Defending Religious Tradition in Modern Times: Comparative Responses of Muslim and Christian Scholars to Scriptural Criticism.

Abstract

The emergence of modern scriptural criticism has significantly influenced religious scholarship across different traditions, particularly within Islam and Christianity. Historical-critical methods, orientalist scholarship, and biblical criticism have raised questions regarding the authenticity, transmission, and interpretation of sacred texts. These intellectual developments challenged traditional understandings of scripture and prompted scholars from both religious traditions to respond through theological, methodological, and historical arguments. This study examines the comparative responses of Muslim and Christian scholars to modern scriptural criticism, focusing on how each tradition defends the authority and authenticity of its sacred texts while engaging with contemporary academic discourse.Using a qualitative comparative approach based on library research and textual analysis, the study explores the foundations of scriptural authority in Islam and Christianity, the development of modern critical approaches to religious texts, and the intellectual strategies employed by scholars in both traditions. Muslim scholars have largely emphasized the rigorous methodologies developed within classical Islamic scholarship, particularly the sciences of Qur’anic preservation and Hadith authentication, to demonstrate the reliability of Islamic sources. At the same time, contemporary Muslim scholars have engaged with modern academic methods, including historical analysis and manuscript studies, to reinforce traditional understandings of Islamic scripture. In contrast, Christian scholars have adopted diverse responses to biblical criticism. Some theologians have developed apologetic arguments defending the inspiration and historical credibility of the Bible, while others have integrated historical-critical methods into theological interpretation. By combining modern scholarship with traditional faith perspectives, Christian scholars aim to preserve the spiritual authority of the Bible while acknowledging its historical context. The study concludes that both Muslim and Christian scholars have developed sophisticated intellectual responses to scriptural criticism, demonstrating the resilience of religious traditions in engaging with modern academic challenges.