COMPARISON OF JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY & ISLAM ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS

DATE AND PLACE FOUNDED Judaism—approx. 1300 B.C. in Palestine Christianity—approx. 33 A.D. in Palestine Islam—622 A.D. in Saudi Arabia

Founders & early leaders Judaism—Abraham & Moses Christianity—Jesus Christ Islam--Muhammad

Followers are called… Judaism—Jews Christianity—Christians Islam—Muslims, Islamists

Clergy called… Judaism—rabbis Christianity—bishop, pastor, preacher, minister, priest, pope, archbishop… Islam--imams

House of worship/day of worship Judaism—synagogue or temple/Saturday Christianity—church, cathedral, chapel/ Sunday Islam—mosque/Friday

Original language/Names for God Judaism– Hebrew/Yahweh, Elohim Christianity—Hebrew, English, Greek, Latin…/God, the Trinity Islam--/ArabicAllah

Sacred Texts (holy books) Judaism—Torah…Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) Christianity—Old and New Testament Islam– Qur’an (Koran)

Type of theism All three are MONOTHESITHIC…meaning a belief in one god. Judaism—one God Christianity—Trinity (God, the father, God, the Son, & God the Holy Spirit) Islam—one God

Symbols Judaism—Star of David Christianity—cross Islam—crescent moon & star w/name of Allah in Arabic

View of Abrahamic Religions Judaism—”Islam & Christianity are false interpretations & extensions of Judaism.” Christianity—”Judaism is a true religion, but with incomplete revelation. Islam is a false religion. Islam—”Jews & Christians are respected as fellow believers, but with wrong beliefs & only partial revelation.

Women’s roles Judaism—strong within the family, responsible for keeping traditions, but no roles within the religious community. Christianity—can be religious leaders Islam—strict roles within the family, responsible for keeping traditions, rearing of children, absolute no roles within the religious community

Identity/Death/Resurrection of Jesus Judaism—false prophet/death by Crucifixion/denied Christianity—Son of God/the Messiah, Savior/death by Crucifixion/Affirmed Islam—prophet of God/did not die, but ascended into heaven/denied; since he did not die

Afterlife Judaism—eternal heaven or no afterlife/eternal hell or no afterlife Christianity—eternal heaven/eternal hell Islam—eternal paradise (heaven)/eternal hell

Jerusalem… All three considered Jerusalem a sacred city.

Locations & followers world wide TODAY Judaism—Europe, Israel, North America 14 million (ranks 12th) Christianity—Europe, Israel, N & S America 2 billion (ranks 1st) Islam—Africa, Middle East, & SE Asia 1.3 billion (ranks 2nd)

IN the USA… Judaism—5.6 million Christianity—159 million Islam—1.1 million