Faith Meets Life: Similarities between Islam and Christianity
Recently, Pope Benedict made remarks about Islam that set off riots, protests, and counter-comment around the world. He has disappointed people who want to see better relations between Islam and Christianity.
A discussion on the CBC's, ‘The Current', highlighted this. One interviewee said that the Pope is completely out of line in emphasizing the differences between the three monotheistic religions. (Monotheistic faiths are those that claim there is one God and no more. They are Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.) Instead of talking about differences, the speaker said, the Pope should be helping with the search for the one God that underlies all those (and possibly other?) faiths.
But does the theory that Islam and Christianity have a great deal in common hold up?
On the one hand, there is a lot of similarity in the moral and ethical guidance in each of the two faiths (though the differences in applying the guidance are obvious). At the same time, there are many people of both faiths, no doubt an increasing number in today's world, who desire to live in peace. And, both faiths claim that, yes, there is only one God. In fact, I have heard Muslim speakers try to make the case that Christians worship the same God as Muslims, albeit, in a defective way.
However, there are strong differences between Islam and Christianity that cannot be swept under the carpet. They are important to understand for genuine dialogue to take place.
Consider the relationship between politics, violence and faith.
Generally, in the Christian world, violence perpetrated in the name of God is seen as a gross contradiction to Christianity and its founder, Jesus Christ. He, after all, taught, “Love your enemies,” and “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Christians regard with extreme suspicion, if not outright rejection, incidents such as these three: 20th century European soldiers entering battlefields with belt buckles inscribed with the words, “God with us;” the Protestant-Catholic violence in Ireland of the last century; the Crusades of the Middle Ages. There is no network of Christian-sponsored terror organizations in the world.
The historical origins of Christianity are marked, not by violent conquest, but by suffering and persecution. During its first 300 years, Christianity endured various degrees of illegality and organized terror. It had utterly no political power. It was a movement of those who, by our standards, truly believed; even though such belief brought severe disadvantages. Jesus himself is revered, not for his political success, but for his suffering on behalf of others.
The historical beginnings of Islam stand in sharp contrast. Its founder, Muhammad, began 100 years of military conquest that destroyed much of the Arab world and Europe in the seventh and eight centuries. He himself was, and is, celebrated for his military-strategic talents. Muslim rulers often found ways to treat their conquered populations with a degree of leniency. However, non-Muslim populations regarded the rule of Muslim rulers as unwanted.
And consider the way two faiths understand God. Islam is unwavering in its allegiance to a God who is one. Above all, he is one. Muhammad offered and enforced this view out of a pious revulsion to the worship of many gods in the Arab world around him. For him, such worship was idolatry. It was repugnant to him.
Christianity also sees God as one. However, his oneness is qualified. Yes, there is one God. But He is three persons, all truly God, sharing in the same mission to give life, but having different roles. More like a small family really. Catholics and Protestants among us are familiar with the concept of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The benefits of experiencing God in this way are, I think, fantastic. But it will take another column to get at some of those.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
A discussion on the CBC's, ‘The Current', highlighted this. One interviewee said that the Pope is completely out of line in emphasizing the differences between the three monotheistic religions. (Monotheistic faiths are those that claim there is one God and no more. They are Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.) Instead of talking about differences, the speaker said, the Pope should be helping with the search for the one God that underlies all those (and possibly other?) faiths.
But does the theory that Islam and Christianity have a great deal in common hold up?
On the one hand, there is a lot of similarity in the moral and ethical guidance in each of the two faiths (though the differences in applying the guidance are obvious). At the same time, there are many people of both faiths, no doubt an increasing number in today's world, who desire to live in peace. And, both faiths claim that, yes, there is only one God. In fact, I have heard Muslim speakers try to make the case that Christians worship the same God as Muslims, albeit, in a defective way.
However, there are strong differences between Islam and Christianity that cannot be swept under the carpet. They are important to understand for genuine dialogue to take place.
Consider the relationship between politics, violence and faith.
Generally, in the Christian world, violence perpetrated in the name of God is seen as a gross contradiction to Christianity and its founder, Jesus Christ. He, after all, taught, “Love your enemies,” and “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Christians regard with extreme suspicion, if not outright rejection, incidents such as these three: 20th century European soldiers entering battlefields with belt buckles inscribed with the words, “God with us;” the Protestant-Catholic violence in Ireland of the last century; the Crusades of the Middle Ages. There is no network of Christian-sponsored terror organizations in the world.
The historical origins of Christianity are marked, not by violent conquest, but by suffering and persecution. During its first 300 years, Christianity endured various degrees of illegality and organized terror. It had utterly no political power. It was a movement of those who, by our standards, truly believed; even though such belief brought severe disadvantages. Jesus himself is revered, not for his political success, but for his suffering on behalf of others.
The historical beginnings of Islam stand in sharp contrast. Its founder, Muhammad, began 100 years of military conquest that destroyed much of the Arab world and Europe in the seventh and eight centuries. He himself was, and is, celebrated for his military-strategic talents. Muslim rulers often found ways to treat their conquered populations with a degree of leniency. However, non-Muslim populations regarded the rule of Muslim rulers as unwanted.
And consider the way two faiths understand God. Islam is unwavering in its allegiance to a God who is one. Above all, he is one. Muhammad offered and enforced this view out of a pious revulsion to the worship of many gods in the Arab world around him. For him, such worship was idolatry. It was repugnant to him.
Christianity also sees God as one. However, his oneness is qualified. Yes, there is one God. But He is three persons, all truly God, sharing in the same mission to give life, but having different roles. More like a small family really. Catholics and Protestants among us are familiar with the concept of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The benefits of experiencing God in this way are, I think, fantastic. But it will take another column to get at some of those.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
