Christian–Muslim Relations

The course Christian–Muslim Relations offers an in-depth and interdisciplinary exploration of the historical, theological, social, and political interactions between Christianity and Islam, from the medieval period to the present day. Its primary aim is to provide students with the conceptual and methodological tools necessary to understand the dynamics of encounter, dialogue, and coexistence between the world’s two largest faith traditions.

Over twelve chapters, the course examines topics ranging from the Ottoman Empire and the Protestant Reformation to colonial encounters and contemporary interfaith dialogue, as articulated by both Christian and Muslim scholars. Each module combines theoretical reflection with the study of specific case studies, allowing students to recognize how Christian–Muslim relations have been—and continue to be—shaped by complex historical, political, and cultural contexts.

Course Objectives

The course aims to:

1. Provide a structured historical understanding of the evolution of Christian–Muslim relations, identifying key moments of conflict, dialogue, and cooperation.

2. Analyze theological and textual sources that have shaped mutual perceptions, with special attention to sacred texts, ecclesial documents, and Islamic commentaries.

3. Promote a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective, integrating methods from history, theology, anthropology, political science, and postcolonial studies.

4. Develop critical awareness of how religious “others” have been represented across centuries, deconstructing stereotypes and inherited polemics.

5. Encourage ethical reflection on the role and challenges of interreligious dialogue in today’s pluralistic and globalized world.

6. Prepare students for research or intercultural engagement, equipping them with knowledge relevant to academic, ecclesial, diplomatic, or community settings.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Critically understand the major phases of Christian–Muslim relations across history.

2. Interpret theological and historical sources from both traditions with analytical rigor.

3. Differentiate between polemical, apologetic, and dialogical approaches in interreligious thought.

4. Apply interdisciplinary methods to the study of religion, politics, and culture.

5. Reflect on contemporary issues such as pluralism, ethics, and interreligious cooperation.

6. Develop personal and academic insights into the theological and social significance of dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

Structure and Content

1. Introduction: Christian–Muslim Relations as a Field of Study

The opening unit introduces the field’s major definitions, frameworks, and methodologies. Students learn how theology, history, anthropology, and political science intersect in shaping this multidisciplinary area. The session highlights the importance of comparative methods—textual, historical, ethnographic, and political—for studying religious encounters.

2. The Ottoman Empire: An Islamic Empire in Europe

Through readings by Alan Mikhail and Karen Barkey, students reconsider the Ottoman Empire as a major Islamic power at the heart of Europe, governing immense cultural and religious diversity. The discussion explores concepts such as “empire of difference,” tolerance, pluralism, and imperial governance.

3. Non-Muslims under Ottoman Rule

This module examines the legal and social position of Christian and Jewish communities under Ottoman Islamic law, focusing on the dhimma and millet systems. Rather than viewing coexistence through modern liberal ideals, students explore how hierarchy and protection coexisted with pragmatic negotiation and intercommunal interdependence.

4. Martin Luther, Islam, and the Ottoman Turks

Students analyze how the rise of the Ottoman Empire influenced the Protestant Reformation. Adam S. Francisco’s work reveals how Luther’s theological and eschatological views of Islam intertwined with political fears, showing how Islam became central to Protestant self-definition in sixteenth-century Europe.

5. Colonialism, Missions, and the Christian–Muslim Encounter

Using Hugh Goddard’s historical analysis, this week explores the entanglement of Christian missionary activity and European imperialism from the eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries. The course considers how missionary work both supported and occasionally challenged colonial power, and how Muslim communities responded with adaptation, resistance, and theological creativity.

6. Louis Massignon: A Catholic Encounter with Islam

Students study the life and thought of Louis Massignon (1883–1962), whose engagement with Islam transformed modern Catholic theology. His mystical and theological approach to Islam—rooted in notions of Abrahamic hospitality and redemptive suffering—paved the way for interreligious openness within the Catholic Church, while also reflecting the tensions of colonial-era scholarship.

7–8. Changing Christian and Muslim Thinking

These sessions explore the intellectual renewal of both Christian and Muslim thought during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. On the Christian side, thinkers such as Massignon and Kenneth Cragg sought new ways of understanding Islam beyond polemics; on the Muslim side, reformers such as Muḥammad ʿAbduh, Rashīd Riḍā, and Sayyid Aḥmad Khān reinterpreted Christianity in light of modernity and colonial realities. Together, these chapters reveal how both traditions redefined themselves through mutual engagement and shared global challenges.

