Twelfth-century Christians catalogued Muhammad as a compiler of condemned heresies

Evidence

Peter draws a conclusion about Muhammad that is similar to John’s, that Muhammad is best understood as following in the line of heretics in the early church: “Vomiting forth almost all of the excrement of the old heresies (which he had drunk up as the devil poured it out), he denies the Trinity with Sabellius, with Nestorius he rejects the divinity of Christ, with Mani he disavows the death of the Lord, though does not deny that he returned to heaven.” All of the figures listed by Peter were labeled heretics by early church theologians. A detailed elaboration of their particular teachings is not really necessary to grasp Peter’s overall argument. He insisted that many of the basic core beliefs preached by Muhammad originate with the thoughts and writings of those long ago condemned by church leaders. — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 137

Categorization

• DEFINE: Illustrates the ‘Islam as heresy’ construction with a concrete source text, useful for the reader’s orientation.
• XREF: connects to: Medieval Christians identified Muhammad with Behemoth, Leviathan, and the Antichrist; Medieval theologians constructed Muslims as a degraded race descending from the slave Hagar; Medieval passion plays made Muhammad the god of Christ’s Jewish and Roman tormentors (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Medieval Christians identified Muhammad with Behemoth, Leviathan, and the Antichrist #corroborates (0.75)
• Medieval depictions of Islam as heresy served to justify violence and resist conversion #expands (0.70) — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 139
• Medieval passion plays made Muhammad the god of Christ’s Jewish and Roman tormentors #expands (0.60)
• Medieval theologians constructed Muslims as a degraded race descending from the slave Hagar #expands (0.55)