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Beginnings | ||
Christianity
Christianity originated in the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who was born circa 4 B.C.E. in Roman-occupied Palestine, a Jewish province of the Roman Empire.
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Islam
Muhammad received and preached the message of Islam to the people of the Arabia in the early 7th century C.E.
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Judaism
The rabbis of the 2nd century C.E. created Jewish culture by reunifying a fractured Judean community following the period of Israelite religion and the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
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Influences | ||
Christianity
The Jewish, Greek, and Roman cultures of the formative first two centuries of the Common Era had a deep and lasting influence on the new faith of Christianity.
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Islam
Islam emerged in the wealthy trading center of Mecca, and regards itself as the culmination of all previous monotheistic religions, including Judaism and Christianity.
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Judaism
Jewish identity was originally constructed out of an ongoing interaction with the cultures of the ancient near eastβincluding Canaanite, Hittite, Babylonian, Hellenistic, and ultimately Christian.
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Founders | ||
Christianity
Christianity is founded in the life and teachings of Jesus, and was established in Jerusalem and propagated throughout the Roman Empire in the 1st century C.E. by enthusiastic evangelists.
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Islam
The founder of Islam is the prophet Muhammad, who was born in Mecca in approximately 570 C.E.
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Judaism
While Judaism is historically associated with the rabbis of the 2nd century C.E., one may trace its foundations to the sage Hillel, a Pharisee, and his fundamental school of thought.
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Scriptures | ||
Christianity
Christian scriptures are gathered in the Christian Bible, which contains the Jewish scriptures in addition to the twenty-seven books of the New Testament.
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Islam
The Quran is the sacred scripture of Islam and is believed to be the unaltered word of God. The Sunna, in its written form hadith, while not scripture, is part of the Islamic canon.
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Judaism
Jewish scriptures are grounded in Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, but the revelation of Torah extends indefinitely through the history of Jewish literature as commentary.
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Historical Perspectives | ||
Christianity
What scholars do and do not believe with regard to Christianity influences the ways in which they interpret its history, both past and present. There has been an increasing consciousness of the global diversity of Christianity.
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Islam
Scholars have just begun the important task of addressing the stereotyping of Islam and Muslims in the journalistic and entertainment media and in scholarship.
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Judaism
There is a contemporary shift away from the modern, essentialist study of Judaism toward a Jewish cultural history uncovering the historical construction of multiple Jewish identities through intercultural negotiation.
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Christianity | Islam | |
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Early Developments | ||
Christianity
In the 2nd β 4th centuries of the Common Era, Christianity endured periods of intense persecution while working to define its identity and beliefs.
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Islam
Immediately following Muhammad's death, the community was ruled by a succession of close companions to the Prophet chosen by a consensus of community elders.
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Judaism
In the early stages of Judaism, the rabbis consolidated authority by establishing an apostolic succession and formulating a theology of "realistic messianism," channeling messianic expectations into a this-worldly political framework.
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Schisms, Sects | ||
Christianity
Christianity permanently split twice. The first split occurred between the Byzantine Church (eastern) and the Roman Church (western). The Protestant Reformation further split the Roman or western Church.
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Islam
Islam is divided into two main groups, the Sunni and the Shi'a. Another expression of Islam is called Sufism and attracts Sunni and Shi'i Muslims as well as non-Muslims.
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Judaism
As the rabbis consolidated their power, they fought against internal opponents who either supplemented the Oral Torah with gnostic teachings or replaced it with the biblical literalism of the Karaites.
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Missions, Spread, Changes, Regional adaptations | ||
Christianity
From the 5thβ13th centuries, Christianity spread dynamically, while the disintegration of the Roman Empire in the West caused churches in the east and west to develop along separate paths.
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Islam
A thousand years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, Islam had taken root in nearly every region of the globe and although varied in its theology, was not varied in practice.
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Judaism
Following the period of Christian hegemony in 5th-century Palestine, Jews flourished in Babylonia, spread westward to medieval Spain, north and east to Europe, while continually adjusting their cultural bearings.
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Exploration, Conquest, Empire (incl. violence, persecution) | ||
Christianity
From the 15thβ19th centuries, Christian missionary activity, often allied with European political expansion, carried Christianity to all parts of the globe.
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Islam
Over the centuries, Muslims built a number of empires across large territories. Until 1258, the Islamic world was ruled by a single ruler, called a caliph.
