ISLAM, CHRISTIANITY AND

JUDAISM
 CHARACTERISTICS
• Foundation & religious texts
• A look at the common stories and
figures that evolve from
Judaism’s traditions to foundation
of Islam
• The element of monotheism
• One God for each, or One God for
all?
• Regarding Jesus
• The figure that alters tradition of
monotheism
• Spiritual figures & prophets
• Spiritual beings below deities and
the revered humans of religious
text
• Clergy & hierarchical structure
• From religious scholars to
spiritual guides
THE ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS

• World’s three major monotheistic

religions
• Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
• Although each are distinct, a
number of parallels exist amongst
them
• All three were founded in the
Middle East, similarities seem to
reflect this closeness in proximity
• Term “Abrahamic” derived from
the common patriarchal figure of
Abraham
 ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS TODAY

• Purple indicative of areas where Abrahamic religions are most

prevalent. (Yellow areas adhere predominantly to Eastern religions)
 FOUNDATION OF JUDAISM

• Time period: 5th to 3rd century BCE

• Location: Jerusalem, Palestine
(modern Israel)
• Jewish faith asserts that the Israelites
received the Torah from God in 1313
BCE
• After some 800-900 years, and periods
of exile from their homeland, Israelites
resettle Jerusalem
• Recognize the Tanakh as scripture in
450 BCE
• By 3rd century BCE, Judaism spreads
to Egypt and into larger area of Roman
Empire
FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIANITY

• Time period: 1st to 2nd century CE

• Location: Palestine (modern
Israel)
• Jesus born approx. 4 BCE, in
Galilee (northern region of Israel)
• Expressed alternate views to
contemporary rabbis, inspired
Apostolic church, texts of New
Testament
• Christianity spread beyond Jewish
community to become
predominantly Gentile religion
 FOUNDATION OF ISLAM

• Time period: 7th century CE

• Location: Mecca, modern Saudi
Arabia
• Muhammad began to preach Islam
in Mecca, migrated to Medina in
622 CE
• There he was able to unify Arabian
tribes under Islam, these Muslims
overtook Mecca in 630 CE
• Qu’ran was compiled by
Muhammad’s followers after his
death in 632 CE
 RELIGIOUS TEXTS (JUDAISM’S TANAKH)

• Often referred to as the Hebrew

Bible
• Includes the texts…
• Torah: focuses on law and
beginnings of Judaism
• Nevi’im: largely narratives of
prophets following the death of
Moses
• Ketuvim: includes historical acount
following the events of other two
texts
• Traditionally claimed that Israelites
recognized the Tanakh as scripture
in 450 BCE
 RELIGIOUS TEXTS (CHRISTIAN BIBLE)

• Old Testament: largely composed

of the Tanakh
• Shows the influence of Judaism’s
concepts in Christianity
• New Testament: collection of
writings spanning period from
mid-1st to mid-2nd century CE
• Generally, includes 27 books -
numerous writings attributed to
apostles
• Final book of Revelation introduces
the apocalyptic concepts that go on
to shape many Christian sects
 RELIGIOUS TEXTS (ISLAMIC QUR’AN)

• Final product of the angel

Gabriel’s revelations to
Muhammad
• Compiled shortly after
Muhammad’s death in 7th century
CE
• Includes number of elements from
Judaeo-Christian texts
• Jesus, Moses, John the Baptist, etc.
regarded as prophets
• These earlier texts are seen as
having merit, but simply being
corrupted
THE ELEMENT OF MONOTHEISM

• Not only are each of these religions

monotheistic, but figures from
each have asserted that they are
merely interpretations of one truth
(one God, and one shared God)
• Islam’s founding adhered to clear
separation of deity and prophets, as
seen earlier in Judaism
• Christian divinity of Jesus,
resulting Holy Trinity diverges
from this
• Judaist and Islamic principles lead
many to be critical of this concept
 CLERGY &
HIERARCHICAL
STRUCTURE
• All three religions embrace concept of religious
clergy connecting worshippers with God
• Judaism: rabbis – rooted in scholarly knowledge,
answer questions of congregation
• Christianity: priests, pastors, etc. – in charge of
congregation level of churches of Christian sects
• Pontificate of Catholic Church epitomizes the existence of
hierarchical order in religious sects
• Islam: imams – religious leaders that also, perhaps as
a result of Islam’s lack of distinction between church
and state, have degree of political power
• The sense of “communal worship” is perhaps most strong in
Islam