Zakir naik explains the concept of god in christianity. Abstract the concept of god in the traditional religion of akan and ewe ethnic groups compare to the bible by godwin kwame ofosuhene i am going to focus this writing, on how the akan and ewe ethnic groups of ghana, understood god in their traditional. Though christian doctrines often differ, faith in jesus christ, in addition to following his teachings, is the center of christianity christian schools may attempt to display christian intent from a crafted mission statement or from biblical integration in the classroom. Christians believe there is only one god, this belief in one god is known as monotheism, so christianity is a monotheistic religion. In the 2nd century irenaeus addressed the issue and expounded on some attributes, e. Concept of god in christianity by dr naik islam 101. Islam and judaism alike reject the trinity of christianity. Finally, islamic scholar yamina mermer spoke on how the muslim practice of fasting and feasting in the holy month of ramadan fit into the larger practice of tawhid, the unification of god. Muslim turks further assimiliated tengri, the personification of the eternal heaven, with the islamic concept of god. However, they differ greatly on the way one can be saved and on the role jesus christ has in it. The second greek word used for love is eros, love between a man and a woman. They form, as it were, the background and preparation for judaism and christianity.
The lumber was the body, and the architectural plan was the soul. Read by itself, each essay opens a valuable window into the particular tradition represented. Jesus christ pbuh never claimed divinity one may ask, if both muslims and christians love and respect jesus pbuh, where exactly is the parting of ways. Word of god and the consequent multiplication of christian. Hinduism never claims that a particular prophet is the prophet and a. Among christian beliefs, the death and resurrection of jesus are two core. Christianity characteristic features of the christian. For the worlds religions conceive of god or gods in so many different contradictory ways that they cannot all be true. It blends the theology of pantheistic eastern religions with practices from western occultism. Everyone has got the right to follow his own path and to approach god in his own way. The giving heart of god god so loved the world that he gave john 3. Fundamental concepts of christianity salvation is the saving of your spiritual life. Thomas aquinas, like aristotle, taught that the soul was the form of the body.
In order to accomplish this, we will cover the following. The theological underpinnings of the attributes and nature of god have been discussed since the earliest days of christianity. The dogs god is a living being, who normally feeds his canine worshipper, punishes him physically on occasion, and, if worthy of. The concept of god in islam and christianity reasonable faith. Many nuances of christian theology and history tend to remain in the background of how christianity is perceived and practiced in the united states. Pneumatomachians believed that jesus was divine, and part of god, but refused to accept the holy spirit as divine. A biblicaltheological perspective on prayer 1 graeme goldsworthy graeme goldsworthy is a minister of the anglican church of australia and has served in churches in sydney and brisbane. My intention is not to give a biblical case for traditional christian theism. To deny or keep silent about the deity and messiahship of the living lord would have been disobedience to god, disloyalty to christ and to the cause of mans salvation. The boisi center papers on religion in the united states an introduction to christian theology. There is a distinction between belief in a set of propositions and a. Plato provided a radical new concept of god later adopted and adapted by christianity, when he asserted that the ultimate god must be good and must be one, perfect, separate from creation, and unchanging. This is why i have refrained from using the usual salutation of peace be upon him and his family. Integrating math and the bible tom hilgeman is the office manager and administrative assistant to the acsi europe regional director.
In particular, the concept of god in islam and christianity is so different that both religions cannot be right. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link. God, so it must come from men, and their ideas about god, with of course the the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of christ, who is the image of god, should shine unto them. Without hesitation, the apostles disobeyed and defied the sanhedrin. The concept of god in islam and christianity reasonable. He was the director of the santa cruz bolivia christian learning center from 1981 to 2000, and he was awarded the highest medal of honor that the government of bolivia gives to an.
The concept of salvation is present in almost all religions in its own. Christianity proclaimed the equal moral worth of all persons in the eyes of god. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of. God of the old testament was an evil god who created the material world and that jesus was sent to teach special knowledge, or gnosis, that would allow people to reach the spiritual world.
According to christianity this is not enough and the role of jesus christ as savior is essential. In christian theology the name of god has always had much deeper meaning and significance. There is a distinction between belief in a set of propositions and a faith which enables us to put our trust in them. All three religions, including christianity, have been called ethical monotheism. The subtitlethe case against godhas a twofold meaning. Satans ultimate lie, ultimately aiming at the seduction of christianity. For example, christians believe that god is tripersonal, that there are in the one god three persons whom we call the father, son, and holy. Selected chapters from a history of christianity by kenneth scott latourette vol. The major difference between islam and christianity is the christians insistence on the supposed divinity of christ pbuh. This subject translated into 9 this page translated into 8. At the very beginning of creation, god knew that it was not good for a man to be alone.
