christianity vs islam essay

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Key Differences Between Islam and Christianity

• Categories: Christology History of Islam

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Published: Jan 31, 2024

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Table of contents

Introduction, historical development, controversies and divisions.

• John L. Esposito and Natana J. DeLong-Bas, Islam: The Straight Path (Oxford University Press, 2017).
• Bruce M. Metzger and Michael D. Coogan, eds., The Oxford Companion to the Bible (Oxford University Press, 1993).
• John W. Bowker, World Religions: The Great Faiths Explored and Explained (DK Publishing, 2016).
• David Waines, An Introduction to Islam (Cambridge University Press, 2011).
• Karen Armstrong, A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (Ballantine Books, 1994).

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• How Does Islam Differ from Christianity?

According to Pew Research, if current trends continue then by 2050 there will be nine billion people living on the planet. Approximately three billion will be Christians, three billion will be Muslims, and three billion others will represent various beliefs (both religious and secular). 1

Since Christianity and Islam are the two largest (comprising about 55% of the world’s population 2 ) religions in the world people often wonder where they disagree and how significant the differences are. A brief look at six doctrinal contrasts will help address this question.

First, it is important to note that Islam shares common ground with historic Christianity. For example, both religions are:

• theistic in philosophical orientation
• monotheistic in doctrinal belief
• Middle Eastern in origin
• biblically oriented Abrahamic faiths (they connect to the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament)

However, the differences between the two religions are profound. Since Islam emerged about six centuries after Christianity, we’ll outline how Islam reacts to essential Christian truth claims. As you’ll see, traditional Islam denies the essence of historic Christianity.

Six Systematic Doctrinal Denials

• Islam denies the Trinity (i.e., tri-unity: One God in three persons). Muslims instead affirm a form of unitarianism where Allah is a single, solitary being ( tawhid ) with no partners, equals, rivals, or companions. Allah is not begotten nor does he beget; therefore, he has no son.
• Islam denies the incarnation ( i.e., Jesus Christ was God in human flesh: a single person with both a divine and human nature). In contrast, Muslims assert that Jesus was a mere human being. Yet Islam does concur that Jesus was virgin-born, performed miracles, and lived a sinless life.
• Islam denies the crucifixion ( i.e., Jesus’s atoning death on the cross). Muslims i nstead declare that Jesus either didn’t actually die on the cross (though he may have been impaled) or that someone else took Jesus’s place on the cross. But either way, Islam is not a redemptive religion.
• Islam denies the imago Dei ( i.e., human beings bear God’s image). In contrast, Muslims affirm that such an image would put creatures too close to Allah (the heresy known as “ shirk ”). Thus in Islamic theology, human beings are not made in Allah’s image.
• Islam denies original sin ( i.e., that human beings are born with a sinful nature and a natural propensity to sin). Instead, Muslims assert that people are born morally good. So Islam rejects the Christian doctrine of the fall.
• Islam denies salvation by grace ( i.e., that human beings are reconciled to God by God’s unmerited favor apart from works). In contrast, Muslims proclaim that personal submission is required to earn paradise. So both paradise (reward) and divine wrath (punishment) are earned.

Both Can’t Be True

While we live in a time that prizes religious pluralism, nevertheless the laws of logic are stubborn things. Given these six systematic doctrinal denials it follows logically that if Islam is true, then Christianity is patently false and vice versa, for Islam denies the very essence of Christian doctrinal truth claims.

Reflections: Your Turn

Why do you think Islam and Christianity are such popular religions? Visit Reflections on WordPress to comment with your response.

• For a further comparison of Islam and Christianity, see my two books God among Sages: Why Jesus Is Not Just Another Religious Leader (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2017), 159–88; and A World of Difference: Putting Christian Truth-Claims to the Worldview (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2007), chapter 15, 247–63.
• For an introduction to Islam by a Muslim scholar, see Islam: Religion, History, and Civilization by Seyyed Hossein Nasr (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2003).
• Pew Research Center, “The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050, April 2, 2015,” https://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/religious-projections-2010-2050/ .
• Wikipedia, s.v., “List of Religious Populations,” updated May 28, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religious_populations .

