Thread by @drphilosophos

The verses "God is the Messiah, the son of Mary" (Q 5:17; 5:72) and “God is the third of three” (Q 5:73), may be a theological attack on Byzantine Christology and a vindication of East Syriac Christology.

These Qur’anic verses are said to have been revealed in the year 630/31 AD.

In this time, we find interesting theological discourses taking place between Chalcedonian Christians and East Syriac Christians.

At the beginning of the 7th Century, in “The School of Nisibis” (ܐܣܟܘܠܐ ܕܢܨܝܒܝܢ), an East Syriac school, it was discussed whether there is an equal meaning between the statements “God is Christ,” and “Messiah is God.”

In the source attached below, Babai the Great criticises Henana of Adiabene, an East Syriac scholar who later accepted Chalcedonian Christology, for saying, “Christ is God, and God is Christ”.

It would be interesting if evidence arises showing that these discourses took place in the year 630 AD because, in the same year, there was an attempt for some level of a union between Heraclius, the then Byzantine Emperor, and the East Syriac Church.

It is not difficult to imagine that, where there are theological disagreements between groups of different theological traditions, there is also much interest.

Hence why, theological proclamations like that of Henana of Adiabene, would have been addressed by the Qur’an.

The same can be said in regard to the second Qur’anic verse:

In reference to Christ, the part that says, “... who are One of the Holy Trinity”, comes very close to what the Qur’an says.

It should be mentioned that this divine liturgy was used in the Byzantine Empire during the period of the Qur’ans formulation.

Correction: I meant to say that Justinian I combined this theological position with Chalcedon in Constantinople II.