Introduction
12. The Crucifixion
19. Early Christianity
28. Is Jesus God?
31. The Trinity
37. The Bible
59. Later Christianity and its Parallels in the wider world
76. Where Does This Leave Us?

Whilst seeking the truth, the honest investigator wants
facts and this short work is intended for the sincere few
who seek to know the original belief of the people that
followed the teachings of Jesus, peace be upon him.

Before Nicea should not be viewed as 'Muslim propaganda'
or bias, rather as an honest look at the evidence that
qualified scholars have provided. This work also wants to
move away from relying on the bible and blindly quoting
from it in order to prove the true teachings of Jesus. Even
though there is obviously some truth in the gospels, it is
not the pure Injeel that is mentioned in the Qur'aan as being
given to Jesus.

In assessing the comparisons between early Christianity
and Islam, the facts have been made accessible to the
reader and presented in a manner that does not wish to
antagonize. It is for the readers to make up their own

1 This book, Before Nicea, originally completed in 1998 by Paul Addae and T im Bowes (Abdul-Haq
and Abdur-Rahmaan), has been revised for the Da’wah section at www.salafimanhaj.com
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 SalafiManhaj 2005

Conducted over the last three hundred years, such research
is not a new phenomena. John Toland for example had
written his book The Nazarenes in 1718 wherein he had
already noticed the similar beliefs and practices of the early
followers of Jesus and Muslims. Furthermore, John Biddle
wrote The True Opinion Concerning the Holy Trinity (Twelve
Arguments) in 1653, Joseph Priestly wrote eight books
including A General History of the Church, published in 1802
and A History of the Corruption of Christianity, published in
1871. A.C. MacGiffert wrote A History of Christianity in the
Apostolic Age published in 1897, The Apostles Creed published
in 1902 and The God of the Early Christians in 1924.

The discovery of the Codex Sinaiticus, the earliest almost
complete manuscript (fourth century), brought with it
more evidence for scholars to utilize. Using both these
older sources and the recent research based upon the
discoveries of early Christian manuscripts the reader will be
supplied with that which is accepted as sound.

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 SalafiManhaj 2005

5

Before Nicea

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During conversations whilst compiling this work, it was
noted that many evangelical Christians would argue that
the Christian scholars quoted in this work for example are
‘not really Christian.’ One of the ‘Hyde Park Speakers Corner
Christian Fellowship’2

even went so far as to say that there is
not a single theologian who could be called a Christian,
because he felt that theology is an enemy of Christianity. It
is certainly true that most theologians do not understand
the Bible to be ‘divine revelation,’ rather a combination of
inspiration, commentary and interpretation. In many cases,
these theologians will say that it was Jesus himself who was
the ‘divine revelation’ and will feel perfectly free to reject
the idea that the Bible is unadulterated.

Therefore, it is understandable that Christians who believe
in the Bible as an uncorrupted whole, become hostile to
such scholars. Nevertheless, Christian evangelical
disapproval of theologians is quite contradictory and
unreasonable.

2 This is a well known and peculiar group that comprises a broad range of fundamentalist Christian
evangelists of the London area who are active in propagating evangelical Christianity at London’s
Hyde Park Speaker’s Corner
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 SalafiManhaj 2005

Before Nicea

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Contradictory, because it was on the grounds of theology
that ‘Christian’ doctrine grew and unreasonable, as most
Christians would be grateful that theology ‘explained’ for
them many aspects of their belief.

Most of the scholars whom we have quoted are, to the best
of our knowledge, practicing Christians. For example
James Dunn’s book Christology in the Making is illustrative of
this fact. While he says at one point that “there is no real
evidence in the earliest Jesus tradition of what could
fairly be called a consciousness of divinity,” (page 60),
he makes no attempt to apologize for his conviction in
Trinitarian Christianity. It is simply the fact that he is a
Christian. Likewise, the New Testament scholar, the late
Michael Ramsey, was an Archbishop in the Anglican
church. We are fully aware that some of the writers whom
we have quoted from are Christians so people should
accept their dedicated research.

 BEFORE NICEA, the enlightening, insightful history of modern day Christianity, previously only available in ebook form is now available for the first time in paperback! The truth about Paul, the Trinity, the Crucifixion and modern day Christianity.