Christianity and Islam

I. Rise of new religion and theological state

A. Muhammad (570-632)

1. Family of caravan traders in Mecca

2. Muhammad a new prophet

a. builds on Jewish and Christian tradition

b. Qur'an are his revelations

B. A new book
1. Muhammad is a prophet, not son of God
a. final revelation of the God of Abraham
2. Clarity and strictness in comparison to Christianity
a. Five pillars
b. The Qur'an on war

II. Theological state on a different model

        A. Muhammad is both a religious and political leader

B. Muslims united by a practical religion

1. religion of laws and practice rather than doctrine

2. Ulama, but no real ecclesiastical hierarchy

3. Occasions when politics create religious divide

a. dispute over caliphate:  Shi'ites vs. Sunnis

C. Contrasts with Rome and the West

1. Church and State

a. in Christian world, church and state have distinct powers

b. in Islam, no meaningful distinction between secular and religious life

2. Christianity emphasizes belief; Islam emphasizes practice

3. Contrasting political histories

a. West suffers from religious civil wars; creates secular state

b. Islam does not suffer the same conflicts; no movement to secularism

--Muslims less attracted to Western-style nationalism   

--Turkey is the great exception. Iraq was supposed to be . . .      

III. Muslim Empires

     A. From Mesopotamia to France (Battle of Poitiers, 732)

     B. Conquer much of Byzantine Empire

1. Monophysite split helps Muslim conquest

2. Constantinople and heartland long defended by "Greek Fire" (678, 718)

3. Byzantine battles with Muslims trigger crusades in 1090s, when emperor asks for help

C. Arab civilization at its height

1. Empire and wealth

2. Umayyads (Damascus)

3. Kingdom of Andalus

3. Abassids (Baghdad)

a. Baghdad c. 1000

D. Incorporation of Byzantine, Persian, and Indian culture and art with Arabic traditions

1. Architecture: Byzantine model with Arabic flavor

a. Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem

2. acquisition of Greek, Roman, Persian and Indian learning

a. Greek philosophy and science preserved and studied

b. mathematics, chess, and music
c. all of the above transmitted to primitive West via Spain, Sicily