One of the most persistent problems in Christian-Muslim relations over the centuries has been the tendency of each group to judge the other by a set of standards and criteria quite different from the standards and criteria used in assessing itself. Hugh Goddard argues that in the 20th century such a procedure is no longer admissible. He goes on to point out some of the useful insight which may be gained - by the members of both communities in their understanding both of their own faith and of that of the other - by an attempt to apply the same criteria to both traditions.

The relationship between the Christian and Muslim worlds has been a long and tortuous one. Over the course of the centuries the balance of power has swung in pendulum fashion at times the initiative seems to have lain with the Muslim community, with the Christian world simply being compelled to react to developments outside itself, while at other points the opposite has been true and Muslims have found themselves having to respond to Christian challenges in different forms. Today Christians and Muslims comprise the world's two largest religious communities. Although they can coexist fairly...

Hugh Goddard investigates the history of the relationships between Christians and Muslims over the centuries.