Re-planting Christianity in new soil: Arabized Christian religious identity in twelfth-century Iberia

Abstract

This article considers inter-religious adaptation in a medieval Iberian context. With Islam's entry into the peninsula, certain Christian communities underwent change as they encountered new religious and cultural influences. Some of these Christians adapted to their Islamic environment in a process of Arabization. Members of these Christian communities exhibit a number of non-Christian influences in their attempts to elucidate their religious identity. How did they manage this adaptation in a context of apparent religious contrast? This study seeks to answer that question by examining a small corpus of twelfth-century texts written by Arabized Christian authors in twelfth-century Iberia. Particular attention is given to the authors' use of the Qur'an and ancient Christology in their effort to distinguish Christian religious identity in an Islamic context.