Investigation of the Logos/Kalemeh in the Christian-Muslim Theological Controversies of the first Three Centuries A.H

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Abstract

Historically, the Logos was very important in the religious and philosophical schools and cultures. The idea of the Logos is considerable in ancient Greek philosophy, Judaism and Christianity. Jesus in Christianity was identified with the Logos as well as in Islam (Quran) he was called Kalemeh at Allah (the Word of God). This conception was in the Christian-Muslim relations very controversial. On the one hand, eastern Christian patriarchs such as John of Damascus insisted that the identification of Kalemeh with Jesus Christ in the Quran is similar to Logos in the Gospel of john i.e. both are eternal and Godlike. On the other hand, Muslim theologians had, in the light of Quran, denied the eternity and divinity of Kalemeh and according to them it has the meaning of Kon. In addition to this, for some scholars Kalemeh is similar to Nestorians' belief about the Logos and even derivates from their opinions. And for others it is similar to Ebionites believes. But by examination of the first three centuries A.H sources it is clear that Kalemeh has been used in the Quran without any intention in the other words it is not derivated from Nestorians.

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