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One God, Three Faiths
Presentation on Teachings of the Islamic Faith
Presentation on Teachings of the Christian Faith
Presentation on Teachings of the Jewish Faith
 

One God, Three Faiths: The Word of God in Islam, Judaism and Christianity
Saturday, November 19, 6:30 p.m.

Tent of Abraham:

Books and artwork from the congregation at Temple Judah.
A Passover Plate and a Haggadah, with serving bowls for Passover and pouches for the unleavened bread.
An icon of the Madonna and Christ Child on display. Sr. Helen Elsbernd of Prairiewoods talked with visitors about the display items.
Several of the crosses on display from Prairiewoods Spirituality Center in Hiawatha.
The 99 Attributes of Allah (such as Allah is Great, Allah is All-Powerful) which we as human beings can comprehend.
A young sister shows the lovely carpets on display.
Sheik Shaker Elsayed, presenter of the Islamic portion of the evening; Dr. Chris Seeman of Coe College, moderator; and Tim Hyatt, Children of Abraham Steering Committee member.
 
 
 

 

Al-Islam, Its Meaning and Legitimacy  -- More Resources

By Imam Taha A. Tawil, Mother Mosque of America

Introduction

Welcome to our faith, heritage, and culture. Islam spread worldwide and encompasses many people with different nationalities, color, race, gender, justice, compassion, mercy, and above all, peace. You will notice that Islam, as a religion and a way of life, does not consider itself a "new" religion but rather the "re-affirmation of the ancient, yet living truth of the Abrahamic religion. There are over one billion Muslims all over the world. They all give thanks to Allah "God alone" for His Guidance, Blessings, Mercy and Peace that they have attained through the message of Islam in which they find the real tranquility, serenity, harmony, and purification.

 

The basic and central foundation of the Islamic faith is the uniqueness of belief in the One and Only Creator, Sustainer and Sovereign of the universe, life, and humans, which the Arab Jews, Christians, or Muslims called Him: Allah in Arabic; God, Father, and Lord in English; Yahweh or Elohim in Hebrew.

 

There is no doubt that this vast, huge universe, with all that it contains, from stars, sun, moon, humans, and all sorts of life in animals, planets, etc., cannot be without a Creator, Mover, Organizer, and above all a Controller to keep everything going in the right direction. Therefore, the Quran spoke in clear and vivid language:

"0 you people, worship your Guardian Lord, Who created you and those who came before you, that you may learn righteousness. The One who made the earth as your living place, and the heaven as canopy, and sent down rain from heavens, and produced for you all kinds of food for your sustenance, so do not set up rivals unto God when you know the truth." (2:21-22)

"And your God is One God, there is no god but He, the Mercy Giving, the Merciful," (2:163)

This is the message that God Almighty sent to all the prophets and messengers to call the people to live according to, and Islam came to confirm it, through the final revelation Al-Quran.

Islamic Effects on Society
Islam as away of life and as a system was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in order to establish Justice, equality and peace on earth. The Arabs before Islam used to live in an ignorant time - (Jahiliya) like the so-called Dark Ages, in the seventh century of Christian era. The individual would be brought up in a tribe or a clan that protected his money, his life, and his honor; therefore the individual became proud of his tribe. This pride would remain with the individual, whether his tribe was doing right or wrong; this will cause the individual to have his/her loyalty to the tribe, and it became the norm for the society to be loyal primarily to one’s race, and tribe. Consequently, it became the source of their vision, convictions and the concepts about life that the society and its individuals carried and adhered to.

The prophet of Islam, Muhammad (PBUH), started teaching about the One and Only Creator, Who created the universe, and all that it contains, about the life Giver and Owner. The absolute Judge Who demanded justice and compassion as an essential condition in life, and after death there will be another life in which there will be reward or punishment. The message of Islam made the (Walla'a) loyalty to the Islamic (Aqeedah) Faith and not to the tribe or clan. It makes God Almighty the primary focus of the Individual in order to achieve happiness, protection, and peace. Islam made the (Aqeedah) the basis from which the convictions and concepts about life emanated. Before Muslims engage in any serious project or any matter in general they asked these questions. What Allah said about this matter? Or what the prophet taught about it? Is this in the Quran? Or is it in the (Sunnah) the way of life of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?

