Theology can dispute only with those sharing a common scripture

Evidence

Aquinas distinguishes and separates the Jew from the Arab, the Jew from the Muslim, by affirming that a theological struggle, a religious disputation, is possible only on the basis of a prior agreement, a consensus and common ground, a common text. Such theological common ground is available only with the Jews, not with the Muslims. “The Mohammedans and the pagans do not agree with us in accepting the authority of any scripture … Thus, against the Jews we are able to argue by means of the Old Testament, while against heretics we are able to argue by means of the New Testament. But the Mohammedans and the pagans accept neither the one nor the other.” — Gil Anidjar, The Jew, the Arab, 236

Categorization

• XREF: Aquinas’s shared-scripture test grounds the exclusion of Islam from theological engagement, feeding the bridge claim.