Christianity and Islam

TABLE OF CONTENTS


The subject from different points of view: limits of treatment

The nature of the subject: the historical points of connection between
Christianity and Islam

A. Christianity and the rise of Islam:

1. Muhammed and his contemporaries

2. The influence of Christianity upon the development of Muhammed

3. Muhammed's knowledge of Christianity

4. The position of Christians under Muhammedanism

B. The similarity of Christian and Muhammedan metaphysics during the
middle ages:

1. The means and direction by which Christian influence affected
Islam

2. The penetration of daily life by the spirit of religion;
asceticism, contradictions and influences affecting the
development of a clerical class and the theory of
marriage

3. The theory of life in general with reference to the doctrine
of immortality

4. The attitude of religion towards the State, economic life,
society, etc.

5. The permanent importance to Islam of these influences: the
doctrine of duties

6. Ritual

7. Mysticism and the worship of saints

8. Dogma and the development of scholasticism

C. The influence of Islam upon Christianity:

The manner in which this influence operated, and the explanation
of the superiority of Islam

The influence of Muhammedan philosophy

The new world of European Christendom and the modern East

Conclusion. The historical growth of religion

Bibliography





CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM


A comparison of Christianity with Muhammedanism or with any other
religion must be preceded by a statement of the objects with which
such comparison is undertaken, for the possibilities which lie in this
direction are numerous. The missionary, for instance, may consider
that a knowledge of the similarities of these religions would increase
the efficacy of his proselytising work: his purpose would thus be
wholly practical. The ecclesiastically minded Christian, already
convinced of the superiority of his own religion, will be chiefly
anxious to secure scientific proof of the fact: the study of
comparative religion from this point of view was once a popular branch
of apologetics and is by no means out of favour at the present day.
Again, the inquirer whose historical perspective is undisturbed by
ecclesiastical considerations, will approach the subject with somewhat
different interests. He will expect the comparison to provide him with
a clear view of the influence which Christianity has exerted upon
other religions or has itself received from them: or he may hope by
comparing the general development of special religious systems to gain
a clearer insight into the growth of Christianity. Hence the object of
such comparisons is to trace the course of analogous developments and
the interaction of influence and so to increase the knowledge of
religion in general or of our own religion in particular.