HRT3ME Abrahamic Religions Comparison

Gillies

Three units in this course have dealt with the Abrahamic Religions. Using the chart below,
identify each Abrahamic religion, then compare and contrast their beliefs.

Religion #2: Christianity Religion #3: Islam

Religion #1: Judaism
One of the major monotheistic
Jesus, a Jewish teacher and healer
With a history of about four faiths in the world is Islam. It had
who announced the coming of
thousand years, Judaism is the begun early in the seventh century.
God’s kingdom, is credited with
oldest monotheistic religion in the The words “al-slim” and “istasalma”
founding Christianity. According to
world. Judaism adherents hold that denote peace and submission and
the Gospels, followers of Jesus hold
there is only one God, who made are the origin of Islam. Allah, which
the belief that He was the Son of
himself known through the ancient in Arabic means “the god” or “the
God, that He Suffered death to
prophets—understanding the deity,” is the name of the god. A
atone for sins, as well as being
Jewish faith, which has a rich Muslim is a person who adheres to
resurrected from the grave and
heritage of law, culture, and custom. and observes the Islamic faith.
exalted by God, and that He would
Requires knowledge of its past. Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) was its
soon return in inaugurating God’s
founder.
kingdom.

Origins (Place/Date/Person): Origins (Place/Date/Person): Origins (Place/Date/Person):

Nearly four thousand years agoAround two thousand years ago, Between 570 and 632, Muhammed
(circa 20th-4th century BCE), a couple
Jesus Christ and His devoted (PBUH) was alive. He was a member
named Abraham and Sarah were disciples founded Christianity in of an influential tribe of herders and
chosen by God to found a new Judea (modern-day Israel). Judea traders who lived as nomads in
people, the chosen people, in the was a cross-cultural hotspot at this Mecca. Muhammed (PBUH)
Middle East. They were to movetime, to with thriving cities and considered himself to be the final
a new area that God would show farmland. Rome’s emperor served and greatest prophet after
them, a land that would later as the monarch. At that time, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Gabriel
become the Land of Israel. God Roman
told power was despised by the revealed to him that there was only
Abraham that in return for his andJews because it served as another one deity, Allah and that he had
Sarah’s commitment, they would reminder of their previous appointed him as a prophet in the
have many children and would also enslavement. Roman culture’s year 610.
be a benefit to others. polytheistic ideas were likewise A follower of this faith is called:
paganic and invasive to Jewish life. The word Muslim or Muslims
A follower of this faith is called:Some Jews believed that accepting derives from Arabic and means a
Jews, this term may have come this transformation was their last believer or adherent of Islam.
from Jacob’s fourth son, Judah. chance for survival. Others Place of Worship:
Close to Jacob’s passing, he developed into religious fanatics Mosques are the name for places
appointed Judah the role of who organized small0scale guerilla of worship in Islam. A mosque
leader and king; eventually, all movements against Rome. Others serves as a house of worship and a
twelve tribes submitted to hisretreated into the Judean desert to hub for the Muslim neighbourhood.
study the Jewish Torah and wait for Additionally, it serves as a hub for
reign. This might have meantthe expected Messiah to arrive. social and academic pursuits. A
A follower of this faith is called:
that the term “Jew” applied to mosque has several regulations that
the descendants of Judah. The word “Christian surprisingly must be followed when entering or
comes from the Greek word praying there. For example, one of
“christianos” which roughly them is to be clean and to take off
translates to “little Christ.” This was their shoes before entering the
Place of Worship:
initially used as an insult. However, prayer hall, whether you are there
The Jewish place of worship is the
a believer’s lifestyle was so to worship or visit.
Synagogue. It derives from the similar that his name was given to
Sacred Text:
Yiddish word shul, which meansthem.
school. The Qur’an, like other sacred texts,
Place of Worship:
serves as a source of guidance for
Sacred Text: The church is the primary site of
millions of Muslims worldwide.
worship for Christians in most of
The Torah is the cornerstone oftheir
all faiths. For example, the Naturally, the book has a powerful
Jewish religious literature. The Roman Catholic Church and the message, which is why both
Torah is, in the purest sense, the Muslims and non-Muslims find it so
Anglican Church have their unique
five books of Moses that recount appealing. Nevertheless, some non-
set of services that are held in their
the world’s creation. The Muslims misread the language and
own churches. Although it has other
Pentateuch simultaneously cannot comprehend it as well as a
definitions, the term “church” is
embodies the history of the Jewish Muslim. Muslims are taught the text
most often used to describe a
people and conveys timeless moral early on and have it explained to
structure where Christians have
and ethical teachings about them by instructors, so they find it
open worship services.
monotheism. The simple to comprehend and follow.
acknowledgement of the Sabbath Sacred
as Text: The style of living that the Qur’an
a day of rest is one of several non- discusses is also supported by their
The Christian Bible, which includes
Jewish customs that have their culture. Actually, the Qur’an lays
the gospels and the writings of early
roots in the Torah. forth a culture for Muslims to live
church leaders, including the
in.
Apostle Paul, is considered to be
the sacred scripture of Christianity.
Not all Christian sects embrace the
apocryphal texts, and some Bibles
don’t even mention them. The Old
Testament, known to Christians as
the Hebrew Scriptures, is a
translation of the Jewish people’s
holy books.
 Identify two similarities between
Religion #1 and #2
Commonality 1: Judaism and Christianity
are monotheistic faiths, meaning they
each hold a single God as the universe’s
creator.
Commonality 2:
The idea of the ego of the holy faith is
also a philosophy shared by both
religions. This is explained in the Book of
Exodus, the second book of the Jewish
Torah and the Christian Old Testament for
both faiths. Here, God demands complete
devotion and makes it clear that humans
are not allowed to worship any other
deities because “I, the Lord your God, am
a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5). It follows
that if people don’t believe exclusively in
this one and only God, they will be
punished.
Identify two similarities between
Religion #2 and #3
Commonality 1: These two religions
were developed in the Middle East.
They primarily link their histories as
well as the histories of the creation of
humans to the first man, known as
“Prophet Adam.” Abraham’s (or
Ibrahim’s for Muslims) offering, Moses’
difficulties, John the Baptist’s piety, and
the Prophet Jesus’ miracles are all
hailed as examples of familiar religious
narratives.
Commonality 2: Both Islam and Christianity
hold that on the Day of Judgment, Man is
accountable for his Deeds. The outcome of this
divine accountability would then decide
whether a person would spend the afterlife in
heaven or hell. The strict emphasis on
accountability before God requires followers of
both faiths to abide by their respective rules.
Actually, the continuous life in this world is
viewed by both Christianity and Islam as
frivolous and transient; in contrast, life in the
afterlife is viewed as everlasting and
permanent. Therefore, both Muslims and
Christians are influenced by the prospect of
reward or punishment.

