Course Descriptor:

Muslim Views of the Bible in Historical Perspective (3 credit hours)

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This course introduces students to the range and concerns of Muslim responses to the Bible. The course unfolds chronologically, beginning in the early years of Islam and ending in the 20th century.

We begin with the Qur’an, its statements about the scriptures which preceded it, and how these have been interpreted in early exegesis. We then focus on the Hadith material, both Sunni and Shia, followed by looking at prominent figures from the formative and classical periods of Islam.

Having explored thinkers from the Islamic heartlands and al-Andalus, horizons broaden with discussion of figures from the Ottoman Empire, Iran, the Malay-Indonesian world and India.  Finally we land in the 20th century.

The course will include context and background to any given region, as well as a detailed focus on extracts from specific writers. A range of genres will be encountered, from Muslim scriptural material and its exegesis to history, apologetics and Bible commentary. The balance of criticism and use of the Bible will be considered, alongside the concerns of particular thinkers and their contexts. All this should equip students to reflect on what they have learned and how it bears on modern situations, as well as extending their knowledge of historical interreligious engagement.

Aims

The overall aim of the course is to equip students to understand texts in their geographical, political and intellectual context. In order to do this, we aim:

1. To enable students to understand how Muslims used the Bible for Islamic goals.

2. To give students an understanding of key criticisms of the Bible from Muslim perspectives

3. To enable students to understand continuity and change in Muslim responses to the Bible over the centuries.

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Objectives

Students will be able to:

1. Understand the Muslim scriptural foundations for responses to the Bible.

2. Identify key Biblical passages which are the focus of attention for Muslim writers.

3. Recognize the range of responses found in the early centuries of Islam.

4. Relate the reasons behind particular responses to their historical context.

Strategy

The course will typically be held over 13 weeks, with one online class each week, one local or regional discussion group and one written reflection per week.

The discussion groups will discuss extracts from primary sources, and students will be required to spend at least 2 hours per week studying these. Study material will be available on the online learning platform, but students will also be encouraged to use the Houston Christian University online library facilities and other sources. The reflection task will be linked with the textual study.

For accreditation at master’s level, students will be required to

• Fulfil minimum attendance and participation requirements.

• Submit all written reflections.

• Complete a ‘take-home’ short answer examination.

• Write a 4-5,000-word essay.