And Yet Despite The Manifest Differences In How They Practic

And Yet Despite The Manifest Differences In How They Practice Their R

And yet, despite the manifest differences in how they practice their religions, Jews, Christians and Muslims all worship the same God. The God of Jesus in the four Gospels in the New Testament had a similarly ambiguous character. Which sentence from the article BEST elaborates on the claims above? A He was a warrior God who murdered the firstborn of Egypt and drowned the army of Pharaoh. B He loved Israel like a father loves his son. C Yet, behind this God of tenderness and love, there remained a ruthless God of justice. D The key to salvation was above all surrender (“islam” in Arabic) to God, obedience to his commands as revealed in the Quran and allegiance to his messenger Muhammad.

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The recognition that Jews, Christians, and Muslims worship the same God despite their differing practices is a foundational concept in interfaith dialogue and theological understanding. This perspective emphasizes the shared monotheistic core of these Abrahamic religions, even as their doctrines, rituals, and interpretations diverge significantly. Among the various statements from the article that attempts to elaborate on this idea, option C—"Yet, behind this God of tenderness and love, there remained a ruthless God of justice"—most effectively encapsulates the complex and multifaceted nature of the divine character depicted in biblical and Quranic narratives. This statement acknowledges the dual aspects of God's personality—His compassionate love and His justice—thus illustrating the nuanced portrayal of God across these faiths.

The depiction of God in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Quran often oscillates between mercy and justice, love and wrath. For instance, in the Hebrew Bible, God's relationship with Israel is characterized by both compassion and disciplinary justice, as exemplified in narratives like God's love for Israel coupled with warnings of exile and punishment when Israel strays from His commandments (Miller & Hayes, 2006). Similarly, the New Testament reveals a Jesus portrayed as embodying divine love and compassion, yet also acknowledging God's judgment and justice (Brown, 2007). In the Quran, God's mercy is frequently emphasized, but His justice remains a central theme, asserting that divine justice prevails regardless of human perception (Abdel Haleem, 2012).

Option A, which describes God as a warrior who inflicted severe punishments, emphasizes God's justice and wrath but omits the aspect of tenderness and love. Conversely, option B focuses solely on God's love, which, while significant, fails to encompass the full divine character that includes justice. Option D deals primarily with Islamic doctrine of surrender and obedience, which, while related to understanding God's will, does not directly comment on the divine nature in a way that elaborates on the shared worship of the same God across religions.

The complex divine portrait reflected in these sacred texts underscores the understanding that the same supreme being encompasses both mercy and justice—the two sides of a divine coin (Moltmann, 2014). Recognizing these attributes helps believers from different faiths see their God as a being of profound moral complexity, deserving of reverence across religious boundaries. Therefore, the statement emphasizing the coexistence of tenderness and ruthlessness aligns most closely with the idea that, despite differences in worship practices, the core deity holds a multifaceted nature experienced differently across faith traditions.

This nuanced understanding fosters mutual respect and deeper interfaith dialogue, acknowledging that different religious communities may interpret divine attributes through their unique doctrinal lenses, but ultimately refer to the same omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent deity. This insight is crucial for promoting religious tolerance and cooperation in an increasingly interconnected world (Peters, 2010).

In conclusion, the statement "Yet, behind this God of tenderness and love, there remained a ruthless God of justice" provides the most comprehensive elaboration of the shared monotheistic worship among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It captures the divine complexity that allows these faiths to coexist and acknowledge that their understanding of God, while diverse in expression, ultimately stems from a common divine reality. Recognizing and embracing this multifaceted divine nature can serve as a bridge for more meaningful interfaith dialogue and mutual respect.

References

Abdel Haleem, M. (2012). The Quran: A New Translation. Oxford University Press.

Brown, R. E. (2007). An Introduction to the New Testament. Yale University Press.

Miller, P. D., & Hayes, C. J. (2006). A History of Ancient Israel and Judah. Westminster John Knox Press.

Moltmann, J. (2014). The Trinity and the Kingdom: The Doctrine of God. Fortress Press.

Peters, R. (2010). Religion and Interfaith Relations. Cambridge University Press.