Jesus and Muhammad

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course will explore Christian and Muslim understandings of Jesus and Muhammad, and the Bible and the Quran. By studying these foundational texts and figures together, and comparing and contrasting their roles and significance in the respective faith traditions, we will illuminate similarities and differences across the two religions. We will also look at how Muslims and Christians have viewed each others’ classic figures and texts (i.e. Christian views of Jesus and the Quran, and Muslim views of Jesus and the Bible.) The course will explore not only scripture and theology, but also spirituality, ethics, narratives, visual art, and rituals. Figures like Adam, the first human, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Hussein, the grandson of Muhammad, will also be discussed. Students will engage a range of materials, from centuries-old primary texts and paintings to contemporary videos and stories. Students will come away from this class not only with a deeper knowledge of each religion and the relationship between the two, but also with an introduction to the disciplines of comparative theology and theology of religions.