Trinity Reformed Baptist Church

Trinity Reformed Baptist Church

Topeka Kansas 66614

Sanctify them through Thy Truth,

THY WORD IS TRUTH!

John 17:17

State of

the Church

Links

Christianity and Islam

Are the two largest religions in the world and they have many points of contact. Both inherited from Judaism a belief in one God who created the world and cares about the behavior and beliefs of human beings.

In the approximately 1,300 years of history since the life of the Prophet, the relationship between Christianity and Islam has rarely been harmonious. As it spread, the Muslim Empire quickly conquered much of the Judeo-Christian Holy Land and the Christian Byzantine Empire. The Christian Crusades of the 11th through 13th centuries, waged in large part against Muslims, served only to widen the divide between the two faiths. Constantinople, the "New Rome" and the center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, fell to the Turks in 1453 and has lived under Islamic rule ever since.

In recent centuries, mutual distrust between Christians and Muslims has continued to grow. On the other hand, some have pointed out that the conflict has more to do with political tensions and divergent cultural worldviews than with religion, and efforts have been made by both Christians and Muslims to find common ground and engage in respectful dialogue.

To illustrate the similarities and differences between the two largest religions of the world, the following chart compares the origins, beliefs and practices of Christianity and Islam. Please note that numbers are estimates and beliefs and practices are oversimplified for brevity's sake.

History & Stats	Christianity	Islam
Date founded	30 AD	622 CE
Place founded	Palestine	Saudi Arabia
Founders & early leaders	Jesus, Peter, Paul	Muhammad
Original languages	Aramaic and Greek	Arabic
Major location today	Europe, North and South America	Middle East, Southeast Asia
Adherents worldwide today	2 billion	1.3 billion
Adherents in USA	159 million	1.1 million
Adherents in Canada	21 million	500,000
Adherents in UK	51 million	1.6 million
Current size rank	Largest in the world	Second largest in the world
Major branches	Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant	Sunni, Shiite
Religious Authority	Christianity	Islam
Sacred text	Bible = Old Testament (Jewish Bible) + New Testament	Qur'an (Koran)
Inspiration of sacred text	Views vary: literal Word of God, inspired human accounts, or of human origin only	Literal Word of God
Status of biblical prophets	True prophets	True prophets
Status of Jewish Bible	Canonical	Non-canonical but useful as a (corrupted) inspired text
Status of Jewish Apocrypha	Canonical (Catholic); useful but Non-canonical (Protestant)	Non-canonical
Status of New Testament	Canonical	Non-canonical but useful as a (corrupted) inspired text
Summaries of doctrine	Apostle's Creed, Nicene Creed	Six Articles of Faith
Religious law	canon law (Catholics)	Sharia
Other written authority	church fathers, church councils, ecumenical creeds (all branches); papal decrees, canon law (Catholics)	Hadith
Beliefs & Doctrine	Christianity	Islam
Ultimate reality	One creator God	One creator God
Nature of God	Trinity - one substance, three persons	Unity - one substance, one person
Other spiritual beings	Angels and demons	Angels, demons, jinn
Revered humans	Saints, church fathers	Prophets, Imams (especially in Shia Islam)
Identity of Jesus	Son of God, God incarnate, savior of the world	True prophet of God, whose message has been corrupted
Birth of Jesus	Virgin birth	Virgin birth
Death of Jesus *	Death by crucifixion * [See below]	He did not die, but ascended bodily into heaven (a disciple died in His place)
Resurrection of Jesus *	Affirmed * [See below]	Denied, since He did not die
Second coming of Jesus	Affirmed	Affirmed
Mode of divine revelation	through Prophets and Jesus (as God Himself), recorded in Bible	Through Muhammad, recorded in Qur'an
Human nature	"Original sin" inherited from Adam - tendency towards evil	Equal ability to do good or evil
Means of salvation	Correct belief, faith and repentance. (some emphasize good deeds or works, and the sacraments )	Correct belief, good deeds, Five Pillars
God's role in salvation	Predestination, various forms of grace	Predestination
Good after life	Eternal heaven	Eternal paradise
Bad after life	Eternal hell. (Catholicism temporary purgatory)	Eternal hell
View of the other religion	Some respect Islam as a monotheistic religion, but Muhammad is not seen as a true prophet according to the scriptures	Christians are respected as "People of the Book," but they have mistaken beliefs and only partial revelation
Rituals & Practices	Christianity	Islam
Day of worship	Sunday	Friday
House of worship	Church, chapel, cathedral, basilica, meeting hall	Mosque
Religious leaders	Elders, pastor, minister, preacher, deacon, bishop, archbishop, priest, patriarch, pope,	Imams
Major sacred rituals	Baptism, Communion (Eucharist)	Five Pillars: prayer, pilgrimage, charity, fasting, confession of faith
Head covered	Generally no	Yes
Central religious holy days	Lent, Holy Week, Easter	Eid-al-Fitr, Eid-al-Adha, month of Ramadan
Other holidays	Christmas, all saints days	Mawlid, Ashura
Major religious symbols	Cross, crucifix, dove, anchor, fish, alpha and omega, chi rho, halo	Crescent, name of Allah in Arabic

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1 17-24.

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures: . . .: After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. . . And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. . . For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 1 Corinthians 15:3-15.

Jesus Christ atoned for our sins on His cross

without His sacrifice of Himself - there is no forgiveness of sin.

Christians are saved by faith in Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins.

- Islam is a works religion -

They can not atone for their sins

before a Holy God.

They will perish.

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:

and they are they which testify of Me.

John 5:39

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,

but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Proverbs 14:12.

OTHER GREAT LINKS TO BLESS

AND EDIFY YOUR SOULS