1st Edition
Eighteenth-Century Conservatism in Christianity and Islam The Reverend and the Shaykh
This book examines the world of religious conservatism in Christianity and Islam through a comparison of two eighteenth-century traditionalist icons, Jonathan Edwards and Muḥammad Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhāb.
Spanning the globe from America to Arabia, this book explores the major themes in the lives and works of these most unlikely of bedfellows, the Reverend and the Shaykh. In many ways, Edwards and Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhāb are about as far apart as two figures could possibly be. Without minimizing their very real differences, however, this comparative study finds numerous parallels that beckon even the most conservative of Christians and Muslims to take a second look at their own faith, as well as the faith of the other. The numerous surprising congruences in the worlds of the Reverend and the Shaykh, as well as in their conceptions of God, humanity, and the faith of the other, suggest that we stand much to gain from a reassessment of long-held views that could lead to wholly new patterns of engagement.
With implications in diverse fields such as politics, law, philosophy, theology, history, warfare and anthropology, this book unearths striking parallels in Edwards and Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhāb that have heretofore gone unnoticed or largely ignored.
Introduction 1. Backgrounds: Eighteenth-Century New England and Najd 2. Trinity and Tawḥīd 3. Of God and Man 4. Speaking of Others Conclusion
Biography
Ralph A. Leo is Assistant Professor at UAE University in Abu Dhabi and chairman of the iconic Kanad Hospital, birthplace of UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed. He researches the interface of Christian and Islamic thought and the history of medicine and healthcare in Arabia.
"Comparative works on Christianity and Islam have enriched the academic study of both religions. Ralph Leo’s absorbing exploration of two daring eighteenth-century figures, the Reverend Jonathan Edwards and Shaykh Muḥammad Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb, is a welcome contribution in this area. It's an engaging historical and theological reflection which aims to illuminate rather than contrive the interreligious dimension. While both men approached the issue of state and religion from their unique history and perspective, the author provides thoughtful analysis on a number of complex topics in an unusually accessible style."
Mona Siddiqui, Professor of Islamic and Interreligious Studies, University of Edinburgh
"This is a remarkable book. Who would have guessed that the leading thinkers at the origins of Christian evangelicalism and modern Islamism converged on subjects such as Trinity and interreligious understanding? Ralph Leo shows that "the Reverend" and "the Shaykh" did not agree on either of these topics, but that their writings show deeper levels of affinity that can inform debates on religion and state, family issues, and religious expansion. Deeply and sensitively researched, clearly written, this book will be immensely rewarding for all interested in the intersections of revivalist Christianity and Islam — both in the eighteenth century and today."
Gerald McDermott, Distinguished Professor, Reformed Episcopal Seminary and Jerusalem Seminary
"This intriguing close analysis of Edwards and Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhāb brings out distinct parallels in their perceptions of the character of God, God’s relationship with the created order, and the nature of the individual and society. Ralph Leo shows that through rigorous applications of their respective scriptures they achieved analogous perceptions of the ways of God and the world. They also touched on implications in the beliefs of their different religious traditions that could prove fruitful for collaborative reflection between Christians and Muslims. Everyone concerned about the future of interfaith relations should be aware of this study."
David Thomas FBA, Emeritus Professor of Christianity and Islam, University of Birmingham
"This book brings together two figures who never heard of one another, and who in various ways had very different beliefs. Why? The answer is that there are also surprising resemblances in their contexts, their patterns of thought, their responses to certain situations, and their recourse to scriptures — albeit different scriptures. Bringing out differences as well as resemblances with equal clarity, Leo encourages us to think rigorously about those we might assume occupy different worlds."
Martin Whittingham, Academic Dean, Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies Oxford
"I am pleased to recommend Ralph Leo's Eighteenth-Century Conservatism in Christianity and Islam. His comparison of Jonathan Edwards and Muḥammad Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb is surprisingly illuminating, and draws out resonances between conservative religions across the eighteenth-century world."
Thomas S. Kidd, James Vardaman Distinguished Professor of History, Baylor University
"Dr. Ralph Leo brings his formidable learning to highlight the commonalities of two unlikely men — Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb and Jonathan Edwards — who lived in the same turbulent period in global history, and brought religious zeal and revivalism to Islam and Christianity. The two leaders left a profound impact on the cultural and religious history of their respective nations, Saudi Arabia and the United States. Drawing on the tools of theology, history and textual analysis, Dr. Leo presents a compelling and critical narrative of these two significant religious reformers whose ideological legacies inform fundamentalism in Islam and Christianity today."
Andrew Thompson MBE, Vicar and Interfaith Advisor in the Diocese of London
"Ralph Leo’s innovative and illuminating study of two prominent eighteenth-century theologians, one Protestant and one Muslim, recognizes not only the differences between the two and their cultures, but also the remarkable similarities they had in regard to their views of God, of humankind and its destiny, and of different religions. This is the sort of comparative work that can shift believers’ assumptions about their own faith tradition — and their heroes of that faith — and that of adherents to other faiths."
Kenneth P. Minkema, Editor of The Works of Jonathan Edwards and Director, Jonathan Edwards Center, Yale University
"Ralph Leo’s comparative analysis of the ideas and movements of Jonathan Edwards and Muḥammad Ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb notes striking parallels in theology and organization. This book provides important new understandings of the nature of Muslim and Christian movements of religious revival in the eighteenth century and also provides an excellent historical foundation for understanding modern and contemporary religious revivalism."
John O. Voll, Professor Emeritus of Islamic History, Georgetown University
"Ralph Leo masterfully illustrates the striking parallels between two eminent revivalist theologians, each rooted deeply within their distinct faith traditions, yet revealing shared intellectual contours that transcend their religious and geographical divides. This seminal work offers profound insights not only into the realm of religious studies but also into the anthropological dimensions of human thought. Essential for scholars of revivalist movements — be they religious, social, or political — Leo’s nuanced analysis reveals the universality of human reasoning. This book is indispensable for Christians and Muslims who wish to understand the other, as well as for anyone involved in interfaith dialogue."
Abdulla Galadari, Associate Professor, Khalifa University