The message of Islam completely revolutionized the concept of loyalty in the hearts and minds of all who entered Islam; blood relations started to shift to faith relations, brotherhood and sisterhood relationships as the Quran started teaching "0 you who believe do not take your fathers and brothers as allies if they chose disbelief over (Eman) faith and whoever does this, they are evildoers"(9:23). "You will never find any people who believe in Allah and the last day loving those opposed to Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers, sons, or their brothers, or their tribe". Islamic Faith told us about Abraham and his disbelieving father, whom Abraham dissociates himself from, and those who oppose the faith. We are also told about Noah and his son: when the son disobeyed his father and did not believe in the message that God Almighty gave to him, then the son was among the victims of the Great flood with the rest of the disbelieving community. When Muhammad brought this universal message of God Almighty he invited everyone in the society to Islam. This invitation was extended to all people of Mecca and outside Mecca without any restriction to any specific group, tribe, or race. Those who responded to this call became Muslims, committing themselves only to God and His Message through the teaching and leadership of the Prophet of Islam, and they became a part of the Islamic faith and forming a new Community called the Muslim Community. These initial groups, who are affectionately, call the "Sahabah" companion of the Prophet, included Bilal, a Black man from Ethiopia; Suhaib, a white man from Rome; Salman, a Persian Slave; Ali, Hamza, Abu Bakr, and Uthman, all from the high class or elite of Mecca; and Ammar bin Yassir and Ibn Mas'ud from the common class of Mecca.

Before Islam, there would have been tribal and racial barriers between the members of such a group. Through Islam, these barriers were eliminated and the loyalty or "wallaa "was only to Allah Almighty, his Messenger and to Islam.” This revolutionary understanding of "Wallaa" gave the Muslims the true sense of freedom and liberty. The Muslim community is liberated from their whims, wishes, color, tribe, and social class, and will commit themselves only to Allah and His Messenger. This way Islam caused them to shift their loyalties and alliances away from the kings, races, philosophies, and lands, to the extent that those newcomers started learning Islam even better than some of the Arabs who carried it to them. People like Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim who collected the saying, actions, stories, and all things about the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (PBUH). They were non Arabs, but their contribution to Islam is immeasurable.

The one who put the Arabic Grammar and the poems styles and kinds are also non- Arabs. With the adoption of Islamic "Aqeedah " faith, people no longer remained as Arabs, whites, or blacks, they become a Muslim Family with brotherhood and sisterhood ties. They become like one single body: caring, sharing concerns, cooperating, and above all having kindness and compassion for one other.

The Our'an

This is the sacred, divine noble book of Islam that God Almighty literally and directly revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through the Angel Gabriel. It is a collection of all the revelations that God Almighty revealed to all His prophets and messengers throughout history. This divine miraculous revelation was received by Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century. It took almost 23 years to be completed. Each time the angel Gabriel brought some verses they were immediately declared, read and then written down, and later memorized by the Muslim community. The Quran is considered to be the last testament from God Almighty to all humanity.

Some of the central themes in the Quran: "Al-tawheed" The belie/in the Oneness of God. The affirmation that our Creator, sustainer, and life giver is One and Only. No partners with Him, no wife, children, or anyone equal to Him. This concept also found clearly in the Bible for example:  

          "Know therefore this day and consider it in thine heart that the lord He is God In heaven above and upon the earth below there is none else." (There is no other God.) Deuteronomy (4:39)

o          "Thou shall have no other gods before Me". Exodus (20:3)

o          "for thou shalt worship (bow down) to no other god for the Lord whose name is Jealous is jealous God"

o          "Ye are my witness saith the Lord and my servant whom I have chosen that ye may know Me, believe Me and remain steadfast to Me and understand that I Am He and before Me there was no God formed (fashioned) nor ever shall be after Me. There never was and never will be. I even I am the lord and beside Me there is no savior". Isaiah (43:10-11)

o          "And Jesus answered him," The first of all the commandments is this: hear, 0 Israel the Lord our God is One Lord and thou shalt love thy Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all they mind and with all thy strength this is the first commandment". (Mark 12:29-30)

