A. Candiard, Enough with Tolerance? Religious Differences and the Andalusian Dream - Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Candiard, Enough with Tolerance? Religious Differences and the Andalusian Dream
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

Enough with Tolerance? - Religious Differences and the Andalusian Dream
Adrien Candiard

PUBLICATION DATE: 22/01/14 PUBLISHER: PUF ISBN: 978-2-13-063055-5 EAN: 9782130630555 FORMAT: Paperback NO. OF PAGES: 91 p.

The prominent place of Islam in contemporary Europe is challenging the model of tolerance inherited from the Enlightenment, which is founded on sidelining religious truths deemed inherently irrational. Al-Andalus is frequently presented as the epitome of this tolerance: under the guidance of rationalist thinkers such as Averroes, medieval Muslim Spain allegedly achieved religious harmony at the cost of a strict segregation among believers. Beyond the historical inaccuracies inherent to myths, this legend misses the fundamental point.

For medieval Spain was, above all, a place where people passionately debated the truth of religious doctrines; if they engaged in dialogue, translation, and polemics, it was because each party believed they were right and capable of convincing the other. Perhaps the true lesson of Andalusia for us lies right here: genuine respect does not seek to erase differences in order to reach a consensus.
It is therefore urgent to bring religious questions back into the realm of reason, from which they were somewhat hastily excluded.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Aspects of the Myth

I – An Andalusian Mirage
Averroes: Clearing Up a Misunderstanding
Disarming Truth
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
The Sleep of Reason

II - In Praise of Disputation
Adæquatio rei et intellectus
A "Bad Joke"
Forgetting Babel
Parallel Lives
A Lesson in Polemics

Conclusion: Ever-Renewed Andalusias

Born in 1982, Adrien Candiard is a former student of the École normale supérieure (Ulm) and a graduate of Sciences Po. He is a Dominican friar at the Cairo convent and a member of the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies (IDEO). He is also the author of the play Pierre et Mohamed.

This thought-provoking essay by Dominican friar and scholar Adrien Candiard reconsiders the historical legacy of medieval Muslim Spain, commonly known as Al-Andalus. Often romanticized as a utopian model of peaceful coexistence achieved by sidelining religious truths, the Andalusian reality was far more intellectually vibrant and complex. Candiard argues that the historical society thrived not on a modern, secular consensus that erases differences, but rather on rigorous, passionate theological debate where individuals actively engaged with conflicting doctrines because they believed in the power of truth and reason.

Rooted in contemporary philosophical and religious reflections, the work serves scholars, theologians, and general readers interested in interfaith dialogue and the sociology of religion. By examining figures such as the rationalist thinker Averroes, the author challenges prevailing myths and invites a fresh perspective on how pluralistic societies might navigate deeply held convictions today. It offers valuable insights for anyone examining the intersection of faith, public reason, and cultural history within modern European contexts and beyond.