Theology of Salvation (Sunnah-Based Theology)1Al-Gazali’s Theology of Intra-Muslim Salvation2Al-Gazali’s Theology of Inter-Religious Salvation2.1Al-Gazali and the Question of Intercession2.2Can Non-Muslims be Called Mu’minun “Believers”?2.3Good Deeds vs. Correct Faith3The Aš‘arite Theology of Salvation after al-Gazali4Conclusion and Comparison5 Salvation in Modern Catholicism (Massignon, Rahner and Vatican II)1The Impact of Massignon’s Theology of Religions on Vatican II1.1Massignon the Person and Islam1.2Massignon the Scholar and Islam1.3Massignon and Vatican II2Karl Rahner and Anonymous Christians2.1Rahner’s Context and Theory2.2Is there an Islamic Parallel to Rahner’s Theory?2.2.1The Receptive Interpretation2.2.2The Proactive Interpretation2.2.3The Conflictive Interpretation2.2.4Critical Evaluation6 Modern Aš‘arite Theology of Salvation (Al-Azhar and the Quran-Based Theology)1Muhammad ‘Abduh’s Theology of Salvation1.1‘Abduh’s Theology of Intra-Muslim Salvation1.2‘Abduh’s Theology of Inter-Religious Salvation1.2.1‘Abduh and the Question of Intercession1.2.2Concluding Remarks2Sh. Mahmud Šaltut and the Question of Salvation2.1Šaltut’s Theology of Intra and Inter-religious Salvation3Sh. ‘Abd al-Halim Mahmud’s Theology of Salvation3.1Halim’s Theology of Muslim Denominations3.2Halim’s Theology of Religions3.3Comparisons and ConclusionsConclusions and RecommendationsThe Way ForwardGlossary of Key TermsCitation Method and Abbreviated Arabic TitlesBibliographyArabic SourcesEnglish SourcesOnline SourcesIndex

"Abdelnour’s volume is a very welcome contribution to this scholarly genre. As for overall purpose, he considers his work a ‘map for students of Christian-Muslim relations’, and it can play that role admirably. It will make a very useful centre-piece for such a course, providing adequate context and detail to introduce students with at least a general background in religious studies and theology to the book’s complex topic and investigative premises. Abdelnour’s generous bibliography will supply numerous possibilities for additional teaching material useful for both instructor and students." - John Renard, Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations (14 July 2021)."This book is a significant and original piece of research on an important subject. Mohammed Gamal excelled in studying Islamic Theology at al-Azhar University in Cairo, but then had the wider vision and motivation to compare the teachings of Islam with Christianity on one key theme, salvation, the ultimate hope of the faithful in both traditions, though differently expressed. His deep and intelligent historical study of Islamic and Christian sources gives the work a doubly authentic and balanced picture. This book offers a leading example for Muslims, Christians and other scholars of theology and interfaith studies to build on." - Muhammad Abdel Haleem, Professor of Islamic Studies, SOAS, University of London"This is a most substantial and original contribution to inter-faith conversation - an insightful comparative study of the central issue of how diverse schools of thought within Christianity and Islam understand "salvation", and how they think about the limits of the holy or chosen community. It builds on wide and deep familiarity with primary sources in both traditions, addressing both theological and sociological questions, and offers a particularly vivid and expert account of debates within the Islamic world. It will make a unique contribution to Christian-Muslim understanding and will do much to nurture a more sophisticated grasp of the rich internal variety of both religious discourses."- Rowan Williams, Honorary Professor of Contemporary Christian Thought, University of Cambridge"Gamal provides an instructive guide to Catholic and Aš‘arī theologies of truth and salvation. His intimate familiarity with both traditions, his sympathetic and intelligent observations throughout, and his tracing of their similarities and differences reveal fascinating structural similarities in the way that the greatest minds and theological schools in each tradition tackle the issues. Gamal, writing from within Islam, also tentatively indicates constructive and faithful steps forward. This is comparative theology at its best." - Gavin D'Costa, Professor of Catholic Theology, University of Bristol"Examining salvation in the Catholic and Ash’arite traditions, this monograph nuances the major shifts of interpretation that have taken place from their formative periods up to modern times. It dextrously addresses seminal questions as to whether and how someone from without a particular tradition might achieve salvation, simultaneously highlighting how theology responds to the historical contexts in which it is embedded. The author’s singular capacity to appraise authoritatively both the Catholic and Asharite traditions leads to powerful conclusions on issues that are vitally relevant today." - Dr Erica C.D. Hunter, Senior Lecturer Eastern Christianity and Associate Dean of Research, SOAS, University of London