Justice and Compassion

He stated "God commands justice, the doing of good and kindness to your relative, and He forbids all shameful deeds, injustice, and rebellion. He instructs you, that you may receive admonition" (16:90) In another Chapter in the Quran God said "You who believe stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich, or poor: For Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lust of your hearts lest you Swerve, and if you distort justice or decline to do justice, verily God is well acquainted with all that you do "(4:135). In fact we are told that God Almighty will support those who are practicing Justice and compassion, even if they are a non-believer... So if a community is asking to live in peace then they have to practice the prerequisite of peace and that is justice. Peace and Justice are twins, they are one coin with two faces, one of them will not be good without the other.

Life after Death

The individual accountability for all deeds and actions that is made with full awareness and capacity of the mind will be investigated thoroughly; the records of all creatures will be opened. God Almighty will reward and punish everyone with absolute justice. The concept of life after death and its many names and attributes in the Quran describes our next life in details, and all its consequences cannot be ignored or overlooked. The Quran informed the believers that after we die, from our graves we will be physically, mentally, and spiritually resurrected again to life. Our resurrection will be so exact that we are resurrected with our finger prints.

The rewards of paradise and all that it contains, from the delight and pleasures that God Almighty promised and prepared for His servants are Facts and Real. Also all the description of Hell-fire and the many kinds of punishment that are taking place there, will be also with our physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions. Muslims take these warnings literally and seriously. Almost every page in the Quran mentions life after death or the day of accountability or the Day of Judgment and that is to emphasize the importance of such a concept.

Prophets and Messengers

The Quran mentions many stories that deal with the prophets and messengers that had been sent to their communities including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Moses, Jesus and the final prophet and messenger, Muhammad (May God Almighty Accept their prayers and grant them peace). This concept of the belief in all of God’s prophets and messengers and all revelations that they received from God is a major belief in the Muslim faith. It shows love and unity between them, and the continuation of the same message.

The Quran demands from Muslims not to make any distinctions between the prophets of Allah and we should love them all and follow them to achieve salvation in the hereafter and peace (salaam, shalom) in this life. They are regarded as the best human beings, our pioneers, true leaders, and we must respect, love and obey their commands and follow their footsteps because they are the way, the truth, and the light. No one will enter heaven without obeying and listening to their commands and following their example. Islam strongly rejects any slander of their character or false accusation whether minor or major sins, such as adultery, fornication; even the attempt to make an ill plot or planning to commit a crime will not be accepted. These prophets and messengers are human and they all have been selected by God Almighty and none of them consider being divine or partially divine. Their personality and character reflects our humanity and personality, and they are our role models; so if someone strips their humanity, and claims them to be divine or partially divine, then they will not be a good role model to be imitated and followed, because they are not human anymore.

The concept of worshiping none but God Almighty Alone is the core message of God that these prophets came to show us and demonstrated to the people. None of them call people to praise them or to take them as Lords beside God Almighty. They never told anyone, nor there is any text explicitly in the scripture that confirms this concept. The Quran is full of stories of these prophets and messengers and their interaction with their communities and the messages that they delivered to them that they should worship none but God Almighty Alone. "Halal and Haram" lawful, and unlawful, rules and regulations.