Life Without God

Learning about Christian Creeds, Part 3

Responding to the Nonempirical Case for Atheism (White Paper)

Christianity vs. Islam

Christianity and Islam have more in common than most people know — they are both monotheistic Abrahamic religions , and Jesus Christ is an important, revered figure in both religions.

Followers of Christianity — called Christians — believe in the Holy Trinity , and that Christ, the son of God, walked the earth as the incarnate form of God ("the Father"). Most Christians also believe Christ will return at the end of the world.

Muslims (followers of Islam) consider Jesus Christ to be a [Messenger-vs-Prophet-in-Islam|prophet, a messenger of God]] and a messiah. However, they believe that Muhammad was the last prophet and he recorded the word of God verbatim in the Quran.

Comparison chart

Early history.

In many ways, Christianity and Islam were radical for their times, often preaching tolerance, respect, and equality between different races and classes, despite rigid monotheism. This initial progressive nature resulted in considerable persecution but ultimately did not stop the development, evolution, or expansion of either religion. Ultimately, early Christianity and Islam were spread by exploration, trade, missions, warfare, and colonization.

According to the New Testament , Jesus Christ had a number of followers prior to his execution in Golgotha , but the concept of Christianity as a religion did not truly exist until after his crucifixion, when his most ardent followers, such as the Roman Apostle Paul , began writing and speaking of Christ's reported miracles.

Christianity acquired many of its terms and beliefs from the Hellenistic Judaism and Greco-Roman paganism that were dominant at the times and places of Christianity's earliest development. The Roman Empire, with its common language—Latin—crossing great swaths of land, helped spread Christianity, especially after Emperor Constantine (around 300 CE) converted to the religion, ordered the construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre , and adopted the cross for his army's banners. To learn more about early Christianity, its development, and the spread of the religion, watch the Crash Course video below.

By the time Islam was formed in 622 CE, Roman Catholicism, the most widespread form of Christianity, already had its 69th Pope— Pope Boniface V . In Mecca, in the Arabian Peninsula where Islam began, there was a melting pot of faith that included Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, and those who worshipped Mesopotamian gods. It was in this place and time that Muslims believe Muhammad was visited by the angel Gabriel and told to begin writing down the word of the one true god, Allah.

Many in the region saw monotheism as a threat, eventually forcing Muhammad to migrate with his followers from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE in what is known as the Hijra . Most consider this the beginning of Islam as a religion, as the migration brought many new followers to the fledgling faith. In 630 CE, Muhammad and his followers were able to return to Mecca in a near-bloodless conflict.

Murji'ah , an early Islamic philosophy that promoted tolerance of a wide variety of beliefs within Islam (leaving the judgment of Muslims to Allah), likely smoothed the way for early conversions. Within 100 years, Islam had spread rapidly east and west of the Arabian Peninsula. A Crash Course video that covers Islam's development, expansion, and how it split into two main branches can be watched below.

Short Timeline of Christianity and Islam

Note: Dates are historical estimates.

