· Caliph is described as being sweet and benevolent
· Gospel was written by the Holy Spirit through the 4 Apostles
o Like the Qur’an coming from God through Muhammad
· Muhammad is worthy of praise as he was godly and like a prophet
· One God is constituted by God the Head, the word, and the Spirit
o Three persons in one godhead
o Three is a complete and perfect number
§ Caliph argues that 3 implies plurality
· The Prophet does not speak of this in order to protect those who are prone to polytheism
o Referred to in a veiled and symbolic way
· Humans are living, rational, and mortal beings
o God must also have 3 traits if we were made in his image
o God is Fatherhood, Filiation, and procession
· No explanation of God can ever be perfect
o We must introduce division because we are human
o No one can know God except the Spirit of God
o We use bodily metaphors because we have bodies
· Caliph postulates that the Word and Spirit are creatures of God
o Cannot be so, since the Word and Spirit were utilized in Creation
o Are incorporeal and radiate eternally from God
o Just as a king’s sons are not servants, neither are these
§ Obedience to God’s command does not equal servitude
· But Christ died, how can God die
o He merely appeared to die
o Mortal, human nature passed on when his incorporeal form was raised up
· Pearl metaphor
o We are all searching for a pearl on the floor of a dark house at night
o We all strive to pick it up, and every one thinks they have it
o Not until we extend our hands toward the light will we know who truly has the pearl
§ Pearl represents true faith in our midst
§ We all wish to possess it and think we do
§ Just as the luster of the pearl can be seen in the dark, so can rays of true faith shine in the present world through our good deeds and God’s scriptures
o May the Muslims and Christians share the finding of the pearl \n \n