List three beliefs that are shared between all three Abrahamic Religions:

1. The First Abrahamic religion is Judaism. It suggests that there is one, all-powerful and undivided God. Jews
use several names to refer to their God, including “God” and YHWH, which is also occasionally pronounced
Yahweh or Jehovah. Jews, on the other hand, never use that name because they believe it to be an impossible
name for God. Christianity likewise holds that there is only one supreme being. However, most Christians
believe that the Christian God is composed of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and that the Son adopted
the human body by being born as Jesus to a Jew called Mary. “God” is the most often used word to describe
the Christian God. Muslims believe that Jews and Christians also worship the same deity as Islam, which is an
Abrahamic religion. They also acknowledge those religious prophets as being their own prophets. Like Jews,
Muslims believe that God is one and the same. As a result, they recognize Jesus as a prophet but reject him as
a deity or a component of the Creator. Muslims frequently refer to their God as Allah; however, they will
occasionally anglicize it to “God.”

2. The origins of Islam and Christianity are also attributed to Judaism. Islam acknowledges Christianity as its
precursor in terms of religion. The Messiah who the Jews have been looking for from the beginning is Christ,
according to Christianity. In Islam, the great prophets Moses and Jesus were both sent by God before
Muhammad. It appears that Judaism and Christianity both worship the same God, as does Isla. They contend
that Jews worship God incorrectly or insufficiently, but they do not assert that Jews worship a separate God.

3. The stories and lessons found in the three Abrahamic religions are also frequently similar. All three major
religions, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, honour Moses and the Old Testament prophets. They both practice
comparable forms of prayer and agree on the importance of it. For those who are just and keep His
commandments, God seems to be compassionate, gracious, and benign. He is stern and rigorous to His foes
and to the unjust.