The Quran came as guidance between what is right and what is wrong: how to practice justice and how to rule with justice. The Quran came with guidelines, a blue-print of how to build the individual, family, community, and the society at large. The prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was like the chief engineer that led the individual, family and community, to achieve the ultimate success in this life and the next. He practiced the message and told the Muslims to follow his instructions and to obey. He showed them in a clear way their relationship with their Lord (Allah Almighty) through the (Aqeedah) creed, faith and (Ebaddat) the worship; he informed them what they needed to believe in, such as the six articles of faith: Believe in One God, His Angels, Prophets, Books, Day of Judgment and the predestination. Also he practiced the five pillars of Islam and showed them how to do it and implemented it in their worship. These are: Shahadatan, which is an initial declaration of faith where the believer bears witness that there is no god to be worshipped except the One true God, and to bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger and servant of God; Salah is to pray five times a day; Zakat is a purification of wealth – it consists of the annual giving of a fixed percentage of 2.5 from the saving of the past year; Sawm is fasting the month of Ramadan every day during the month of Ramadan from dawn to sunset; and Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime if circumstances permit such as physical ability and finance.

Then the Quran spoke about rules and regulations that pertained to our personal lives, such as the morality and ethics that we should behave and act upon. The prophet of Islam Muhammad (pbuh) declared in the Quran that he is the best model for the believers those who put their trust in Allah Almighty and their hope in the hereafter as a fact and reality. Beside the prophet's role as a leader and a human with the best conduct and behaviors demonstrating the best morality and ethics, he also demonstrates to the community what to eat and what not to eat or drink. The Quran told us that pork and it's by product are (haram) prohibited, unlawful. Also alcohol or any intoxicating substances (such as drugs) that make the mind wander, exhausted and drowsy also is (haram). Food that was sacrificed to idols, fornication, theft, adultery, false testimony, lying killing, etc.

All that is haram is prohibited and unlawful. The prophet with the message of al Quran worked very hard to build up the individual with an Islamic character and personality to be in line with the will of Allah and to obey the message and then build the family which consists of individuals, parents, children, grand parents, relatives uncles, aunts. Later comes the building of a community which consists of many families, tribes, and then comes the society at large. The standard of (halal and haram) what is lawful and what is unlawful is the Islamic character and personality. It means that the Muslims from all nationalities, races, and genders, they have to follow what Allah Almighty declared what Halal, and Haram is, and when Muslim start asking themselves this question of, Is this Halal or Haram? At that time they are considered Muslim character and personalities.

The Legitimacy of Islam

When Muhammad the prophet of Islam was meditating at the cave of hiraa in the mountains of Mecca where he would pray to God Almighty according to the religion of Abraham his grand, grand forefather. And after many years of this habit and at the age of forty (610 AD) the angel Gabriel suddenly appeared before him and ordered him to Iqraa (read, recite, repeat, proclaim). Muhammad said I am unlettered. The angel Gabriel again ordered him to Iqraa, and Muhammad again replied I am unlettered. The angel Gabriel now took a firm hold of him and commanded him "Iqraa in the name of Allah who created". Now Muhammad began to understand that he was not being asked to read but to recite to repeat. He began to repeat after him and Gabriel revealed to him the first verses of the Quran those at chapter al-alak(96). "Read (Iqraa) in the name of your lord who created, created human from clay. Read (Iqraa) and your lord is the most bounteous who teaches by the pen. He teaches human which they knew not".

What an amazing coincidence that the book of Isaiah 29:11-18 speaks about this incident and prophesies not only the character of prophet Muhammad as illiterate but also the actual word in Hebrew which is translated into English as "read this I pray thee" is the word Iqraa " kaw-raa" in Hebrew. This is amazing that the Hebrew text used not only a word with the same meaning but the exact same word itself as revealed in the Quran?!! It further demonstrates that the final Book Al-Quran was (sealed) from other prophets because it was not meant for them and also were reveled in Arabic. "A book whereof the verses are explained in detail a Quran in Arabic for people who have knowledge Quran. (41:3) Indeed the Quran was revealed to a man who could neither read nor write so that it might be apparent to some people that he could not have received it from the writings of other humans but only from God Almighty.

One more verse from the Book of Deuteronomy chapter 18:18-19. God is talking to Moses saying: "I (God) will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and I will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him, and it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it from him. "I will call him to account"

As we stated earlier that Muslims must believe in all the previous prophets who came before Muhammad, they make no distinction between them, nor do they place one above others in piety. However, they are all human, and as human they differ from one another in their characteristics. No doubt that Jesus was predicted in the Old Testament in many verses and he was confirmed by the Quran as the Messiah. And a word from God, he had a miraculous birth, he had no father and he did so many miracles such as reviving people from death and healing those who were born blind and the lepers by God's permission, and that he is in heaven alive and he will come back.

