“…the conditions of the dialogue between Christianity and Islam change completely as soon as the interlocutor represents not legalistic Islam but this spiritual Islam, whether it be that of Sufism or of Shi‘ite gnosis.”
(Henry Corbin, Spiritual Body and Celestial Earth, Prologue)
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On Thursday, March 15, 2012, the University of Toronto and St. Michael’s College hosted “The Christology Symposium” – an academic forum featuring presentations on Jesus from multiple Christian and Muslim perspectives followed by a panel discussion. The presentations consisted of the following:
1. “Roman Catholic Christology” (at 5:50) – Greg Rupik (PhD Candidate, University of Toronto)
2. “Sunni Muslim Christology” (at 22:00) – Shabir Ally (PhD Candidate, University of Toronto)
3. “Evangelical Christology” (at 39:15) – Dr. Tony Costa (PhD)
4. “Shi‘a Isma‘ili Muslim Christology” (at 57:30) – Khalil Andani (Master of Theological Studies Candidate, Harvard University)
Khalil Andani’s presentation titled Shi‘a Isma‘ili Muslim Christology: Jesus in Classical Isma‘ili Thought summarized some of the classical Isma‘ili Muslm perspectives on Jesus which stem from the Fatimid Isma‘ili discourse on the absolute transcendence of God, the Universal Intellect (al-‘aql al-kull), and the Cycles of the Natiqs (Prophets) and the Imams. The presentation concluded by sharing an Isma‘ili ta’wil (esoteric interpretation) of the Christian Cross and the Islamic Shahada as outlined in the writings of Abu Yaqub al-Sijistani and Ja’far ibn Mansur al-Yaman which demonstrate the ecumenical and pluralistic approaches of the Fatimid Isma‘ili thinkers:
“It remains a question why discussions of the Islamic Jesus have not heretofore stressed the importance of the thought of these Isma‘ili scholars with regard to what is probably the great single obstacle in Muslim-Christian relations not to mention an extremely important feature of Muslim identity.”
(Todd Lawson, The Crucifixion and the Qur’an, 95)
Watch: Video of Khalil Andani’s Presentation Shi’a Isma’ili Muslim Christology:
Watch: Full Video of The Christology Symposium Presentations and Panel Discussion:
Further Reading on the subject of Isma’ili Muslim Christology can be found at:
- Henry Corbin, Cyclical Time and Ismaili Gnosis, Tr. Ralph Manheim and James Morris, London: Kegan Paul International in association with Islamic Publications Ltd., 1983
- Todd Lawson, The Crucifixion and the Qur’an, Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2009
- Khalil Andani, “They Killed Him Not”: The Crucifixion in Shi‘a Isma‘ili Islam
- Khalil Andani, “The Common Word”: Reflections on Muslim-Christian Dialogue
- Khalil Andani, The Metaphysics of the Common Word: A Dialogue of Eckhartian and Isma’ili Gnosis, Sacred Web Journals 2011 Part1, Part2
Khalil Andani is Chartered Accountant (CA) and is pursuing a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree at Harvard University. He holds Bachelor of Math (BMath) and Master of Accounting (MAcc) degrees from the University of Waterloo. Khalil is a contemporary Isma‘ili Muslim thinker whose areas of focus include theology, philosophy, metaphysics, hermeneutics (ta’wil), and the Perennial Philosophy (sophia perennis) – on which he writes and delivers presentations. Through his literary and intellectual activities, Khalil seeks to revitalize the Shi‘a Muslim intellectual tradition of philosophy and esoteric thought and explore the common ground between Islam and other faiths.
Related at Simerg.com: “Isma‘ili Muslim Perspectives on Jesus” and “Shia Isma‘ili Islam” – Two Absorbing Presentations by Khalil Andani
