Middlesex University Research Repository An open access repository of Middlesex University research http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk Kuhn, Michael F. (2017) Defending divine unity in the Muslim milieu: the Trinitarian and Christological formulations of Ab al-Faraj ‘Abd Allh Ibn al-ayyib and Iliyy of Nisibis. PhD thesis, Middlesex University. [Thesis] Final accepted version (with author’s formatting) This version is available at: https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/21633/ Copyright: Middlesex University Research Repository makes the University’s research available electronically. Copyright and moral rights to this work are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners unless otherwise stated. The work is supplied on the understanding that any use for commercial gain is strictly forbidden. A copy may be downloaded for personal, non-commercial, research or study without prior permission and without charge. 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See also repository copyright: re-use policy: http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/policies.html#copy Defending Divine Unity in the Muslim Milieu The Trinitarian and Christological Formulations of Abū al-Faraj ‘Abd Allāh Ibn al-Ṭayyib and Iliyyā of Nisibis OCMS, MPhil./Ph.D October 2016 ABSTRACT This research examines two prominent theologians of the Assyrian Church of the East who responded to Islam’s perennial objections to the Christian Trinity and Christology. The theologians in question are Abū al-Faraj ʽAbd Allāh Ibn al-Ṭayyib (d. 1043/434) and Bishop Iliyyā of Nisibis (d. 1046/437). Both men were characterized by a remarkable literary production marking them out among the intellectual elite of their day as polymaths. The research discusses the two theologians as examples of Christian theological response in the Arab Muslim milieu. Ibn al-Ṭayyib, though recognized as an exegete, has not been noted for his contribution to Muslim-Christian discourse. The thesis identifies his response in his theological treatises. Though he did not engage with a specific dialogue partner nor even mention Islam explicitly, the questions he considered correspond unmistakably to the themes of the Muslim-Christian interface. The research features this implicit defence of divine unity in Ibn al-Ṭayyib’s theological formulations. Iliyyā of Nisibis, on the other hand, enjoyed a productive dialogue with the Shi’īte Vizier (Minister of State) of the Marwanid Dynasty (located in eastern Syria and Western Turkey today). The research highlights the ‘agnostic inquisitiveness’ of Abū al-Qāsim in tandem with the tawḥīd rhetoric of Iliyyā which occasioned one of the most promising examples of Muslim-Christian discourse of the medieval period known as The Sessions. Other works of Iliyyā are also considered. Both theologians dealt with critical questions posed by Muslim intellectuals concerning the Christian definition of divine unity in light of their Trinitarian and Christological formulations. The Christians claim divine unity (tawḥīd) as a correct descriptor of their view as they seek to secure the inclusion of their community in the fold of monotheism. Key questions include the definition of the Trinitarian hypostases and their relation to the divine essence (How can God be one and three?). The nature of the union of divinity and humanity in Christ is equally critical given that Muslims viewed the incarnation as an egregious example of shirk (associating the Creator with the created — polytheism). The two theologians borrowed from and developed the theological constructs of their predecessors as demonstrated by the thesis. Other topics include: the shaping of theological constructs by the Muslim milieu, lexical amendments due to Arabic and Islamic terminology, the duality of the hypostases in Christ proffered by the Church of the East (‘Nestorian’) and social and political implications of Christian adherence to divine unity. The research concludes with a discussion of implications of divine Trinitarian unity in today’s Arab Muslim world. Defending Divine Unity in the Muslim Milieu The Trinitarian and Christological Formulations of Abū al-Faraj ‘Abd Allāh Ibn al-Ṭayyib and Iliyyā of Nisibis by Michael F. Kuhn B.A. (Belhaven University) M.A. (American University of Cairo) M.Div. (Reformed Theological Seminary) A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Middlesex University June 2016 Oxford Centre for Mission Studies ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ‘To the one who has taught me even one letter, I have become a slave’. The Arabic proverb captures the sense of indebtedness to those who teach. I feel that debt of gratitude to a multitude of teachers stretching back to my childhood years. To record the names of all would be impossible. So I will be content to mention but a few names whose influence and encouragement have helped this thesis see the light of day. The work has benefitted immensely from the scholarly environment of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. I am especially grateful to Dr. David Singh for his patient input and assistance in locating excellent supervisors. Dr. Damon So prepared the thesis template I used and interacted with me on the subject of the Trinity. Brian Woolnough served as my ‘house tutor’ and always took an active interest in my work. The discussions around the seminar tables helped me understand the nature of research and allowed me to connect with a scholarly community that spans the globe. OCMS also provided a student subsidy making tuition manageable. I would also like to express my thanks to the helpful staff of the Oriental Institute of Oxford University. The Library became my home away from home where I was fortunate to meet and interact with other scholars who enriched my understanding of medieval Arab Christianity. Both Julian Faultless and Salam Rassi shared their work and resources for which I am deeply grateful. Le Centre de Documentation et de Recherches Arabes Chrétiennes located in Beirut played an important role through its library and staff. Aside from finding many resources there, I enjoyed the warm hospitality of Lena and Mona Dahaby as well as Father Ronney al-Gemayel, S.J. I also made the acquaintance of Father Samir Khalil Samir whose influence on this thesis appears in many citations. The Arab Baptist Theological Seminary has been my institutional home through the course of this study. I should mention every faculty member and student as ABTS has been the laboratory of my exploration of a Christian theological response in the Muslim context. Dr. Martin Accad, Dr. Hikmat Kashouh and Abd al-Karim Zein al- Dine have been my board of reference for understanding ancient Arabic vocabulary and sentence structure. I’ve benefitted from conversations with Caleb Hutcherson in the area of historical theology. Elie Haddad, the President of ABTS, has been a source of encouragement in the research and in applying it in the contemporary Arab world. Other colleagues who have encouraged me along the way include Emad Boutros, Walid Zailaa, Dr. Wes Watkins, Dr. Perry Shaw, Dr. Karen Shaw, Dr. Daniel Chetti and Dr. 5 Arthur Brown. My colleagues in ‘Teach-Learn’ encouraged the thesis by making my work environment a delight. They include Elias Ghazal, Georgette Tamer, Joyce Saddi, and Marwan Chaaya. My secondary supervisor was Dr. Mark Beaumont who I first met ages ago in Morocco. Beyond the joy of reconnecting, I appreciated Mark’s scholarly understanding of Christology and his patient corrections and suggestions. His influence is seen in the number of citations of his work. On an academic level, no one has been more involved in this work than my primary supervisor Dr. David Thomas. I have particularly appreciated his ability to rein in my ideas when they ranged too far afield or when my claims exceeded the evidence presented. Through his supervision I developed a clearer understanding of my role as a researcher. Between supervisions, I delved into David’s scholarship in Muslim- Christian relations. As the months of the research wore on, I valued his warm encouragement and patient advice. Though David and Mark alerted me to a number of errors, I alone bear responsibility for those that remain. Aside from those scholars and colleagues listed above, I would also like to express sincere thanks to friends and family members whose patience and encouragement have played a vital role in my research pursuits. Barbara Kuhn, my mother, has continued to encourage me despite long absences from my homeland. I am grateful to my sister, Margaret Edwards and her husband Randy, whose home has become a second home for my family and whose loving-care, extended to us in myriad ways, has been a profound blessing. Though my father, M.F. Kuhn, is no longer alive, his memory often came to mind while poring over books or examining a manuscript. His determination to teach my brothers and me to plod through hard work and finish may be the best reason why this work has seen the light of day. My thanks also go to Ken and Jeff Kuhn, my brothers, and their spouses for their constant encouragement.