Vad kristendom och islam kunde lära sig av varandra. Ett exegetiskt perspektiv på en mödosam religionsdialog

Abstract

In this article I explore what Christianity and Islam could learn from each other. Both present to each other a mutual intellectual challenge. Some Christians have recommended that a historical-critical approach to the Qur’an could be developed within Islam. While such a proposal is vehemently rejected by the orthodox, some signs of a critical approach have actually been visible. In today’s critical world situation, however, ventures in this area are hardly to be expected. The structural counterpart to the Qur’an in Christianity is Christ. Muslims have firmly refuted the doctrine of Trinity. Historical scholarship has shown that the doctrine is missing in the New Testament as well. Luke-Acts in particular presents an «adoptionist» Christology in which Jesus is clearly subordinated to God. In this vein some Christian theologians have interpreted the doctrine of incarnation as a «poetic» truth. Within both religions, then, some bold thinkers have relativised central doctrines of their own religion. Could a new kind of dialogue some day be based on such self-critical foundations? This article continues my previous discussion of these matters in Marcion, Muhammad and the Mahatma, chapters 6 and 8.