A Study of the Relationship between Ibadi Muslims and Christians in Modern day Oman.
Oman is often held as a model of religious tolerance in the Arabian Peninsula. The core hypothesis at the centre of this thesis is that, the religious freedom of the church in Oman is directly influenced by its distinctive prevailing school of Islam. The main research question is “How does the prevailing theology of Ibadi Islam impact the experience of religious freedom for Christian communities in Oman and how do the Islamic authorities relate to the Christian church?” By using interviews, historical and theological sources, this research concludes that other factors besides theology shape Oman’s distinct approach to interfaith relations. A part of this thesis will be highlighting the contemporary presence of the church in Oman, of which little is known. This is a unique contribution to knowledge about Christianity and Islamic relations in the Arabian Gulf.