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The Similarities And Differences Between Islam And Christianity

Decent Essays

While some similarities exist between Islam and Christianity (they are both monotheistic religions, for example), their differences are clear-cut, significant, and irreconcilable. There are three key areas: the contrasting views of God, the sacred literature, and the means of salvation. We will see that Islam differs from Christianity in each of those areas.

Views of God
Christianity teaches that God is the sovereign Creator and Ruler of all that is—but that is about where the similarity ends. Christians believe in one God who exists in three eternal, co-equal Persons (Father, Son, and Spirit) who share the same indivisible essence. According to Christianity, God loves because His very nature is love not just because He happens to choose to love. God’s essence includes the attribute of mercy, so divine displays of mercy are more than choices God makes; they are extensions of His character. God is knowable and desires a relationship with us based on love. Obeying God is important, but obedience without a relationship based on love is worthless. According to Christianity, God the Father …show more content…

In the Old Testament, God have makes a promise to Abraham that God will make a great nation, bless there, and make the nation’s name great. God blesses Ishmael, the Abrahamic patriarch of the Muslims, and Isaac, the Abrahamic patriarch of Judeo-Christianity. Today, Muslims and Christians together make up a little more than half the world’s population, thereby opening up the view of the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham.

Jesus in the Holy Quran
Though the references to Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) in the Holy Bible are challenged by Christian apologists, there is no ambiguity about Jesus’ (peace be on him) presence in the Holy Quran. Jesus is one of the most-referenced prophets in the Quran — mentioned by name 25

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