Three Faiths One Father

In the wake of the horrific events of 9/11, the need to understand the relationship among the world's great monotheistic religions has taken on a new and crucial importance. Arthur Lee compares and contrasts the fundamental features of Judaism, Christianity and Islam for increased understanding. (World Religions)

In the book of Genesis, God bestows a new name upon Abram--Abraham, a father of many nations. With this name and his Covenant, Abraham would become the patriarch of three of the world's major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Connected by their mutual--if differentiated--veneration of the One God proclaimed by Abraham, these traditions share much beyond their origins in the ancient Israel of the Old Testament. This Very Short Introduction explores the intertwined histories of these monotheistic religions, from the emergence of Christianity and Islam to the violence of the Crusades and the cultural exchanges of al-Andalus. Each religion continues to be shaped by this history but has also reacted to the forces of modernity and politics. Movements such as the Reformation and that led by seventh-century Kharijites have emerged, intentioned to reform or restore traditional religious practice but quite different in their goals and effects. Relationships with states, among them Israel and Saudi Arabia, have also figured importantly in their development. The Abrahamic Religions: A Very Short Introduction brings these traditions together into a common narrative, lending much needed context to the story of Abraham and his descendants. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

"Levenson provides a masterful reading of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic thinking that yielded three different portraits of Abraham. He sets the record straight about the biblical patriarch."---Sidney H. Griffith, author of The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque: Christians and Muslims in the World of Islam --Book Jacket.

There are three major religions in the world today: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Though these three belief systems intertwine throughout history, they are in fact extremely different in both basic structure and ultimately, In deity. Many people have claimed over the years that the God of Judeo-Christianity is in fact the same god of Islam. However, due to key points of differences in their respective religious texts, As well as the nature of God versus Allah in the everyday life of those who practice these religions, it becomes clear that God is in fact a completely separate entity from the Islamic Allah, despite the fact that Allah is the Arabic word for 'God.' in his provocative and inciting work, Three Religions, One God? Author Michael Carpenter inspects the basic tenets of each religion meticulously and shows through textual and well as situational evidence and critical thinking that not only is the god of Christianity and Judaism different from the god of Islam, but that the god of Judeo-Christianity is in fact the one true god, And The deserver of your love and allegiance. From exploring the lives of Muhammad and Jesus to decoding the predictions For The end of the world, Three Religions, One God? offers insightful and challenging debate that will inspire readers to make their own foray into the realm of comparative religion. Michael resides in Missouri and is the proud father of two children. Due to four years of service in the United States Air Force, he is a man who likes knowing how things work and enjoys probing intellectual and spiritual discovery.

In this timely, provocative, and uplifting journey, the bestselling author of Walking the Bible searches for the man at the heart of the world’s three monotheistic religions—and today’s deadliest conflicts. At a moment when the world is asking “can the religions get along?” one figure stands out as the shared ancestor of Jews, Muslims, and Christians. One man holds the key to our deepest fears—and our possible reconciliation. Abraham is that man. Bruce Feiler set out on a personal quest to better understand our common patriarch. Traveling in war zones, climbing through caves and ancient shrines, and sitting down with the world’s leading religious minds, Feiler uncovers fascinating, little known details of the man who defines faith for half the world. Both immediate and timeless, Abraham is a powerful, universal story, the first-ever interfaith portrait of the man God chose to be his partner. Thoughtful and inspiring, it offers a rare vision of hope that will redefine what we think about our neighbors, our future, and ourselves.

If Moses, Jesus, and the Prophet Muhammad were to meet, what would they tell one another about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam? Three of today’s leading scholars explore the topics such a conversation might entail in this comparative study of the three monotheistic faiths. In systematic, side-by-side descriptions, they detail the classical theologies of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and the authoritative writings that convey those theologies—Torah, Bible, and Qur’ān. They then compare and contrast the three faiths, which, though distinct and autonomous, address a common set of issues. While asserting that this book is by no means a background source for issues and conflicts among contemporary followers of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the authors nevertheless aspire to reveal among the three a common potential for mutual understanding. This publication has also been published in paperback, please click here for details.

The interactions of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities through the centuries have often been hostile and sometimes violent. Today a new 'trialogue' between them is developing in several parts of the world. One of the most ambitious ventures so far of this kind took place recently in California and produced this set of exploratory papers and responses. The subjects are the concepts of God in the three traditions, their attitudes to the material world, and their understandings of human life and history. The discussions were frank and realistic but at the same time hopeful.

"The near sacrifice and miraculous restoration of a beloved son is a central but largely overlooked theme in both Judaism and Christianity. This book explores how this notion of child sacrifice constitutes an overlooked bond between the two religions."--

Muhammad: a frank look at his influential (and violent) life and teachings In The Truth about Muhammad, New York Times bestselling author and Islam expert Robert Spencer offers an honest and telling portrait of the founder of Islam-perhaps the first such portrait in half a century-unbounded by fear and political correctness, unflinching, and willing to face the hard facts about Muhammad's life that continue to affect our world today. From Muhammad's first "revelation" from Allah (which filled him with terror that he was demonpossessed) to his deathbed (from which he called down curses upon Jews and Christians), it's all here-told with extensive documentation from the sources that Muslims themselves consider most reliable about Muhammad. Spencer details Muhammad's development from a preacher of hellfire and damnation into a political and military leader who expanded his rule by force of arms, promising his warriors luridly physical delights in Paradise if they were killed in his cause. He explains how the Qur'an's teaching on warfare against unbelievers developed-with constant war to establish the hegemony of Islamic law as the last stage. Spencer also gives the truth about Muhammad's convenient "revelations" justifying his own licentiousness; his joy in the brutal murders of his enemies; and above all, his clear marching orders to his followers to convert non-Muslims to Islam-or force them to live as inferiors under Islamic rule. In The Truth about Muhammad, you'll learn - The truth about Muhammad's multiple marriages (including one to a nine-year-old) - How Muhammad set legal standards that make it virtually impossible to prove rape in Islamic countries - How Muhammad's example justifies jihad and terrorism - The real "Satanic verses" incident (not the Salman Rushdie version) that remains a scandal to Muslims - How Muhammad's faulty knowledge of Judaism and Christianity has influenced Islamic theology--and colored Muslim relations with Jews and Christians to this day. Recognizing the true nature of Islam, Spencer argues, is essential for judging the prospects for largescale Islamic reform, the effective prosecution of the War on Terror, the democracy project in Afghanistan and Iraq, and immigration and border control to protect the United States from terrorism. All of which makes it crucial for every citizen (and policymaker) who loves freedom to read and ponder The Truth about Muhammad

“Our Father, who art in heaven….” The opening words of the Lord’s Prayer have become so familiar that we often speak them without a thought, sometimes without any awareness that we are speaking at all. But to the disciples who first heard these words from Jesus, the prayer was a thunderbolt, a radical new way to pray that changed them and the course of history. Far from a safe series of comforting words, the Lord’s Prayer makes extraordinary claims, topples every earthly power, and announces God’s reign over all things in heaven and on earth. In this groundbreaking new book, R. Albert Mohler Jr. recaptures the urgency and transformational nature of the prayer, revealing once again its remarkable, world-upending power. Step by step, phrase by phrase, The Prayer That Turns the World Upside Down explains what these words mean and how we are to pray them. The Lord’s Prayer is the most powerful prayer in the Bible, taught by Jesus to those closest to him. We desperately need to relearn its power and practice. The Prayer That Turns the World Upside Down shows us how.