Most often is a topic of discussion whether Christians, Islamic and Judaism religions worship the same God. This topic has been a matter of debate throughout history. Some individuals say that yes, of course, they do, while others will disagree. It is significant to note that when one states that they worship the same God, it does not mean that the three religions are the same. The best way to find an answer or conclusion is to compare and contrast the religions and examine and analyze the history of these religions.
I believe that they worship the same God by learning about the three different religions. The main difference comes in their traditions and practices of how they worship God. The root of the three religions’ history comes from a commonly shared historical figure named Abraham. Abraham is one of the greatest reasons I believe that the three religions worship the same God. Abraham was a Jew, the basis of Christianity is based on Judaism, and Islamic religion mentions Jesus and Abraham in the Quran (Wheeler, 15). Therefore, I believe they all worship the same God but with different practices on how they worship, creating differences amongst the religions. Exploring the history of the religions and analyzing their relationships and monotheistic beliefs would be significant in explaining why I believe they worship the same God.
There are many allusions to Abraham in both Christian and Islamic texts. Abraham was a patriarch in the Hebrew Bible and a historical figure in the Christian Holy Bible, and both religions honor him. This concept is important because theological conclusions in every religion have a common foundation in their methods. As a result of the tie between Abraham and their respective religions, Jews, Christians, and Muslims can all trace their religious beliefs back to Abraham since Abraham believed that God was the one who created the universe and all in it for humanity to live by, adopting a monotheistic approach to worshipping God alone is essential.
The three religions have a monotheism belief, so they all worship God as a higher being. There is a common God in heaven to whom all religions may pray and who will forgive their sins, regardless of how they pray (Boaheng, 47). A belief in a slew of gods, each of their special roles to play, has existed in Judaism for most of its history. One God, who everyone worships, is the foundation of Judaism’s monotheistic belief system. Christians descended from Jews because they took the belief in a single God, identical to that of Judaism, and devised new ways of worshipping him through the telling of stories about Jesus, God’s only son.
One of the major tenets of Christianity is that it shows how God revealed himself via Jesus, who was sent to Earth to share and display the works of God. Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam is a monotheistic religion in the same manner. Muhammad was a descendant of Jesus, but unlike Jesus, Muhammad received insights from God via the angel Gabriel instead of healing people directly (Wheeler, 5). Muhammad learned via his revelations that Hija should only worship the one God who taught him the difference between good and evil and how to live following God throughout his lifetime, which many gods and goddesses surrounded.
I suppose that all religions pray to the same God, regardless of their beliefs. For instance, in Judaism, covering one’s head and reciting Bible prayers are mandatory. All three religions practice a common sort of prayer as a form of speaking to God. Even though it may seem unique, it occurs at different times or repeatedly throughout the day (Heiser, 6). All the prayers are meant to thank, request something, or exalt the Almighty.
However, how the three religions understand God is quite different. For example, a cross symbol has different meanings in the three religions. In Islam, the cross may be a false symbol of the son of God, the Jew tends to think the cross symbolizes Christianity, and for the Christian, the cross is the symbol of Jesus (Guirguis et al., 543). On the other hand, Atheists might view the cross as a symbol of humanitarian help and faith. Different people have different perceptions of God, which may be influenced by their geographical positioning, different culture, and different political beliefs. Therefore, the significance of believing in the different personalities and manifestations of God’s attributes or belief systems depends on people’s perceptions of God. Additionally, explaining the human purpose or a higher being mostly depends on what a person resonates with.
To try and simplify the situation, we see that all three religions believe that there is a God who is the provider, protector and creator of all things. The Jewish traditions also insist that God is a God of all nations. Therefore, God is the creator of all humanity, the world, and the universe. “In the beginning, God created heaven and earth” (Genesis 1:1-2:3). By the similarity of believing that God is the sole creator, we would say the religions share the same God. The idea of God being the creator shows that God is one, although with different manifestations throughout the different system beliefs. The knowledge of God and how he knows the universe explains the essence of the presence of God everywhere in the world (Casni, 67). We exist and were formed because of God’s knowledge and how he expressed and willed that knowledge to come into reality. God is an artist, and we are his creations. God’s ‘love’ for us originates from this aspect since we are a reflection of his ideas embodied in creation’s materiality.
On the other hand, Maimonides focuses on time and the existence of God before time. According to him, the existence of time is because God created the heavenly bodies that caused motion (Rudavsky, 148). Because he began the movement of the heavenly bodies, God is the originator of time. The result is that all creation, from the beginning of time to the present day’s physical presence of humans, has its origins in and is mediated by God. His thoughts and feelings shape the world around him.
In conclusion, I would say that the three religions, Christianity, Jews and muslins, all share and worship the same God. I believe this because they all perceive God as the sole creator of the whole universe. There is only one universe; hence if God created the whole universe, this is the same God. There is a common perception of Abraham’s historical figure, which influences the three religions. There might be a difference in perceptions, beliefs, and practices amongst the religions on how they understand God, the world, the motives behind the creation, and the ethical norms that guide their lives. These differences are brought about by how different people resonate with the different systems and beliefs and what they choose to follow for a religion. I believe God, as the creator, is just one God. The difference is just the perceptions of God and their interpretations.
Works Cited
Boaheng, Isaac. “An Akan Reading of Matthew’s Version of the Lord’s Prayer (Bono-Twi Translation) in Dialogue with Akan Libation Prayers.” Social Sciences 2.2 (2021). Web.
Casni, Danijel. “God’s Own Covenant as the Foundation of Judaism and Christianity from the Perspective of Joseph Ratzinger.” (2021).
Guirguis, Marianne Nabil, et al. “Categorization of Symbolism in Religious Architecture; A Case Study of the Coptic Orthodox Church Architecture.” Alexandria Engineering Journal 59.1 (2020): 533-545. Web.
Heiser, Patrick. “Pilgrimage and Religion: Pilgrim Religiosity on the Ways of St. James.” Religions 12.3 (2021): 167. Web.
Rudavsky, T. M. “Creation and Miracles in the Guide.” Maimonides’ Guide of the Perplexed: A Critical Guide (2021): 143 Web.
Wheeler, Brannon. “Quran as Scripture in Classical Muslim Scholarship.” Religions 12.11 (2021): 1013. Web.