This verse in the book of Deuteronomy is not the verse in the Old Testament that supports the characteristics of Jesus to be like Moses maybe because Moses and Muhammad had natural births from Mother and Father, and both died and were buried in the ground; but not Jesus. Both Moses and Muhammad married and had children but not Jesus. Both Moses and Muhammad were accepted by their communities as a nation, however the Bible stated "He, Jesus, came unto his own, but his own received him not" (John 1:11) Both Moses and Muhammad came with a new comprehensive set of laws for their people. In Matthew (5:17-18) we read "Think not that I am (Jesus) come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Both Moses and Muhammad led secret mass exodus Therefore Muhammad is like Moses, but Jesus is unlike Moses.

 

What is Christianity?
Richard Osing (r.osing@mchsi.com)
Chris Seeman (cseeman@coe.edu)


BASIC TERMS
Bible (from Greek: ta biblia, "the [holy] books"): When Christians speak of "the Bible' they mean the Jewish scriptures ("The Old Testament") plus several early Christian writings ("The New Testament"). Not all Christian Bibles contain the same number of books.

Christianity (from Latin christianitas, "Christian-ness"): the sum total of what Christians believe, value and practice. Christians also refer to their faith as "the Gospel."

 

Christian (from Greek christianos, "follower of Christ"): a person who follows the teachings of Jesus, professing him to be the Christ.

 

Christ (from Greek christos, "anointed"): Greek translation of the Hebrew word, meshiach ("messiah," also meaning "anointed"). Christian beliefs about the messiah, though rooted in the Jewish scriptures, differ markedly from what Jews mean when they use this term.

 

Church (from Greek kyriakon, "lord's [house]"): a group of Christians that worships together. When Christians refer to "The Church," they mean either all Christians in the world, or all members of a particular denomination of Christianity.

 

Gospel (from Greek euangelion, "good news"): the message Jesus proclaimed, also called "the good news of the kingdom of God." Christians also refer to Jesus' resurrection as good news. "To evangelize" means to proclaim that God raised Jesus from death.

 

Jesus (from Hebrew Yeshua'): The first-century Jew whom Christians profess to be the Christ.

 

New Testament (from Latin novum testamentum, "New Covenant"): what Christians believe Jesus' death brought about, as distinct from God's existing covenant with the people of Israel. Christians later came to apply this term to their own early writings, which they included in their Bible.

 

Old Testament (from Latin veins testamentum, "Old Covenant"): Christian designation for the Jewish scriptures, interpreted as foreshadowing the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as the Christ.

 

1. FOUNDATION

Although it possesses both sacred scriptures and a creed, the starting point for Christianity is neither a book nor a system of doctrine. Instead, the basis of Christianity is a person: Jesus Christ. This means that all Christian beliefs, values and practices ultimately relate in some way to this person.

Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew who lived in Palestine two thousand years ago. THE CORE CONVICTION OF CHRISTIANITY IS THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST (THE MESSIAH).

The Messiah is a thoroughly Jewish idea. It is rooted in the Jewish scriptures (the Hebrew Bible) and receives substantial attention in post-biblical Jewish writings. It is also affirmed by the Qur'an. However, the Christian understanding of Jesus as Messiah differs dramatically from any known Jewish understanding (biblical or otherwise) as well as from key statements in the Qur'an. The three most important differences are these:

1) The Jewish Messiah is invulnerable and unqualifiedly triumphant in the face of opposition; the Christian Messiah suffers and is killed.

2) The Jewish Messiah caps off the process of redemption at the end of history; the Christian Messiah also initiates it within history.

3) The Jewish Messiah enacts God's sovereignty on earth; the Christian Messiah is also the incarnation of God.


