Pursuing Veritas

Closely connected to this concern with accuracy is the second characteristic of John’s engagement with Islam: his treatment of the Qur’an. John’s works reflect a profound engagement with the Qur’an, as he acknowledges it as a significant religious text and critically examines its claims. He explores various suras, demonstrating familiarity with Islamic scripture and using…

John’s engagements with Islamic theology and practice demonstrate his commitment to accurate representation, even when his ultimate goal was to refute these beliefs. John provides a detailed and accurate account of Islamic teachings. On God and Christ, he writes that, ‘[Muhammad] says that there is one God, creator of all things, who has neither been…

Born Manşūr ibn Sarjūn, John of Damascus served as a high-ranking advisor in the Umayyad administration in Damascus before retiring to the Mar Saba Monastery near Jerusalem, where he devoted himself to theological writing until his death around 750 CE.[i] John’s family had a storied history in the administration of Damascus, and he continued this…

While I was teaching a class on world religions at our local church, we began our examination of Islam with a simple question: ‘what is Islam?’ That is, how should American Christians think about Islam? We heard a variety of answers from the class, most of whom had no experience with Muslims or Islam outside…