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Judaism
Medieval Jews depended upon protection from outside rulers to secure a semi-autonomous political empire, consequently walking a tightrope between persecution and coexistence with their non-Jewish neighbors in exile.
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Modern Age | ||
Christianity
The 20th century presented Christianity with dizzying political and cultural challenges. A lively and articulate Christianity in former mission fields and dissatisfaction among American evangelicals produced new movements.
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Islam
The recent history of the Muslim world has been one of imperialism, war, and poverty. Islamic revival movements have emerged in various locales hoping to restore autonomy to their societies.
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Judaism
In modernity, Judaism has successfully met the challenges accompanying emancipation, assimilation, and antisemitism by redefining itself as a multiplicity of cultures based on the triad: God, Torah, and Israel.
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Christianity | Islam | |
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Sacred narratives | ||
Christianity
The Christian story of Jesus is sacred to Christians. The biblical stories of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection reveal God's plan for humanity, which includes salvation and eternal life.
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Islam
The sacred stories of Islam include an account of the creation of the world, and stories of the prophets, especially Muhammad.
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Judaism
Jewish sacred narratives are reflected in the biblical framework of creation, revelation, and redemption in which God's relationship with Israel is played out in a cosmic drama.
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Ultimate Reality and Divine Beings | ||
Christianity
Christians are monotheists who believe that the one God has an internal relationship of three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Christians also believe in the existence of angels and demons.
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Islam
The foundation and core of Islam is Allah, the one and only God. God is the creator of all things, including supernatural beings like angels and jinn.
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Judaism
While Jewish thinkers have traditionally associated ultimate reality with a theistic image of God, there has been an ongoing, vigorous debate about the nature of God and the Divine-human relationship.
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Human Nature and the Purpose of Existence | ||
Christianity
Christianity teaches that human beings were created good by a loving God. While being prone to sin and in need of grace, they are partners in accomplishing God's plan for existence.
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Islam
Islam teaches that the purpose of existence is to love and serve God through loving and serving others. People can forget this, but prophets bear God's revelation, which shows people the way.
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Judaism
For Jews, human nature is rooted in the divine image and therefore has infinite value. Consequently, the purpose of existence is to relate to the divine and human "other."
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Suffering and the Problem of Evil | ||
Christianity
Their belief in a good and powerful creator God has prompted Christians to search for an explanation for the existence of evil. There is no single authoritative Christian response.
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Islam
Suffering has purpose in Islam; it tests faith and corrects unbelief.
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Judaism
In wrestling with suffering and evil throughout history, Jewish thinkers have expressed a tension between "theodicy," justifying God's relationship to evil, and "antitheodicy," protesting God's involvement with human suffering.
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Afterlife and Salvation | ||
Christianity
At the center of the Christian religion is the story of how God achieved reconciliation with humanity through Christ.
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Islam
Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment and heaven and hell. Each person is responsible for the judgment he or she will receive. People are judged based on their intentions and their deeds.
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Judaism
Jewish attitudes toward afterlife and salvation reflect a variety of perspectives on what happens to body and soul after death based on various biblical, rabbinic, medieval folklore, and theological sources.
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Sacred Time | ||
Christianity
Christians worship weekly and throughout the year. Although the worship styles of the churches differ, the weekly service, Christmas, and Easter have special meaning for all Christians.
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Islam
The Islamic religious calendar follows a lunar pattern punctuated by a number of significant public feasts and celebrations that have both historical and theological roots.
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Judaism
Judaism distinguishes between two essentially different forms of time: kodesh (holy) and chol (mundane). Jews consecrate the seventh day of the week, or Shabbat, as the epitome of sacred time. The Jewish calendar is replete with a rich array of festivals, most of which commemorate events in ancient Israelite history.
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Sacred Space | ||
Christianity
Christians worship and pray together in churches built in a variety of shapes and styles. The use of art and decoration varies greatly according to denomination, but almost all churches feature a cross and a pulpit.
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Islam
Muslims gather for prayer and community in mosques, and seek blessings at shrines. The Grand Mosque in Mecca, which holds the Kaaba, is the most sacred place in the world.
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Judaism
Observant Jews worship three times a day, throughout the year. While these daily services may be performed privately, the most important Shabbat and festival prayers are ideally, and most commonly, observed in public services, conducted by clergy in synagogues or temples.