The reason for these differences is that the Christian understanding of the Messiah ultimately derives not from the Hebrew Bible, but from the life and teachings of Jesus as preserved by the Christian Church.


The cornerstone of Christian faith is the conviction that Jesus died a sacrificial death on behalf of others, inaugurating a new covenant between God and humankind. God raised Jesus from death, restoring him to life and exalting him (resurrection). It is this conviction that informs all Christian understandings of Jesus' life and teachings.


Because Christians experience Jesus as a living presence, not just as an historical figure, the basis of Christian claims about Jesus is not merely traditions about past events, but the lived experience of the Church in the present. Christians believe this experience is made possible by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus' Teachings
The teachings of Jesus affirmed by Christians are preserved mainly in the New Testament gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). The fact that these teachings often appear in different forms suggests that Christians originally transmitted his sayings orally along with traditions about his life and deeds. The "Synoptic" gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) emphasize different aspects of Jesus' teaching than John's gospel. m the Synoptic gospels, Jesus proclaimed the arrival of the kingdom of God to his people, Israel. The kingdom of God means the experience of God's sovereign power over human life and history, especially as this pertains to God's covenant with Israel. Jesus described the kingdom of God by means of parables.


In John's gospel, Jesus revealed God by performing miraculous "signs" and then commenting on their symbolic meaning in lengthy discourses.


Jesus believed Israel in his day to be afflicted by demonic forces, as well as by human sinfulness.

1) As Messiah, Jesus waged war against and subjugated these demonic forces as evidence of his proclamation that God was decisively reasserting his power on Israel's behalf.


2) As a prophet, Jesus warned people to repent of injustice and wickedness, urging them to respond to God's acts of deliverance.


3) As a rabbi, Jesus urged his followers to fulfill the Torah (God's covenant with Israel). Like Rabbi Hillel, Jesus summarized the Torah with the dual command to love God and one's neighbor.

 

Jesus' Life, Death and Resurrection
As with his teachings, most biographical details about Jesus are contained in the New Testament gospels. However, much interpretation of Jesus' death and resurrection is also to be found in the letters of the apostle, Paul, and in other New Testament writings.

Jesus was miraculously conceived and bom of a virgin mother.

Christians differ as to whether Jesus' mother remained a virgin after giving birth to Jesus.


At his baptism, the spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) descended upon Jesus and empowered him to perform acts of power (miracles) and to teach with authority.


In Jerusalem, Jesus fell afoul with political and religious leaders, who saw him as threatening the status quo. He was arrested, tried and executed by crucifixion.

Three days after his death. God raised Jesus, and Jesus appeared, alive, to his followers. Christians see two fundamental implications in the resurrection of Jesus:

     1) It is a sign of God's judgment, vindicating Jesus as a righteous

Jew who endured suffering out of obedience to God's will, and condemning those who opposed and misrepresented his actions and teachings.

2) It is a sign that Jesus' willing sacrifice of himself on behalf of others was acceptable to God, and that his death has become the basis for God's forgiveness of those who repent of their own sins and acknowledge the good news of Jesus' resurrection.

 

2. PRACTICES

 

Worship

 

The importance of the Resurrection resulted in Christians eventually moving their holy day from the Sabbath to the first day of the week.


Some historical evidence suggests, however, that some early Christians continued to attend the Synagogue on the Sabbath.


The content of the Christian worship service included hymns, prayers, readings from the Septuagint [a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible], readings from the letters of Paul and other, readings from the Gospels, and instruction on holy living. Eventually the outline of the worship services became somewhat standardized with certain parts that remained unchanged [Ordinaries] and parts that changed regularly [Propers].

 

The Church Year
Christians, by the fourth century, developed a church calendar, the purpose of which seems to be to recapitulate the life of Jesus Christ.

ADVENT [coming] - begins four Sundays before Christmas. This season looks back to the historical coming of Jesus and his final coming at the judgment.


CHRISTMAS [literally "Christ's Mass] - celebrates the birth of Jesus and the incarnation of God in Jesus.


EPIPHANY [manifestation] - recalls the actions in which the divine power present in Jesus is manifested.


