Beyond Boundaries: Rethinking the Civilisational Relationship between Islam and Christianity and its Impact on Western Muslims
By
Adis Duderija, New Age Islam
31 January
2024
Introduction
For over a
millennium, the prevailing historical
conception in the West has viewed Islam and Christianity
as radically separate and opposing civilizational entities. However, emerging
scholarship invites us to ponder this framing anew, exploring whether
alternative perspectives may better reflect the nuanced realities of their
intertwined development. In his seminal work "The
Case for Islamo-Christian Civilization", a book that I use in my course on
Islam and Muslim Communities in the West at Griffith University, Richard Bulliet,
among other things, considers potential obstacles hindering acceptance of Islam
and Christianity as interlinked within a shared cultural matrix, then subjects
each assertion to critical scrutiny. Drawing from Bulliet's incisive analysis,
this essay aims to build upon his argument by delving examining these
objections and reconsidering their validity and impact on western Muslims’
identity.
Bulliet
argues that there are several obstacles that appear to hinder the viability of
his case for Islamo-Christian civilisation including:
1.
Chronological Discrepancy: The idea that Muhammad lived approximately 700 years
after Christ, creating a significant time gap between the two historical
figures and their respective civilizations.
2.
Inveterate Hostility: Throughout history, Islam has repeatedly launched attacks
on Christendom, leading to an enduring sense of enmity and hostility between
the two religious groups.
3.
Christian Experience: Christians who have encountered Islam over the centuries
have consistently perceived it as an enemy and an alien power, further
hindering the establishment of a connection between the two civilizations.
4.
Scriptural Error: The Quran and the Bible share numerous stories, but the
Quranic versions are often seen as inaccurate or distorted in comparison to the
biblical narratives.
5.
Denial of Divine Truth: While Islam recognizes Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and
Muhammad as Messengers of God, it falls short of affirming the divinity of
Christ, which is a fundamental belief in Christianity.
6.
Ingratitude: Islam has not acknowledged its indebtedness to Judaism and
Christianity in terms of doctrine, nor has it recognized them as its parent
religions (2004, p.13).
These obstacles contribute to the perceived
difficulty in linking the histories of Muslim and Christian civilizations, as
they involve significant religious, historical, and doctrinal differences that
have shaped the relationship between the two throughout history. In
conversation with Bulliet we critically evaluate these arguments as follows.
Chronological
Discrepancy
The notion
of Muhammad appearing some seven centuries after Jesus is undeniably accurate.
We know, however, that ancient Near Eastern thinkers communicated across vast
distances through expanding trade networks since antiquity. Scholars also recognize striking similarities
between Islamic, Jewish and Christian scriptural stories, implying shared oral
traditions circulating the Levant continuously. Rather than separation, the
continuum of Near Eastern cultural commingling offers a more organic lens. A
flexible periodization sensitive to trans-regional interactions better captures
civilizations' complexity.
Inveterate
Hostility
Conflict undeniably
occurred yet there was more than just conflict. Early Islamic rule over Christian
realms like Syria proved tolerable to subjects, as Caliphates later safeguarded
European Christendom from Mongol hordes. In Iberia, relatively harmonious
co-existence lasted centuries as Muslims, Christians and Jews jointly advanced
philosophy. Even Crusades invoked to question Islam's European belonging
neglect there was also conflict between different types of Christianity during
this time too. While tension emerged, relations oscillated between cooperation
and conflict like any neighbours, denying a natural antipathy thesis. Recasting
disputes as intra-civilizational rather than religious (Islam vs. Christianity)
has the potential to reconcile Islam's European roots with geopolitical
vicissitudes.
Christianity-Islam
Othering Experience
Certainly medieval Christendom framed Islam
as a threatening 'other' and vice versa . However, just as European attitudes
toward Jews transformed from conflict to inclusion, recognizing shared
destinies reorients perceptions. Early Christian chroniclers depicted foreign
peoples like Huns or Vikings similarly yet today none question their place
within Europe. Even famed Crusader accounts describe “Saracen” piety and valour,
complicating alien imageries. Today, the vast
majority of western Muslims peacefully live and contribute to western liberal democracies.