Pdf this article provides a concept of god in the christianity. A monistic concept of god will inevitably disregard sin and evil, affirming all natural desires, whereas the christian understanding of god views god alone as good, desiring to manifest his character of goodness in his creation in place of the fallen, natural, evil tendencies of mans desires. Atr african traditional religion introduction three religions dominates african continent. These are in addition to documents produced by church councils. The monotheistic religions define salvation as entering a state of eternal communion with god, which means that personhood will not be abolished but perfected. You need to accept jesus as your lord and savior to go to heaven. In the old testament traditions god is an anthropomorphic agent. A dog tries to appease his gods anger, as men do, by humility and fawning and he will fight for his god, even at the risk of his own life. But the writer makes no claim that the paper is an exhaustive survey of. African traditional religion has grown out of the african soil. Equality before the law came to mean that there should be no legal barriers to economic activity that did not apply equally to everyone. But the islamic concept of god is less personal than in the judeochristian tradition, and is known only from natural signs and can only be spoken about in parables. Therefore by this profession of faith muslims assert that allah is the only god, and not part of the pantheon moore, 2006.
Within the christian perception and experience of god, characteristic features stand out. Christianity is a theistic religion and belief in god is its important tenet but instead of saying that god, according to christianity is one, creator, sustainer. Judge, loving father and so on, at present christians say god is jesus. The one true god is a reflection of the unique concept that islam associates with god. This document tries to summarize christian beliefs and practices. A history of god by karen armstrong the new christian west during the middle ages introduction as a child, i had a number of strong religious beliefs but little faith in god. This term emphasizes the belief in one god, and the fact that following this god commits us to a number of specific ethical rules or principles. The term new age itself refers to the age of aquarius, which.
Thus clearly islam rejects the concept of trinity and presents a direct theological challenge to christianity. For false christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders. Islam and christianity have different doctrines or teachings about god that make them irreconcilable. God is one but has revealed himself in the bible as three persons the father, the son and the holy spirit. Woman was created purposefully to fill a major gap in the life of a man. Today as the belief in god has many challenges to face, it is necessary that we should make a fresh study of the biblical concept 9f god. God is an impersonallife force,consciousness or energy. Bowlby 1969, from which most psychologists of religion now study the god images davis 2010. For example, christians believe that god is tripersonal, that there are in the one god three persons whom we call the father, son, and holy spirit. Having salvation means you will go to heaven and have eternal life and live with god forever. Christianity religious literacy project harvard university.
To place legal barriers to equal participation in the economic realm was to thwart gods plan. All of chapter three in the gospel of john states the. Christianity is the fulfilment, not of the law only, but of all that was truest and best in the religions of the ancient. Most important of all, satan has injected into mainstream christianity a whole series of totally false ideas about the origin and destiny of man, of what god is like, of what gods awesome purpose is, and how we are to achieve that great purpose.
The boisi center papers on religion in the united states an introduction to christian theology thoughtful, constructive interreligious dialogue depends not only upon the openness of the dialogue partners to diverse perspectives, but also upon a reliable foundation of correct information about the various beliefs being discussed. It is interesting to notice that allah is the personal name of god in aramaic, the language of jesus and a sister language of arabic. They quote it when sharing christ with their unsaved friends. God for christianity means jesus as the full revelation of what god is, god as father, god as love that forgives. Concept of god in christianity my religious basics. Christians believe god to be both transcendent wholly independent of, and removed from, the material universe and immanent involved in the world. A christian understanding of god christ in you ministries. Christianity is an abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of jesus of.
Concept of god in major religions english zakir naik. This means that christians know nothing about god except through the life, teaching, death and the resurrection of jesus. The christian concept of god names a category with surprisingly heterogeneous contents. One may ask, if both muslims and christians love and respect jesus pbuh, where exactly is the parting of ways. He is a graduate of the universities of sydney, london, and cambridge, and earned his ph. God s light lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and the religions of egypt and babylonia illustrate the words of the evangelist. This book is written primarily for openminded nonmuslims. Christianity originally developed as a part of judaism.
Gutierrez 11 defined theology as a critical reflection on praxis in the light of the word of god. Islam and christianity have different doctrines or teachings concerning what god is like. His greatness lacks nothing, but contains all things. Christianity christianity characteristic features of the christian concept of god. While plato left us dialogues on the ethics of deity, aristotle left us files. In this paper an attempt has been made to reassess the cardinal theistic concept of the bible. Teaching and preaching upon such issues must be done with an understanding that a plethora of biblebelieving, godfearing, passionate evangelical christians have a wide array of beliefs on these issues.
Christian teachings of the immanence and involvement of god and his love for humanity exclude the belief that god is of the same substance as the. Teaching and preaching upon such issues must be done with an understanding that a plethora of biblebelieving, god fearing, passionate evangelical christians have a wide array of beliefs on these issues. The concept of god in the traditional religion of the akan. In christianity, god is the eternal being who created and preserves all things.
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