John of Damascus – an early Christian response to Islam

The last 20 years or so have thrust to the fore of evangelical consciousness our great need to share the gospel with Muslims.

History Professor Michael Haykin

But Christian concern about the salvation of those devoted to the teachings of Muhammad is nothing new. One ancient vista from which to see the way that Christians responded to Islam during the very earliest period of Muslim expansion in the seventh and eighth centuries are the writings of the theologian John of Damascus (c.655/675 – c.749). John had clearly taken the time to understand Islamic views and thinking, and was quite familiar with the Qur’an in Arabic, though his language about Islam could at times be somewhat intemperate.