Jerusalem: Holy City of all Three Faiths

Islam, Judaism & Christianity

 Yeru - Iyr “City”
 Salem – Shallom “Peace”

Origins of Each Faith

 Date and Place founded:
 Judaism – approximately 1300
B.C. in Palestine
 Some say the date is unknown

 Christianity – approximately 33
A.D. in Palestine
 Islam – 622 A.D. in Saudi Arabia

Founders and Early Leaders Brief History on Origins

 Judaism- The Hebrew leader Abraham
 Founders and Early Leaders founded Judaism around 2000 B.C. Judaism
is the oldest of the monotheistic faiths
 Judaism – Abraham and Moses (religions with one God).

 Christianity - Founded by Jesus Christ, who

 Christianity – Jesus was crucified around A.D. 30 in Jerusalem. It
was after his death when his followers came
to believe in him as the Christ, the Messiah.
 Islam - Muhammad
 Islam - Founded in Arabia by Muhammad
between A.D. 610 and A.D. 632
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 Spread of Each Faith Terms for Followers and Clergy
 Early Expansion
 Followers Called:
 Judaism – Little expansion mostly
 Judaism – Jews
confined to Israel
 Christianity – Christians
 Christianity – by the end of the 4th  Islam – Muslims
century Christianity spread across the
entire Roman Empire  Clergy Called:
 Islam – Within 12 years, entire Arabian  Judaism – rabbis
peninsula; after 100 years stretched from  Christianity – bishop, pastor, ministers,
Spain to Southeast Asia priest
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 Islam - imams 8

Where and When They Worship Languages of Faiths

 House of Worship
 Original Language
 Judaism – synagogue or temple
 Judaism – Hebrew
 Christianity – church, cathedral, chapel
 Christianity – Aramaic and Greek, then Latin
 Islam – mosque
 Islam – Arabic
 Day of Worship  Names of God
o Judaism – Saturday
 Judaism – Yahweh and Elohim
o Christianity – Sunday
 Christianity – God, the Trinity
o Islam - Friday
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 Islam - Allah 10

Sacred Texts of Each Faith Monotheistic Beliefs

 Sacred Texts  Ultimate Reality (Type of Theism)

 Judaism – Hebrew Bible  Judaism – One God
 Christianity – Old Testament  Christianity – Trinity (God the
and New Testament father, God the Son, and God the
 Islam – Qur’an (Koran) Holy Spirit)
 Islam – One God
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 Divine Revelation
How do we know about God?
 Judaism – through prophets recorded in the
Hebrew Bible

 Christianity – through prophets and Jesus as

recorded in the Old and New Testament
 Islam – through God’s final prophet
Muhammad recorded in the Qur’an

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Identity of Jesus Death of Jesus

 Judaism – False prophet
 Christianity – Son of God, the
Messiah, Savior
 Islam – prophet of God
 Judaism – death by Crucifixion
 Christianity – death by Crucifixion
 Islam – Did not die, but ascended
into heaven (a disciple took his
place)

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Resurrection of Jesus Means of Salvation

 Judaism – Belief in one God; good
 Judaism – Denied
deeds
 Christianity – Affirmed  Christianity – correct belief, good
deeds; by faith accept Christ as
 Islam – Denied; since he did not Savior (Protestants)
die
 Islam – Belief in one God; good
deeds and follow Five Pillars of
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Faith 18

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 Afterlife Symbols
 Judaism – eternal heaven, or no  Judaism – Star of David
afterlife  Christianity – cross
 Christianity – eternal heaven  Islam – crescent with name of Allah in
 Islam – eternal paradise (heaven) Arabic

 Judaism - eternal hell, or no afterlife

 Christianity – eternal hell
 Islam – eternal hell
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Where They Can Be Found

Where They Can Be Found
 Major Locations TODAY
 Judaism – Europe, Israel, North
America
 Christianity – Europe, North and
South America
 Islam – Africa, Middle East, and
Southeast Asia
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Current Worldwide Followers TODAY

 Judaism – 14 million
 (ranks 12th)
 Christianity – 2 billion
 (ranks 1st)
 Islam – 1.3 billion
 (ranks 2nd) 23