LENT - A forty-day period when Christians are invited to contemplate the suffering of Jesus. Christians often "give up" something to share some of the deprivations which Jesus suffered. Some Christians are encouraged to fast. Often, special worship services or meditative periods are scheduled. This season begins on ASH WEDNESDAY and reaches its climax on PALM SUNDAY [on which HOLY WEEK begins] and GOOD FRIDAY on which Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus.


EASTER - On Easter Sunday Christians celebrate the Resurrection of

Jesus. The date of Easter in the Western Half of the Church is fixed as the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. In the Eastern Church its date is determined by the Jewish Passover.

ASCENSION - the ascension of Jesus into heaven is marked on the

Thursday following the sixth week of the Easter season.


PENTECOST - celebrated 50 days after Easter Sunday, remembers the gift of the Spirit to the disciples of Jesus that enables them to preach the Gospel in various languages. Most Christians celebrate it as the birthday of the Christian Church.


Special Rites [Sacraments]
The first two rites described below are practiced by all Christians and considered Sacraments. Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Eastern Orthodox Christians include five more.

THE EUCHARIST OR LORD'S SUPPER - Eucharist means

"thanksgiving." It is intended to remember the "Last Supper" Jesus had with his disciples. Originally, it probably involved a complete meal, beginning with the blessing and breaking of bread and ending with wine after the meal. Today it is celebrated only with specially blessed or consecrated bread and wine. Christian groups that do not approve of alcohol use grape juice instead of wine.


BAPTISM - a rite of initiation that marks the point at which a person receives the gift of the Holy Spirit and becomes a Christian. Some

Christians also believe that it signals the washing away of the stain of

Original Sin [i.e., the sin of origin] and effects a spiritual rebirth. Hence the term "bom again."


CONFIRMATION - A special rite in which a person formerly baptized confirms her/his commitment to Christian faith and life, with a special blessing by a Bishop or Minister.


MARRIAGE - Only in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox

Traditions is marriage considered a Sacrament. In the Anglican

Tradition it is considered "sacramental" but not a Sacrament as such.


HOLY ORDERS - this is the laying on of hands by a Bishop or

Bishops that confers on a candidate the office of Deacon, Priest or

Bishop.


UNCTION - the rite that involves the blessing of the sick and/or dying with consecrated oil and prayers.


PENANCE [RECONCILIATION] - a special rite that involves a

Priest or Bishop declaring the forgiveness of sins to an individual after confession.

 

Church Offices

BISHOP (from Greek episkopos, "overseer") - The Bishop exercises responsibility and authority over a geographical territory called a

Diocese. Other Christian denominations have geographical divisions called "synods" or "districts" or "wards."


PRIEST, PASTOR - the head cleric in a Christian congregation.


DEACON - an assistant to a Priest, but usually under the oversight of a Bishop. In some Christian Churches becoming a deacon is the first step toward the priesthood, but one may also be ordained as a "Perpetual Deacon." Many Christian denominations do not ordain Deacons. What all Deacons seem to have in common is that they are engaged in various activities that assist Priests or Pastors.

 

3. DOCTRINES
Christians share many basic beliefs with Jews and Muslims: the existence of One God who is both Creator and Judge of all, who calls human beings to account for their actions and provides guidelines for right behavior, who interacts with people in history through prophets and covenants. What is distinctive about Christian belief is how Christians understand Christ to relate to all this - to God (the Trinity), and to the way God has acted through Jesus (Redemption). Both of these doctrines derive ultimately from a view of human nature (Sin) that differs from that found in the other Abrahamic religions.
 

At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26, about 45 people attended the first in a series of three presentations on the religions of the Children of Abraham. The first presentation, Judaism, was held at Temple Judah in Cedar Rapids, and was given by Rabbi Aaron Sherman. Guests were treated to fresh fruit, authentic middle-eastern desserts and make-your-own sundaes, as well as several choices in beverages. Our hosts showed forth the hospitality practiced by those of the Jewish faith.