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Rites and Ceremonies | ||
Christianity
The sacred rituals of Christianity, called sacraments or ordinances, vary greatly between Christian denominations. Almost all Christians practice baptism and the Eucharist, which are ancient traditions connected to Jesus and the apostles.
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Islam
Various rites and ceremonies accompany such important transitions as marriage, birth, and death.
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Judaism
Judaism places a central emphasis in serving God on faithful adherence to a vast and complex system of biblical commandments, known as mitvot. This system of Jewish law, collectively known as halakha, is based on the rabbis' extensive legal exegesis of the Torah's 613 laws.
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Worship and Devotion in Daily Life | ||
Christianity
Christians seek to sanctify their daily lives with prayer and scripture reading. These activities, performed in solitude or in groups, help Christians cultivate a close personal relationship with God.
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Islam
The heart of Islamic worship is found in the Five Pillars of bearing witness to the oneness of God, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage. Regular individual and group supplication is also core to Islamic worship.
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Judaism
Jews seek constantly to remind themselves of God's presence in their lives through an elaborate system of daily prayers, benedictions for all occasions, no matter how ostensibly mundane, and a host of religious rituals.
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Symbolism | ||
Christianity
Much of Christian life and practice is accompanied by symbols that reinforce the Christian's relationship with God. Of these, the most common and distinctive is the cross.
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Islam
The crescent moon and star is a widely-recognized symbol of Islam, while the colors green, white, black, red, and blue all have symbolic meaning.
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Judaism
Judaism vigilantly avoids the use of any symbolic representation in worship, especially of humanlike figures. At the same time, there are a small number of prominent symbols that are prominently displayed in many synagogues and other Jewish institutions.
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Christianity | Islam | |
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Community Organization and Structure | ||
Christianity
Christians share worship and fellowship in communities called churches. Although divided into denominations differing in belief and practice, contemporary Christians share a common belief in the God of the Bible.
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Islam
Although Muslims view themselves as part of a worldwide community, called the ummah, united in submission to God, they are equally loyal to the nation states within which they live.
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Judaism
The Jewish community, representing both a religious faith-community and a national ethnic group, is organized along both spiritual and secular lines. Contemporary Jewish communities sponsor an array of organizations, from synagogues and Jewish community centers to regional and national organizations dedicated to a range of causes.
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Leadership/Clergy | ||
Christianity
The early Church, influenced by the Roman Empire, developed a hierarchical form of leadership. Contemporary Christian churches have a number of different leadership styles.
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Islam
The different clerical functions within Islam are filled by a special religious class called the ulama, religious scholars with authority in law and doctrine.
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Judaism
In ancient Israel, the clan descended from Moses' brother Aaron served as priests who administered all of the rituals, assisted in this role by the consecrated tribe of the Levites. After the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E., the priestly rituals were replaced by verbal prayer, today led by cantors, and prophecy was replaced by the rabbis' scholarly expertise in the interpretation and adjudication of Torah law.
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Principles of Moral Thought and Action | ||
Christianity
Christians follow the principles of morality expressed by Jesus' command to love God and neighbor, and rely on the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount for basic guidance.
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Islam
Muslims' ethical and moral commitments regulating their daily lives derive from their understanding of the demands of revelation and are referred to as the shariah.
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Judaism
The source for Jewish moral and ethical norms is the system of rabbinical law, or halakha. The primary sources of this religious legal system are the Talmud, medieval codes of law, and ongoing rabbinical response.
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Vision for Society | ||
Christianity
Christians expect a final day of judgment when the Kingdom of God, a reign of perfect peace and justice, will begin.
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Islam
The ethical obligation to command the good and forbid the evil imposes upon Muslims the duty of realizing a just society.
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Judaism
Judaism is neither a universal nor an evangelizing religion. Jews believe that the Torah and its laws are the unique inheritance of a people elected, or chosen, by God for the purpose of forging a "kingdom of priests" whose mission is to spread the principles of ethical monotheism to all humankind.
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Gender and Sexuality | ||
Christianity
Christians teach that sexual relations should be expressed within marriage. The roles of women and gay Christians are being debated within the Christian community.
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Islam
Muslim women and men are working for gender equality within broad limits prescribed by Islam.
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Judaism
Rabbinical Judaism has historically assigned distinct roles to the different genders, especially notable in the realms of public worship and ecclesiastical leadership. Judaism's positive attitude to sexuality has had the net effect of consigning women largely to domestic roles, as well as precluding women from attaining positions of ecclesiastical leadership.
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