Moses to Muhammad: Theo Hist

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

The purpose of this course is two-fold: to provide an introduction to Judaism and Islam—and to Islam specifically in its theological relationship to Judaism as well as to Judaism in its theological relationship to Islam—and to follow the course of that relationship as it plays out historically, in different times and places, from the seventh century to our own time. Thus, some of the questions that we will address include: What are the theological and historical circumstances in which Judaism was born? What are the theological and historical circumstances in which Islam was born? What influence, if any, did either of these faiths have on the other, given their historical interfaces? How are these influences apparent in different media, from theological and legalistic literature to symbols in art to gastronomic customs? How do putative influences change in the sweep of Islam across a wide world in which Jews are a far-flung series of diverse and even disparate communities? What are the implications of this extended past for the world in which Jews and Muslims live today and will live tomorrow? Grades will be determined by the usual mechanisms of attendance and participation and writing, of course: a pair of take-home, paper-length (ca 10-15 pp) exams—one as a mid-term and one as a final. The course is also listed as JCIV 2805 .