• 5 BCE: Jesus is born in the Roman province of Judea. Christians generally believe he was "born of a virgin," Mary.
• 26 CE: John the Baptist begins ministry.
• 28 CE: Jesus begins his ministry.
• 33 CE: Jesus is arrested and executed by way of crucifixion. Christians believe he rose from the dead three days later and ascended into heaven. Christianity begins.
• 44 CE: James, Jesus' older brother, becomes a primary leader in Jerusalem's Christian community.
• 57 CE: Paul the Apostle is arrested in Jerusalem after failing to help Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians reach a compromise regarding the depiction of Jesus.
• 62 CE: James is stoned to death.
• 63 CE: The Temple of Jerusalem, considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is built.
• 64 CE: Roman Emperor Nero blames Christians for the burning of Rome .
• 66 CE: Mark begins writing his version of Jesus' life.
• 70 CE: Rome takes over Jerusalem and destroys its temple, more or less ending the more Jewish branch of Christianity.
• 73 CE: Matthew and Luke write their versions of Jesus' life, partly based on Mark's version.
• 75-90 CE: John writes his version of Jesus' life.
• 90 CE: The Romano-Jewish historian Josephus writes of the life and death of Jesus . Scholars often believe his words have been tampered with over the years.
• 125 CE: The earliest surviving New Testament writing, written by John, is roughly dated as being from this year.
• 380 CE: Christianity becomes the official religion of the Roman Empire.
• 397 CE: The Councils of Carthage decide which gospels and other written works will be considered canon books of the Bible versus which will be considered apocryphal.
• 570 CE: Muhammad is born in Mecca.
• 610 CE: Muslims believe this is the year Muhammad is first visited by the angel Gabriel.
• 610-622 CE: Muhammad begins his ministry. Islam begins.
• 622 CE: Muhammad and his followers migrate from Mecca to Medina in what is known as the Hijra. The Islamic calendar begins and the Prophet's Mosque is built. The first Islamic state begins when a constitution is drafted that combines Medina's government with Islam..
• 623 CE: Muhammad marries Aisha . Muslims generally view this marriage favorably, but Aisha's age—nine, to Muhammad's 53—causes great controversy outside of the Islamic faith today.
• 628 CE: The Treaty of Hudaybiyah is created, allowing Muslims in Medina to make pilgrimages to Medina.
• 630 CE: Muslims peacefully overtake Mecca after the Treaty of Hudaybiyah is dissolved. Other faiths' idols are destroyed and Mecca becomes an Islamic state.
• 632 CE: Muhammad dies from an illness. Abu Bakr, Muhammad's father-in-law (Aisha's father), becomes caliph (spiritual leader).
• 633-655 CE: Islam is spread through warfare. Muslim armies take over Egypt, Mesopotamia, Palestine, Syria, the North African coast, and portions of the Byzantine and Persian empires.
• 650 CE: Caliph Uthman forms a committee to standardize and reproduce the Qur'an. Muhammad's dialect of the Quraysh tribe is chosen as the standard dialect.
• 656-661 CE: Islam's first civil war; the Shia and Sunni sects form.
• 675 CE: Sufism forms.
• 1096 CE: The First Crusade , a three-year battle between Christians and Muslims, begins.

Jesus Christ in Islam and Christianity

Jesus Christ, son of Mary is, of course, the most important figure and namesake in Christianity. Christians believe that Jesus was the son of God, and that along with God and the Holy Spirit, Jesus is part of the Godhead, or Holy Trinity. Christian belief is that Jesus' mother Mary was a virgin, that Jesus died when he was crucified, and that he was resurrected on the third day after his death.

Several of these beliefs about Jesus are shared in Islam . Muslims also believe in

• virgin birth
• that Jesus Christ could (and did) perform miracles
• the second coming of Jesus during the apocalypse

Where Islamic beliefs about Jesus differ is that Muslims believe that Jesus, although he was crucified, never actually died but ascended to heaven. God raised Jesus to Himself. Because Jesus never died, Muslims do not believe in the resurrection .

Position of Mary

As the virgin mother of Jesus Christ, Mary is an important figure in both Christianity and Islam. Mary plays a larger role in practices of some sects of Christianity, particularly Catholicism , where statues of Mary abound. In Islam, Mary is considered the best woman God ever created, and free of sin.

Beliefs and Practices

Beliefs and practices among Christians and Muslims vary greatly across the world and among certain demographics. Within Christianity, Catholics and Protestants often have very different beliefs, and Protestantism itself holds denominations as varied as evangelical fundamentalism and Unitarianism. In Islam, similarly large differences exist between Sunni, Shia, and Sufi Muslims and their beliefs. These differences have run so deep that Catholics and Protestants, Sunnis and Shiites, and Christians and Muslims have sometimes warred against each other over their beliefs.

