Why was Islam not seen as a "heretical Christianity" instead of a new religion?

Malone

There are quite a few evident similarities between Islam and Mormonism, both have Jesus in their holy books (Quran, Book of Mormon) albeit a significantly different Jesus than "mainstream" Christianity, both religions deny the idea of a trinity God, with Jesus and God being separate rather than one entity. Of course there is the new or "final" prophet who founded their religions Muhamad and Joseph Smith (who btw was referred to by some at the time as the American Muhamad).

Mormonism however at the time of its birth and by some today is seen as a heretical branch of Christianity, Islam however as a wholly separate religion. If Islam from the get go was seen likewise as being a heretical Christian sect what impacts would that had historically?
 
Mr_Fanboy

Mr_Fanboy

For the longest time, many Western Christians actually did consider Islam to merely be a heretical variation of Christianity, little different in its distance from the orthodox religion (if not in actual doctrine) from Arianism.

At the end of the day, the reason that we classify the faith in the way that we do is that Muslims simply do not identify as Christians, whereas Mormons, as you cited, do.
 

Polish Eagle

Mr_Fanboy said:
For the longest time, many Western Christians actually did consider Islam to merely be a heretical variation of Christianity, little different in its distance from the orthodox religion (if not in actual doctrine) from Arianism.

At the end of the day, the reason that we classify the faith in the way that we do is that Muslims simply do not identify as Christians, whereas Mormons, as you cited, do.
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I would add another reason--the medieval misconception that Mohammad was worshipped by Muslims as a divine figure. But otherwise, yes, more knowledgeable Christians did regard Islam as a heresy (as recently as Hillaire Belloc in the past century).
 

Alexander the Average

I actually read a really good book, called Faces of Muhammad, about the historical Western perspectives on Islam from the medieval through to modern era. As mentioned above at times Islam was seen as a heretical Christian sect by Christians, usually Nestorianism with some Jewish elements spinkled in, and I highly recommend it if you want an idea for how western views of Islam and Muhammad have changed over time.
 

Deleted member 90949

Mr_Fanboy said:
the reason that we classify the faith in the way that we do is that Muslims simply do not identify as Christians, whereas Mormons, as you cited, do.
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This right here is the right answer. It is also the reason we don't consider Baha'i to be a sect of Islam, but do consider 'Nation of Islam' to be one. How adherents identify themselves is entirely how we classify religion, regardless of the actual theological or philosophical teaching of a sect. Otherwise we would have to classify most people living in the West as part of some sort of universalist evangelical faith; including many Muslims, Jews, and non-religious.
 

Malone

Polish Eagle said:
I would add another reason--the medieval misconception that Mohammad was worshipped by Muslims as a divine figure. But otherwise, yes, more knowledgeable Christians did regard Islam as a heresy (as recently as Hillaire Belloc in the past century).
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Yes until relatively recently actually weren't muslims in the west often referred to as "mohomedans" or some variation of that? I guess that would be like calling Mormons "Smithians".
 
Neoteros

Neoteros

There is a theory according to which Islam did in fact originate as a Petra-based Christian sect, and that the name "Muhammad" was merely an epithet of Jesus.

According to this theory, much of what we now identify with Islam, up to and including Muhammad's existence and prophethood, was an a posteriori creation made to justify the rule of the Caliphs over their lands.
 
theg*ddam*hoi2fan

theg*ddam*hoi2fan

Malone said:
There are quite a few evident similarities between Islam and Mormonism, both have Jesus in their holy books (Quran, Book of Mormon) albeit a significantly different Jesus than "mainstream" Christianity, both religions deny the idea of a trinity God, with Jesus and God being separate rather than one entity. Of course there is the new or "final" prophet who founded their religions Muhamad and Joseph Smith (who btw was referred to by some at the time as the American Muhamad).

Mormonism however at the time of its birth and by some today is seen as a heretical branch of Christianity, Islam however as a wholly separate religion. If Islam from the get go was seen likewise as being a heretical Christian sect what impacts would that had historically?
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As noted by others, it was. A lot of Latin sources in the Middle Ages referred to it as a heresy, even drawing comparisons to the Arian Heresy for denying the Trinity.
 
Lusitania

Lusitania

Donor
The idea also was that Christians believed that Christ was the savior and any holy person who came after was attempting to emulate Jesus Christ while Islamic philosophy was that Christianity was flawed and that the Koran was an improvement on Christianity which say Christ as his son but not savior.

the other major aspect of how Islam was viewed by “Christians” has to consider the time it appeared as opposed to Mormons. If Mormon religion had appeared at time of Islam it too would of been viewed same as Islam.

the view of society in the 19th century where many different new “christian” religious sects appeared was completely different than medieval society and society acceptance.

I would also venture to state racial attitudes also had some reason for the difference. If Islam had started in the US during the same time Mormonism started it would be viewed same as Mormonism.
 
Euphemios

Euphemios

Lusitania said:
The idea also was that Christians believed that Christ was the savior and any holy person who came after was attempting to emulate Jesus Christ while Islamic philosophy was that Christianity was flawed and that the Koran was an improvement on Christianity which say Christ as his son but not savior.
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I am not sure what you were trying to communicate here, but if the last portion was about Islam, it views Jesus as a prophet and the Messiah, but not the son of God or any part of the Godhead, unlike the Trinity in Christianity.
 
Lusitania

Lusitania

Donor
Euphemios said:
I am not sure what you were trying to communicate here, but if the last portion was about Islam, it views Jesus as a prophet and the Messiah, but not the son of God or any part of the Godhead, unlike the Trinity in Christianity.
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I was trying to also try to have people consider that when Mormonism appeared and where it appeared was also a factor.

Islam appearing at same time and same country would be viewed like mormism
 

mial42

Gone Fishin'
Because (1) it said it wasn't and (2) it could enforce that. If Islam had died out with Mohammed without making much of an impact, it probably would've been viewed as heretical Christianity, but it didn't, so...
 
SealTheRealDeal

SealTheRealDeal

Malone said:
There are quite a few evident similarities between Islam and Mormonism, both have Jesus in their holy books (Quran, Book of Mormon) albeit a significantly different Jesus than "mainstream" Christianity, both religions deny the idea of a trinity God, with Jesus and God being separate rather than one entity. Of course there is the new or "final" prophet who founded their religions Muhamad and Joseph Smith (who btw was referred to by some at the time as the American Muhamad).

Mormonism however at the time of its birth and by some today is seen as a heretical branch of Christianity, Islam however as a wholly separate religion. If Islam from the get go was seen likewise as being a heretical Christian sect what impacts would that had historically?
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Because Islam rejects the divinity of Jesus Christ.
 

Jürgen

Malone said:
Mormonism however at the time of its birth and by some today is seen as a heretical branch of Christianity, Islam however as a wholly separate religion. If Islam from the get go was seen likewise as being a heretical Christian sect what impacts would that had historically?
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Pretty much all theologians see Mormonism as a new branch of the Abrahamic faiths. The reason that most non-theologians see Mormons as Christians are because they look like other Christians on the surface. Islam on the other hand is very visual distinct from Christianity.
 

frustrated progressive

mial42 said:
Because (1) it said it wasn't and (2) it could enforce that. If Islam had died out with Mohammed without making much of an impact, it probably would've been viewed as heretical Christianity, but it didn't, so...
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The fact that "Messianic Jews" are considered to be Christians demonstrates the importance of the latter.
 
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