Throwing the Book at Them: John of Segovia’s Use of the Qur’an

Abstract

This essay investigates how Juan de Segovia (d. 1458) used the Qur’ān in his engagement with Islam. The essay has three principal aims. First, it identifies certain distinctive aspects of Segovia’s use of the Qur’ān. Second, it examines his treatment of sacraments and soteriology in the Qur’ān. Third, it considers Segovia’s use of the Qur’ān in light of David Bertaina’s recent analysis of Christians and the Qur’ān. It is argued that, just as Segovia read the Qur’ān in various ways, he also used or cited the Qur’ān in various ways, for various ends and even for various audiences.