A few major similarities exist between Christians and Muslims. Both belief systems are monotheistic, encourage or require the practice of daily prayer, and believe in the importance of many of the same figures, though their interpretation of them is often very different. Likewise, certain basic principles are generally supported within both faiths: the Ten Commandments for Christians and the The Five or Seven Pillars of Islam for Muslims. Heaven and Hell, angels, demons, and spirits, are generally accepted by both religions, as is an apocalypse.

Similar to Judaism, Islam tends to have stricter guidelines or rules than Christianity does. In modern Christianity, most hardline rules are found in the Old Testament and more related to Judaism, and many of the rules found in the New Testament are downplayed. For example, Christians may or may not "keep the Sabbath holy" by resting, even though doing so is a commandment, and most freely eat whatever they want, including pork and foods not blessed by religious leaders, something that Muslims and Jews do not do under halal and kosher dietary restrictions.

Two of the biggest differences found among Christian sects/denominations when it comes to scripture have to do with how literally the Bible is interpreted, whether it is considered the inerrant word of God as passed down through various writers or seen as being "inspired" and metaphorical, and whether "good works" or "faith alone" is most important for entry into heaven. Some Christians believe the Bible should be at the foundation of all matters: politics, education, charity, etc. Others believe their faith is personal and private and that Christian scripture really only applies to Christians.

Muslims believe there have been many prophets and messengers sent by Allah throughout time, but that their messages have been corrupted by man. They believe Muhammad was the latest and final prophet and that the Qur'an is the only uncorrupted holy message in the world. The vast majority of Muslims believe the Qur'an is the inerrant word of Allah, as passed down through the Prophet Muhammad, and can and should be part of every aspect in life, even when it comes to matters such as banking, warfare, and politics. The governmental enforcement of Islamic beliefs and practices is known as Sharia law. In a 2012 Pew Research study on Muslim political beliefs , a majority of people in Pakistan, Jordan, and Egypt felt laws should strictly follow the Qur'an, while people in Tunisia, Turkey, and Lebanon were less inclined to want their governments to follow the Qur'an.

Christians and Muslims' sociopolitical views often go hand-in-hand with how literally they interpret the Bible or Qur'an, with the most traditional and fundamentalist of both religions rejecting certain matters of gender equality, same-sex marriage, the theory of evolution, etc.

Belief in an imminent apocalypse that is soon to transpire varies by region among Christians and Muslims, but in many cases both groups do believe it will occur at some point in the future. There are many similarities between their versions of the apocalypse as well, having developed from similar or even the same texts.

Some Muslims believe as Christians do, that Jesus will be the one to return at the end of the world; the difference is that Muslims believe Jesus' return is a sign, not the actual end, and that his purpose is to destroy Christian symbols and convert Christians to the true religion of Islam. Other Muslims, such as the Shia Twelvers , believe Jesus is a minor figure in the apocalypse, if even present, and that a figure known as the Mahdi —Islam's 12th imam who has been hiding since the 9th century—will be the one who returns and helps cleanse the world of evil.

Demographics

With over 2.1 billion followers, over half of which are Catholic, Christianity is the world's largest religion. Islam, with over 1.5 billion followers, is the world's second largest religion; Sunnis make up 80-90% of Islam's adherents. Because the two religions are the largest in the world, one or the other is generally the dominant faith in nearly every country, with a few exceptions in Asia where Buddhism or no religion is dominant.

• Christianity's Influences - Patheos Library
• Christianity's Missions and Expansion - Patheos Library
• Christianity's Origins, History, and Beliefs - Patheos Library
• History of Islam - ReligionFacts
• How Muslims View the Qur'an - ApologeticsIndex
• Islam Timeline - Faithology
• Islamic History - University of Georgia
• Islam's Missions and Expansion - Patheos Library
• Mapping the Global Muslim Population - Pew Research
• Most Muslims Want Democracy, Personal Freedoms, and Islam in Political Life - Pew Research
• Muslim Beliefs in Angels, Fate, the Afterlife, and the End Times - Pew Research
• Muslim Views of the Apocalypse - Huffington Post
• Overview of Christian History - ReligionFacts
• Timeline of Islam - PBS Frontline
• Timeline of Islam - ReligionFacts
• The Trial of Jesus: A Chronology - University of Missouri-Kansas City
• Wikipedia: Christian
• Wikipedia: Muslim
• Wikipedia: History of Christianity
• Wikipedia: History of Islam
• Wikipedia: Islamic schools and branches
• Wikipedia: List of Christian denominations by number of members
• Wikipedia: Origins of Christianity
• Wikipedia: Quran
• Wikipedia: Timeline of Christianity
• Wikipedia: Christianity
• Wikipedia: Islam

