Throughout history, the encounter between Christianity and Islam has been largely polemical driven by theological, political and sociological differences.

The lecture will explore how doctrinal differences on a range of issues such as the nature of God, law and salvation led to serious intellectual engagement between Christian and Muslim scholars but also a gradual cultural and civilizational distance. Many of the historical tropes are being revived today in our Euro-Atlantic politics leading to new shifts and rifts in this most complex relationship.

About the speaker
Mona Siddiqui joined the University of Edinburgh’s Divinity school in December 2011 as the first Muslim to hold a Chair in Islamic and Interreligious Studies. Her research areas are primarily in the field of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) and ethics and Christian-Muslim relations. Amongst her most recent publications are, 50 Ideas in Islam (Quercus, 2016), Muslim Christian Encounters 4 volumes, (Routledge, 2016) Hospitality in Islam: Welcoming in God’s Name (Yale UP, 2015), My Way: A Muslim Woman's Journey (IB Tauris, 2014), Christians, Muslims and Jesus (Yale University Press, 2013) and The Good Muslim: Reflections on Classical Islamic Law and Theology (Cambridge University Press, 2012). Professor Siddiqui is also well known internationally as a public intellectual and a speaker on issues around religion, ethics and public life, known especially for her appearances on Thought for the Day and The Moral Maze. She has also been a guest on Desert Island Discs and Private Passions. In 2011, she was awarded an OBE for her contribution to interfaith services.