Monotheism Revisited: Islamic Monotheism in Dialogue with Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides, 1135-1204)

Thomas Mooren

Monotheism Revisited

Islamic Monotheism in Dialogue with Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides, 1135-1204)

Authors

Thomas Mooren

Keywords:

monotheism, Islam, Maimonides, dialogue, binity, trinity

Abstract

The dialogue with Maimonides will differentiate the picture of God’s oneness and of God’s involvement in creation— Divinity’s being and doing. In this way key concepts of Maimonides can also retrospectively function as an eye opener for what has begun long before Maimonides, i.e., as post-exile genuine Jewish theology with its specific interpretation of scripture and its openness to mystical speculation (kabbalah). In the end it will also become plausible that Christian theological thinking in the name of trinity owes much to Judaism and can never be understood without it – in the same way as Judaism cannot come to grips with its own history without taking into account Christian theology.

Author Biography

Thomas Mooren

Born in Germany, Dr. Theol. Thomas Mooren, OFMCap, dipl. EPHE (History of Religions), ELOZ (Oriental Languages) and EA (Anthropology [Sorbonne]), until 2016 Professor at Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada; former Director of Mission studies and interreligious dialogue, invited professor in Indonesia, India, Germany, Washington and Rome. He is now working in PNG and the Philippines (Maryhill School of Theology, Quezon City; DWIMS, Tagaytay). Among his numerous publications are: Purusha. Trading the Razor’s Edge Towards Selfhood (Delhi, 1997; on Islamic and Hindu Mysticism), The Buddha’s Path to Freedom (MST, 2004; Introduction into Buddhism) and Missiologie im Gegenwind (Wien, Berlin, 2012; on Interreligious Dialogue).

Monotheism Revisited: Islamic Monotheism in Dialogue with Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides, 1135-1204)