Table of Contents

Introduction 1. Muhammad as a Christian Catechumen: Sergius-Bahira and a Legendary Counter history 2. 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 Muslims 4. Muhammad as a Carnal Warrior and Scheming Ruler: West-Syrian Christians and Refutations of the Prophet 5. Muhammad as an Anti-Saint: Martyr Saints and Hamartiography of the Prophet 6. Muhammad as a Tainted Vessel of Christ: An Anonymous Counter-Chronicle of the Prophet 7. Muhammad as a Vanquished Anti-Hero: A Convert, a Translator and Polemic Exposing the Prophet 8. Muhammad as a Powerless Prophet to the Arabs: Paul of Antioch and Letters Written to Muslims 9. Muhammad as a Prophet and Colonial Goad for Persecutors: Mary Fisher and a Notorious Encounter with a Sultan 10. Muhammad as a Redundant Gabriel And Missionary Conscript: Samuel Ajayi Crowther and West African Mission to Muslims 11. Muhammad as a Signpost for Fellow Pilgrims: Lamin Sanneh and Christian Appreciation for the Prophet’s Biography Conclusion Bibliography Index

Promotional Information

This book focuses on Christian interpretations of Muhammad's prophethood, or on their denial of this, providing an important contribution to the study of Muslim-Christian relations.

About the Author

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) .

Reviews

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.
*Mona Siddiqui, Professor of Islamic and Interreligious Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK*

This is an extremely well-researched and careful presentation of Christian perceptions of Mu?ammad from late antiquity to modern times, from the Legend of Sergius-Ba?ira to Professor Lamin Sanneh. Each chapter will prove an invaluable resource for those seeking a deeper understanding of the long history of interaction between Christians and Muslims.
*Sandra Toenies Keating, Professor of Theology, Providence College, USA*

This book is a very welcome contribution to a growing scholarship on the intellectual history of Christian-Muslim relations.
*Islamochristiana*