For myself, I was thinking this series was going to be beyond my intellect, but soon found out I had nothing to worry about. “This is about a faith journey,” said Larry McGuire, president of the Inter-Religious Council of Linn County, and participant in the Children of Abraham from the beginning. “There may be some academic issues, but we’ll always bring it back to a practical level.” The presence of God in the room was so strong I felt I could reach out and touch the very face of God. The reality was, of course, that each person at the table brought God with them and together the community showed forth the presence of God. I must say, though, that we all rejoiced in our hearts when God reminded us of his presence through the rolling thunder of an upcoming storm.

The Children of Abraham first met in January 2006, under the leadership of Dr. Robert Silber of Temple Judah. From the beginning, this has been a group dedicated to fostering education and understanding among the three faith groups which consider Abraham their Patriarchal Father: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Future educational meetings will be held August 15 at Christ Episcopal Church, 220 40th Street NE, to discuss Christianity, presented by the Rev. Richard A. Osing and Professor Chris Seeman; and September 19 at the Islamic Center, 2999 1st Ave. NW, by Imam Ahmed Elkhaldy and Imam Taha Tawil to discuss the Islamic faith.

Rabbi Sherman began by discussing the fact that the Jewish people have no core set of beliefs. There is no list one can turn to for an immediate understanding of the Jewish faith. Rather, the Jewish people are “people of the book,” holding close the Torah (first five books, written by Moses), the Prophets and the Writings. These three make up the Hebrew Bible.

These books relate the love story between God and the Jewish people; and in study with others, within community, that love story grows and evolves. Studying with others, in community, is very important to the Jewish people, as it results in progressive revelation from which everyone benefits.

“A Jew is nothing, but if he is with other Jews he is a force, because then automatically he inherits all the strengths and the tears, all the despairs and all the joys of his ancestors. A Jew alone cannot be a Jew. A Jew can be Jewish only if she is part of a community.”
Elie Wiesel

The three basic veins of Judaism are Reform (more liberal, the largest sect in the United States), Orthodox (conservative), and Conservative (somewhere between Reform and Orthodox). Temple Judah is a Reform community.

Rabbi Sherman said, “Nowhere are we commanded to believe in God, Adonai (my Lord), but we can’t ignore God, either.”

According to Genesis 12:1-4, Abraham is considered the first Jew. His son and grandson, Isaac and Jacob, each, like Abraham, came to God in their own way. The Jewish people pray through their patriarchal ancestors.

As a people, Jews find God through studying sacred texts, through worship and through holy acts. They are encouraged to imitate God by emulating the attributes of God, such as clothing the naked, visiting the sick, comforting those who mourn, burying the dead. The Holiness Code is found in Leviticus 19: 1-4, 9-18, and its significance in Jewish life is enhanced by its placement in the very center of the Torah.

In discussing the Shabbat, four texts were presented, this being the most meaningful for me:

An artist cannot be continually wielding his brush. He must stop at times in his painting to freshen his vision of the object, the meaning of which he wishes to express on his canvas. Living is also an art. We dare not become absorbed in its technical processes and lose our consciousness of its general plan. The Shabbat represents those moments when we pause in our brushwork to renew our vision of this object. Having done so, we take ourselves to our painting with clarified vision and renewed energy. This applies to the individual and to the community alike.
Mordechai Kaplan

“Jews are a people, not a race,” said Rabbi Sherman. Jews from different parts of the world vary in skin color, an important point often overlooked. There are about six million Jews in the United States; five million in Israel; and 18 million world-wide.

“The Jewish people interpret and internalize biblical truth,” continued Rabbi Sherman, “even to the point of arguing with God. Faith is knowing you are in dialogue with God.”

When asked about life after death, Rabbi Sherman said, “We don’t know for certain. We concentrate on living this life as best we can, hoping somehow our souls are reunited with God.”

After the meeting, fireflies sparkled through the Temple Judah parking lot, a reminder perhaps of the promise of God to Abraham that he would have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and now, thanks to the Children of Abraham, some of those stars are indeed active and shining here in Cedar Rapids.