The Religious Concordance: Nicholas of Cusa and Christian-Muslim Dialogue

by Joshua Hollmann

Overview

In The Religious Concordance: Nicholas of Cusa and Christian-Muslim Dialogue, Joshua Hollmann examines Nicholas of Cusa’s unique Christocentric approach to Islam. While many late medieval Christians responded to the fall of Constantinople with polemic, Nicholas of Cusa wrote a peaceful dialogue (De pace fidei) between Christians and Muslims as synthesis of religious concordance through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Nicholas of Cusa’s Christ-centered dialogue with Muslims sheds further light on his broader Christ centered theology over his entire career as philosopher and theologian. Drawing upon Nicholas of Cusa’s philosophical foundations for religious dialogue and peace, Joshua Hollmann convincingly proves that Cusa constructively understands religious diversity through the concordance of religion as centred in Christ.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789004326774
Publisher:	Brill Academic Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	05/18/2017
Series:	Studies in the History of Christian Traditions , #185
Edition description:	Bilingual
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.45(h) x (d)

About the Author

Joshua Hollmann, Ph.D (2014), McGill University, is Assistant Professor of Theology and Chair of the Theology Department at Concordia College – New York. He has published articles and chapters in books on Nicholas of Cusa, including Nicholas of Cusa and Islam (Brill, 2014).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction: The Religious Concordance
De Pace fidei in Recent Scholarship
The Word of Concordance

Chapter One: The Prayer for Peace
The Illuminative Word
The Dialectical Word
The Hierarchical Word
The Conversational Word

Chapter Two: The Search for Peace
Nicholas of Cusa’s Journeys
The Search for Reform
Ascending the Summit of Religious Peace
Late Medieval Christian Approaches to Islam

Chapter Three: The Mind’s Road to Peace
Hierarchical Dialectics of Peace: Bonaventura’s Itinerarium Mentis in Deum
Blinded by the Sun: Platonic Influences
From Confusion to Concordance: Reversal of Babylon and the New Pentecost

Chapter Four: Seeking the Peace of the City
The New Alexander: Pius II and Mehmed II
War and Peace: Pius II and Nicholas of Cusa

Chapter Five: Visions of Peace
Envisioning Peace: De docta ignorantia and De pace fidei
Envisioning Dialogue: Nicholas of Cusa’s Letter to John of Segovia
Envisioning Unity: From Council to Pope to Prophet of Religious Peace

Chapter Six: The Word of Peace
The Unfolding Word: De docta ignorantia and De pace fidei
The Magnetic Word: De concordantia catholica and De pace fidei
The Inherent Word: Cribratio Alkorani and De pace fidei
The Enfolding Word: De visione Dei and De pace fidei

Chapter Seven: For the Peace of Jerusalem

Conclusion: Nicholas of Cusa’s Christocentric Approach to Islam

Bibliography

Index