Compare & Contrast Paper: Similarities and Differences in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam PDF

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Essay regarding the similarities and differences in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam...

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Similarities and Differences in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Religion is a key component of the lives of millions and millions of people in existence today. Even if one does not belong to a religion or consider themself a religious person, they may at least be familiar with religion or many of its concepts. Of the many religions in the world today, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are some of the most well known. Though these religions are widely used and well known, there is some differences between the three. Despite their oppositions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are sometimes referred to as “sister faiths” as they do share some common concepts. One of the few similarities between these three distinct religions is their uniting principle of monotheism. Not only do all of these religions believe in only one God, but many aspects of the religions themselves center around this monotheistic principle. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all extraordinary religions that showcase many similarities and differences that center around symbolism, division, and the afterlife. One commonality across religions today is that of having a symbol or symbols that represent that religion. There are numerous symbols that represent Judaism including the Chai, the menorah, and the Star of David. The Chai is the Jewish symbol generally used in jewelry, as some Jews wear it as a symbol of their faith. The menorah is the oldest symbol of Judaism and is usually pictured during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The Star of David is the most common symbol of Judaism today, appearing on the national flag of Israel (235). There are many symbols of Christianity, two of which are the fish and the cross. The fish was introduced as an early symbol of Christianity and it remains a common symbol of the religion today. The cross is the most widely used symbol of Christianity, as it represents one of the central teachings which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ (267). Islam is quite different from Judaism and Christianity when it

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comes to symbolism. Though many believe the traditional crescent and star combination is the symbol of Islam, Islam has no official symbol. In fact, the religion of Islam is customarily opposed to religious images (306). Jews and Christians display many different symbols of their faith, whereas symbolism to Muslims is almost a disobedience. Each of these religions sprouted from similar foundations but it is clear that the teachings within the religions are unique to themselves. Though religion is often depicted as a whole, there are many religions that have endured cataclysmic divisions throughout their evolution. Besides all being monotheistic, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have at least one more thing in common: they have all suffered from internal divisions. As a result of the division of Judaism, it now has three main branches: Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox Judaism. Reform Judaism is the polar opposite of Orthodox Judaism and developed in opposition to its strict guidelines. Reform Judaism retired the Orthodox costructs of traditional dress, language, and practice of the kosher diet, and even started embracing similar worship styles seen Christian churches. Conservative Judaism is seen as the middle ground between the Orthodox and Reform movements, as it embraces elements of both branches of Judaism (244). Christianity itself began as a reform movement of Judaism, but eventually branched into two distinct divisions of its own: Catholicism and Protestantism. Similarly to the Reform and Orthodox branches of Judaism, Protestantism and Catholicism are complete opposites. The Protestant church formed in opposition of the Catholic church and its corrupt regimes; it even did away with traditional Catholic positions such as nuns and popes. This new branch of Christianity was devoted to emphasizing salvation by faith alone, as opposed to by the practice of confession in the Catholic sect (276-279). Likewise to Christianity, Islam’s divisions resulted in two main branches: the Shiites and the Sunnis. Unlike in Judaism and

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Christianity, where these divisions were formed in opposition to one another, the division in Islam came from something completely different. The Shiite and Sunni division dates back to the death of Muhammad, where, after his death, the Shiites and Sunnis both believed they were the rightful inheritors to the leadership of the Muslim world. Since the two could not agree on who the rightful leader was, they split, forming two distinct divisions of the Muslim world that have stayed divided to this day (314). There are many differences between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, however, all three suffered from inevitable internal divisions that would curiously shape each religion for generations to come. An important aspect of nearly every religion today is that of an afterlife. In Judaism, Jews are taught not to dwell on the afterlife. They are instead taught to focus on their actions while on Earth and not to hypothesize about what will come after. Though Jews are instructed not to dwell on the thought of the afterlife, some Jews do believe in an afterlife, but this belief varies throughout the religion (251). In stark contrast to Judaism, Christians and Muslims believe in a very specific afterlife. Both Islam and Christianity teach their followers that there is a heaven and a hell. Though Christianity and Islam may differ on many things, they are quite similar in the determination that those who are wicked or bad will go to hell, and those who are good or righteous will go to heaven (252). Christianity and Islam were, in part, birthed as reform movements of Judaism, so it is probable for one to wonder why Jews do not believe in an afterlife while Christians and Muslims do. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are practiced worldwide each and every day. There are similarities and differences between all three of the religions that make them unparalleled to one another. Not only do the followers of these religions devote their lives to worshiping one God, but they devote their lives to spreading their religion so all can learn its ways. From Islam’s non-

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symbolic ways, to the many symbols in Christianity and Judaism, from beliefs of heaven and hell, or no belief at all, these religions are astounding in every way. Despite their divisions and many internal differences, one thing remains true: the followers of these religions are some of the most dedicated people in the entirety of human existence.

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Works Cited Van Voorst, Robert E. RELG: World. 3rd ed., Cengage Learning, 2017.

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