I have been in ongoing discussions with people about the identity of the God of Christians and the God of Muslims. I argue that Christians and Muslims believe in the same God. I must make it very clear: I am NOT advocating Chrislam. Chrislam is the blending of the religions, seeing them as basically the same, equally true and both capable of providing salvation. I hold to salvation coming only through Jesus as the Son of God dying on the cross for our sins. Since Islam rejects that, Chrislam seems rather impossible.
Many Christians reject the identification of the Christian God with the Muslim God. Aside from issues of the Trinity (and if that was the key issue we could at least identify the God of the Jews and the Muslims), other differences in characteristics are too great. The way that Christians and Muslims describe God is different enough to suggest that they are two separate Gods.
I have been thinking about how different descriptions need to be in order to say we are talking about two different beings. This made me think of Barack Obama. I am not a American, but I know many Americans, both liberal and conservative. I watch their descriptions of this president and I am amazed. There is a wide variety in the descriptions of his intelligence, ability, character and so on. Does that mean there are two different Obamas? Well, these things are subjective qualities and so they may not count. But there are other differences in descriptions of fact. Different groups actually disagree on Obama’s religion and citizenship. Each group feels very strongly that they are correct. Does this mean that there is a non-American, Muslim Obama and another American, Christian Obama? More likely there is one president of the United States named Barack Obama and it so happens that different groups disagree on details about what he is like.
I see the same situation with God. There is one God who is the creator of the universe, the God of Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus. Christians and Muslims disagree on some details and descriptions but they believe in the same God. I happen to believe that Christians are more accurate, but that does not make them different Gods.
This is a very thoughtful post, and it has made me think in a new way as well. I think that Muslims, Christians, and Jews recognize the God of Abraham. But after Abraham, there is a divergence base on which of Abraham’s sons you believe carried the blessing of Abraham…either the son by Hagar or the son by Sarah. Christians and Jews refer to “the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob” perhaps to make this distiction. Anyway, thanks for posting this because it made me expand my thinking. I’ll be looking forward to reading though more of your posts!
Very nicely put. But then I agree with your position so I’m easy to convince. :)
Thanks for your comments guys. While this issue is not essential for being a Christian, it is important with regard to missions to Muslims.