9–10. Vatican II and Muslim Reflections

The course examines how the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) reconfigured Catholic teaching on Islam, particularly through Nostra Aetate. Gavin D’Costa’s study shows how the Council’s language combined reform and continuity, introducing a new respect for Islam’s monotheism while retaining Christocentric boundaries. Karim Lahham’s subsequent critique, from an Islamic perspective, highlights the philosophical and theological limits of this renewed openness, questioning whether post–Vatican II dialogue truly recognizes Islam on its own terms.

11. “A Common Word”: Promise and Paradox in Contemporary Dialogue

This week explores A Common Word Between Us and You (2007), a landmark letter from 138 Muslim scholars to Christian leaders emphasizing the shared commandments to love God and neighbor. Students examine both the theological vision of this document and critical responses questioning its assumptions about scriptural “common ground.” The debate invites reflection on the promises and paradoxes of modern interfaith dialogue.

12. Human Fraternity and Interreligious Ethics in a Global Age

The final session studies the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together (Abu Dhabi, 2019), signed by Pope Francis and Shaykh Aḥmad al-Ṭayyib of al-Azhar. This unprecedented statement is analyzed as both a spiritual and diplomatic gesture addressing global challenges such as war, displacement, Islamophobia, and moral fragmentation. Students are encouraged to assess what interreligious ethics can achieve in practice, and what obstacles remain.

Course's Schedule

1. Introducing Christian–Muslim Relations as a Field of Study

2. The Ottoman Empire as an Islamic Empire in Europe

3. Non-Muslims under Ottoman Rule: Protection, Hierarchy, and Coexistence

   Christians and Jews in the ottoman empire by Bruce Masters (Reading from page 1 to 11)

4. Martin Luther, Islam, and the Ottoman Turks

   Martin Luther, Islam, and the Ottoman Turks by Adam S. Francisco (Reading from p1- 9)

5. Colonialism, Missions, and the Christian–Muslim Encounter

   A History of Christian-Muslim Relations, Chp: The changing balance of power: mission and imperialism? By Hugh Goddard (Reading from p.101 to 111)

6. Louis Massignon: A Catholic Encounter with Islam and the Middle East

   Louis Massignon: A Catholic Encounter with Islam and the Middle East by: Anthony OʼMahony (Reading this chapter)

7. Changing Christian Thinking about Islam

   New thinking in the nineteenth/thirteenth and twentieth/fourteenth centuries by Hugh Goddard (Reading from P.133 to 141)

8. Changing Muslim Thinking about Christianity

   New thinking in the nineteenth/thirteenth and twentieth/fourteenth centuries by Hugh Goddard (Reading from P. 141 to 151)

9. Continuity and Reform in Catholic Teaching on Islam (Vatican II and Beyond)

   Gavin D’Costa, “Continuity and Reform in Vatican II’s Teaching on Islam by Gavin D'Costa (Reading this study)

10. Muslim Reflections on Catholic Approaches to Islam After Vatican II

    Muslim Reflections on Catholic Approaches to Islam After Vatican II by Karim Laham (From p1 to 13)

11. "A Common Word": Promise and Paradox in Contemporary Muslim–Christian Dialogue

    A Common Word: Muslims and Christians on Loving God and Neighbor – 5th Anniversary Edition (Introduction)
    Peter Lambard, “The Uncommunality of A Common Word” (From p 7 to 15)

12. Human Fraternity and Interreligious Ethics in a Global Age

    The Document on Human Fraternity: Peace between Religions in a Troubled World, by  Rita Faraj (Read this study)

Christian–Muslim Relations is more than a history or theology course—it is an intellectual and ethical journey toward understanding how religion, identity, and power intersect in shaping both past and present. Through readings, discussion, and reflection, students are invited to move beyond simplistic “clash of civilizations” narratives and instead engage the deep complexity of shared histories and intertwined destinies.

Ultimately, the course seeks to form scholars and citizens capable of fostering dialogue, respect, and cooperation in a world that urgently needs bridges rather than barriers.