Scriptural
Inaccuracies
While
certain Quranic narratives differ from their biblical versions, comparative
studies find most respond to contexts of seventh century Arabia, aiming not to
replace but build upon earlier Abrahamic traditions. In any case, holy books
represent singular interpretations among a diversity. Even within Christianity,
the Ethiopic Bible includes books absent from others. More significantly, no
religion holds a monopoly over historical veracity – all modern scholarship
recognizes scriptures involve selective retellings reflecting diverse
communities. Rather than error, the Quran's adaptations portray an independent yet
genetically linked voice within
a complex cultural exchange. An organic relationship transcends artificial
impositions of doctrinal conformity.
Denial
of Christ's Divinity
Undoubtedly
Islam diverges from mainstream forms Christianity in defining Christ's nature
(but not necessarily crucifixion) yet denying their broader
interconnectedness on these grounds disregards how beliefs evolve dialogically.
Just as Christianity's doctrines emerged through longstanding inner theological
debates and external influences, so too did Islam - yet both refer to shared
wellsprings in their formulation of monotheism. Even differences denote
relatedness, as siblings diverge while recognising a common ancestry. Today's
diverse modern attitudes among Christians and rejection of dogma affirm
doctrinal pluralism need not preclude cultural citizenship. An inclusive
civilizational frame accepts this diversity while stressing interwoven fates
and mutual formative impact over rigid demarcations.
Ingratitude
towards Parent Faiths
The concept
of Islam rejecting parent faith status towards Judaism and Christianity
likewise imposes anachronistic categories ignoring how identities develop
organically. Islam emerged not to displace earlier traditions
but carve an
independent yet recognizably kindred community, as seen in its preservation of biblical
figures. Even today, religiosity encompasses personal belief amid wider
belonging to indefinable yet deeply meaningful collectivities. Rather than
being viewed as ingratitude, Islam’s independent teachings signalled an ethnic
and national awakening within Late Antiquity’s religious marketplace,
articulating new shared symbolic markers of a burgeoning sociopolitical order.
Implications
for Western Muslims
The
arguments presented by Bulliet can strengthen Western
Muslim identity by challenging the traditional narratives that
have positioned Islam and Christianity as inherently opposed to each other. By
addressing the chronological discrepancy, inveterate hostility, Christian
experience, scriptural error, denial of divine truth, and ingratitude
arguments, Western Muslims can emphasize the historical interconnectedness,
shared cultural heritage, and the potential for dialogue and coexistence
between Islamic and Christian civilizations. This reframing allows Western
Muslims to foster a sense of belonging within the Western context and promote a
more inclusive understanding of their religious and cultural identity.
By
critically evaluating these arguments, Western Muslims can counter the
perception of enmity and hostility, highlight
the periods of cooperation and mutual influence, and challenge
the notion of Islam as an alien power. They can also emphasize the contextual
nature of religious texts, the diversity of interpretations, and the evolving
beliefs and theological debates within Islam and Christianity. This inclusive
approach acknowledges the shared roots and interconnectedness between the two
religions while recognizing the distinctiveness and independent contributions
of each, ultimately strengthening the Western Muslim identity within the
broader Western context.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, Bulliet by re-examining the ostensible obstacles to the idea of a
Islamo-Christian Civilisation, helps us gain insights into the contingencies
and complexities underlying all civilizational phenomena. Rather than division,
the evidence demonstrates continual interaction and influence between Islamic
and Christian societies across many centuries, fluctuating relations grounded
not just in opposition but a shared matrix of cultural formation.
Reconceptualizing their relationship as intra-civilizational better reflects
this intricate, dynamic symbiosis between faith communities that together
shaped Western heritage. An inclusive civilizational frame counters
counterproductive Othering while cultivating constructive shared stewardship
over history. By adopting this inclusive approach, Western Muslims can
recognize the shared origins and interwoven nature of Islam and Christianity,
while also appreciating the unique characteristics and independent
contributions of each religion. This perspective contributes to the
strengthening of Western Muslim identity within the wider Western context,
fostering a sense of belonging and understanding that embraces both
commonalities and differences between the two faiths.
----
A
decades old patron of New Age Islam, Dr Adis Duderija is a Senior Lecturer in
the Study of Islam and Society, School of Humanities, Languages and Social
Science; Senior Fellow Centre for Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue,
Griffith University | Nathan | Queensland | Australia. His forthcoming books
are ( co-edited)- Shame, Modesty, and
Honor in Islam and Interfaith Engagement
Beyond the Divide (Springer)
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic
Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism