Introduction to Christian-Muslim Relations

Fr. David Burrell, holds the Theodore M. Hesburgh Chair of Philosophy and Theology at the University of Notre Dame (USA). He has authored extensive works in the area of Christian approaches to Islam.

Islam was born out of the divine experiences or revelations of Muhammed (570-632 AD). The word "Muslim" mean "follower of the way." Islam flourished from the 8th through the 13th centuries, notably in Bagdad where great expertice was developed in the areas of astronomy, mathematics and philosophy.

One of the bloodiest periods of time was of course the period of the Christian Crusades in the 11th and 12th centuries when many Muslims were slaughtered and Holy Sites destroyed. By the time of the 16th century, Europe was interested in opening up the newly discovered territories in North America and interest in the world of Islam waned, a situation the Muslims enjoyed.
Napoleon began the colonization of Muslim areas in Alexandria at the beginning of the 19th century and commenced the colonization by the west of Islam, the affects of which are to be seen, some would say, in the recent election of the more radical "Hamas" element of the Palestinian people to form the new Palestinian Authority government.

During World War 1, the Arab people were promised a homeland by Lawrence of Arabia, at the same time in London, promises were being made by Balfour to create a Zionist home for the Jews in Palestine. As we know, that conflict continues today without satisfactory resolution. Resentment of the largely viewed Christian "west" by Islam has only grown in the face of "a declaration of the Israeli State" and a lack of action on Palestinian concerns.