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Comments: Christianity vs Islam

Anonymous comments (5).

October 10, 2013, 3:42am whoever wrote this is wrong, self harming is not permissible in Islam. Repenting yes, self harm no. — 76.✗.✗.82

May 6, 2014, 7:38pm I am grateful. this has shown me the differences between us — 86.✗.✗.181

February 25, 2014, 6:08pm Thanks, this really helped me! And to everyone trying to push their beliefs on others, and being rude to other faiths, please, can't we learn to love and tolerate? I'm Catholic, but I have no problem if you don't believe the same thing as me. — 81.✗.✗.177

June 3, 2014, 6:37pm I'm a Christian and i am tired of the ignorance shown by many people towards both Islam and Christianity. No, Muslims are not terrorists. I have a lot of respect for Islam and its followers, and i don't follow the media garbage often said about the religion. People should also know that Christians worship only one God, not three as is often claimed. Just because God appeared in three different forms does not mean there are three Gods, it means that God can appear in different forms, after all he is God isn't he. He is able to do literally anything. Just because there are different names for God doesn't mean he changes, he is always the same God, and always will be. — 86.✗.✗.210

May 28, 2014, 11:04am Enes you completely took scripture out of context and left out important parts of the verses. In fact that is how satan deceived man from the beginning. He twisted the word of God to deceive eve. This is what your doing now enes. — 108.✗.✗.194

• Catholic vs Protestant
• Sunni vs Shia
• Christianity vs Judaism
• Islam vs Judaism
• New Testament vs Old Testament
• Prophet vs Messenger in Islam
• Mormonism vs Christianity
• Islam vs Zoroastrianism

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Religion: Christianity vs. Islam

Introduction, the meta-narratives of islam and christianity, comparison between christianity and islam.

Traditionally, the concept of religion has been related to a population’s beliefs. Although religion has been a controversial aspect, it is the worship and acknowledgment of the existence of a supernatural controlling power among the traditionalists. Several attempts to define the term have proved unsuccessful after scholars disagreed on a specific meaning (Chekovikj & Trencevska Chekovikj, 2020). Additionally, religion was categorized based on how it was systematized and according to the populace’s different theories and opinions. In this light, Islam and Christianity became the predominant religions; questions about their relations have been an interest globally. Various theologists have come up with numerous philosophies, but the topic remains ambiguous and brings about mixed reactions. Amidst these uncertainties, it cannot be denied that even though both religions’ worldviews might differ, an in-depth consideration of similarities and differences in their diverse beliefs pointing out a meta-narrative can help understand the concept.

In early human history, religious differences characterized a major crisis period. For instance, in the Arabian Peninsula, the Muslim army arose and formed non-existence borders from the Atlantic Ocean to Punjab, which are currently referred to as the Muslim world’s heartlands (Penn, 2015). However, over the centuries, the situation has changed as Muslims became a minority group in their areas of control. In Syria, these Muslim worlds became a majority-Christian territory. Violence ensued between the Muslims and Christians and subconsciously the latter assumed minority identity due to violent flashbacks.

Before the seventh century A.D, Christian Martyrs suffered and died under the arms of Muslim officials. Scholars have periodically used hagiography as a study tool for religious history, especially matters of holy conceptions and church-state relations. They in return have proved that hagiography, as many people thought, is not built on traditional myths and misconceptions (Penn, 2015). Researchers, however, did not find specific triggers of the religious battles, but with time, the warring religions, that is the Christians and Muslims, amicably settled their differences and started respecting each other. Ultimately, conversion emerged when those of Christian faith would change to Muslim conviction, and vice versa.

