An Apology of the Nicene Orthodoxy for Muslims: Elias of Nisibis’ Commentary on the Creed

Some medieval Muslim theologians considered Nicaea to be the cause of the corruption of the Christian faith, where the Trinitarian doctrine was invented and replaced the authentic monotheistic faith taught by Christ. The Commentary on the Nicene Creed, composed by Elias the East-Syrian Metropolitan of Nisibis (d. 1049), should be viewed not only as a polemic against non-East Syrian Christians but also as a Christian apology that addresses Muslim accusations against the Trinitarian and Christological dogmas. In this article, I analyze this aspect of Elias’ Commentary on the Creed.