Online Symposium: Islamic Origins &
Christian Theological Engagement with Islam
Organized by the Institute for the Study of Religion in the Middle East (ISRME) and the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI).
Panelists:
- David Marshall, Bern University (Moderator), Guest Editor of Islamochristiana
- Martin Accad, Arab Baptist Theological Seminary
- Daniel Brown, ISRME
- Diego Sarrio Cucarella, PISAI
- Sandra Keating, Providence College
- Daniel A. Madigan SJ, Australian Catholic University
- Gabriel S. Reynolds, University of Notre Dame
- Michel Younès, Catholic University of Lyon
The origins of this event lie in an essay that Daniel Brown contributed to Islamochristiana 48 (2022) in which he looks at different ways Christian scholars have reflected on the debate that has been ongoing for some decades now about the historical origins of Islam. The question behind the essay is How should Christians think about that debate? How might it impact their thinking about Islam and their approach to Christian-Muslim relations?
The symposium began with brief comments by Daniel Brown about his essay. Three Christian theologians with whom he engaged in the essay, Daniel Madigan, Michel Younès, and Martin Accad, then responded. Sandra Toenies Keating and Gabriel Said Reynolds discussed the topic further. David Marshall, who currently serves as Guest Editor of Islamochristiana, moderated.
The second half of the symposium began with a panel discussion and continue with Q&A. We received many more questions than could be answered, and we extend apologies to participants whose questions we were not able to address.
Please keep in mind that this event was essentially an exercise in Christian theological reflection on the significance of ongoing historical debates about Islamic origins; it did not primarily seek to address those debates directly. Because our discussion was centered on Christian theology, the scholars invited to make prepared contributions were all Christians. We are very pleased, however, to see that many Muslims joined us.
