Who Is Bruce Feiler's 'Abraham'?

Moses: According to Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions, Abraham had to sons, Isaac and Ishmael. This family is believed to be the basis for all three major monotheistic religions. I myself am a descendant of

Abraham was the grandfather Jacob, the Israelite patriarch. The Israelite lineage consists of descendants from Jacob and his 12 sons, that later became the12 tribes of Israel. Scholars and many Christians believe that the strife between Arab nations and the Israelites originated before Jacob, with his grandfather, Abraham and his son Jacob. Abraham lived several hundred years B.C. According to the Bible and other legends and references God had promised Abraham a child and from this child`s lineage would come a great nation. He was to have the child with his wife Sarah. Sarah was thought to be barren and too old to conceive. In this time and culture, it was custom that if the patriarch’s wife could not conceive the husband could his wife’s first handmaid to bear him a child.

Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are the three major religions in the world with fourteen million followers for Judaism, 2.1 billion for Christianity, and 1.5 billion for Islam. While many people today only see the differences between the three major monotheistic religions, they are in fact much more similar than they are different. Each religion is Abrahamic, monotheistic, and the sacred texts all contain teachings.

Chapter Three Discussion & Assignment Questions: 1. What role did Abraham play in Jewish history? Abraham was a man who was visited by the Lord and was promised prosperous lands (in Egypt), bear children, and bring about a great nation; however, the Lord required Abraham to do tasks in order to prove his allegiance.

The major religions of Abrahamic religions are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Although all three has the same origin and worship only one true deity, they do not all explain their practice in the same way. …………Consequently, the separation of Christianity and Islam from Judaism is always a fascinating subject to study for decades.

1. What were the basic promises made to Abraham, and why is he important to Jews today? (about 500 words)

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all different types of Abrahamic religions. Abrahamic religions are the monotheistic faiths of the world. The most prominent of these are in fact Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, all of which can trace their religious origins back to Abraham (Bowker, 2008). Abraham is considered the ancestor of Israelites, the first Jewish believers, through his son Isaac. Isaac is generally associated with the foundation of the Israelite people while Abraham's other son, Ishmael, is linked with Muhammad as Arabs and believers of Islam are considered descendants of Ishmael (Bowker, 2008). These religions share common origins and beliefs. The religion and belief in Christianity began as a sect of Judaism, and also shares the recognition of Jesus Christ as a prophet with individuals who believe in Islam (Bowker, 2008). The greatest characteristic that all of these different religions share is their belief that God revealed himself to Abraham. Members of these respective religions also believe that God is an all-powerful creator. Another common trait of Abrahamic religions is their belief that God reveals himself to prophets, who act as his messengers and guide humanity through their revelations. Through these messengers the belief of Judaism, Islam and Christianity were spread in their respective locations (Bowker, 2008). As more and more believers were attracted to these religious ideals, the idea of God as a savior was reinforced. Although the beliefs

Abraham and Jesus were very important during their own lifetime as well as in today’s religious world. It is fitting that they connect the present with the past, Islam and

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are three religions that portray many similar characteristics and values, but also without a doubt have a vast number of qualities that make them each their own religion. All three of these religions are very influential in many different locations across the world, while Islam and Christianity are also currently two of the largest religions by number of followers. (While Judaism may not be as big as the others, this religion definitely has still made a profound impact.) Together, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam make up the three major “Abrahamic” religions, which trace each origin back to Abraham from Biblical times, or recognizes him in another spiritual way. When you closely analyze the similarities and

The rise, development, and spread of monotheism (the belief in one God), is one of the most significant and fascinating dimensions of human civilization. The three major monotheistic faiths are Judaism, Christianity and Islam, these religions have spread to other kingdoms throughout the world by use of missionaries.

Founded thousands of years ago, Jews believed that Judaism was the first major religion to teach a belief in one God. The Jews could trace their ancestry back to Abraham. So you can say that Abraham is the father of Judaism. Abraham believed to have lived somewhere in between 1800 B.C. and 2000 B.C. in the Middle East was chosen by God because he was the first to profess one God. The Bible and the Jewish Bible the Torah talks about the descendants of Abraham who later would become known as the Israelites named from his son grandson Jacob who wrestled with an angle of God to acquire the name Israel. Abrahams people where nomadic herders which is a practice type of grazing for their animals which in turn the animals were raised as food.

The story of Abraham is important for various reasons. From Abraham’s story you learned that there is only one God. This God is the creator of everything and the only supreme deity you need to worship. In the past, people believed in many Gods, but in Abraham’s story you understand that his God is the truth, the founder, and the reason why you are alive. Furthermore, a belief system was built in which causes people to live religiously. People fear that if you do not obey, you will be punish. There is a concept of afterlife in which you either go to Heaven or Hell depending on the actions you did in the world. In addition, three of the greatest religions come from Abraham’s story which are Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Abraham is the founding

Abrahamic religions are the monotheistic religions of West Asia that trace their common origin to Abraham. The three largest Abrahamic religions are Judaism (1000s B.C.E.), Christianity (30s C.E.) and Islam (600s C.E.) In the Qur’an, Christians and Jews are referred to "People of the Book" because they are followers of monotheistic Abrahamic religions. All the Abrahamic religions were established in current-day Middle East.

The author purposely uses different names that are used by each religious group. As one realizes, this supreme ruler, creator of all thing is another commonality among members of the three religions. In other word, they are all monotheists. They all make connection with their “Almighty” by means of prayers, fasts, and sacred scriptures. For the Muslims, the Quran is where they learn about Allah through the teaching of Prophet Muhammad. The Judaists, pay particular attention to teachings of Prophet Moses in the Torah. Christians, on the other hand, while focusing on Jesus teachings through the apostles written in the New Testament, often refer to the book of Old Testament to understand certain prophecies or interpret certain biblical principles.

There are three major monotheistic religions still in practice today. They are Islam, Judaism, and