Additionally, in ancient times, people relied on metanarratives to understand religion. They outlined critical values that characterized and distinguished beliefs. These worldview predominant stories explained the reality and framework in which religion was founded. The histories are still relevant in the Postmodern era in addressing the existence of conflicting beliefs in religion. For Islam, ethical behavior is governed by what Mohammed did as detailed in the Quran.

Muslims believe that Allah is better, and so is Mohammed, his messenger. They must also convince the world in exchange for a promise to enter the Islamic paradise (Leube, 2019). Consequently, their call is to do that and increase their chances to go to heaven. Christians are guided by what Jesus did as learned in the Bible; he completed humanity’s salvation (Billy, 2019). A confession of the mouth and faith in the heart that Jesus is the path and destination to Heaven, where He rules, is all it takes to obtain a pass to heaven. Subsequently, their call is to live because Jesus did all that. A closer look at the above histories outlines some common elements yet so different in one way or another.

The doctrine of revelation and resurrection differs between the Islamic religion and Christianity. Islam faith teaches evading hellfire through God’s mercy, whereby they will be admitted into paradise (Bagley, 2015). Although there is no existing assurance of entering the delightful garden, the followers believe that submitting to God’s will and following His ways could contribute to a person’s account during judgment. Additionally, as per their teachings, moral perfection does not count; instead, repentance does. On the other hand, the biblical Christian story tells how the believers are headed towards the judgment day when the rapture will follow the triumphant announcement from Jesus (Billy, 2019). In this case, they concentrate on perfecting their morals to dwell with Jesus in a righteous place.

The existence of God in the world differs between Christianity and Islam. God’s presence in Christianity is emphasized in God-activity. This means that it is interceded by the Holy Spirit. Further, He exists instinctively through his indwelling in a trinitarian nature (Sire, 2009). Because of this complete communion in the Father, Son, and Spirit, his love is everlasting. Nevertheless, in Islam, the view is human activity, referring to feeling God’s presence by calling people names. According to Muslims, God is too great to manifest in human shape or specific essences.

Islam believes that a person has pure inborn nature referred to as fitrah, which allows them to have access to God. Adam had a fitrah that equipped him with the familiarity of Allah’s divine attributes and names (Bhat, 2016). This innate knowledge of Allah is considered hereditary and is to be passed on to successive generations. According to Christianity, a fall represents disobedience to God with a consequence of a transmissible tendency towards sinning in the Old Testament. However, the New Testament introduces a different perspective of the redemption of sins. Sire (2009) explains the origin of sin into the world through one person, which resulted in death. Since every person sinned, sharing the death of Jesus brought life and forgiveness to the Christians.

Islamic prayers are rule-driven in contrast to Christians who exercise freedom. For Muslims, there are prayer periods characterized by mosque bells that alert them of prayer time. Further, there is a set sequence of prayer methods where they stand, bow, kneel, and have recitations of Quran verses or other prayer formulas (Bagley, 2015). Muslims’ prayers are performed at day start, noon, afternoon, and evening with no deviation. On the contrary, Christians have no established prayer series by rule but can instead pray at any time of their choice.

Both Christians and Muslims have expressed a difference in how they view the holy books. Christians seek reference from the Bible as God’s holy word. The Bible is divided into two parts, namely the New Testament and the Old Testament. In total, the Christian Bible has sixty-six books; thirty-nine are in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New Testament (Chekovikj & Trencevska Chekovikj, 2020). According to Christian teachings, the Bible is a direct word from God without mistakes. On the contrary, Muslims recognize Quran as the holy word of Allah.

The term Quran refers to recitation; it is derived from its original preservation in Arabic for generations to understand it without alterations (Van der Spuy, 2015). In addition, the religion believes that no Arabic Quran’s script varies. A common belief among the followers is that introduction of the Quran transpired when prophet Muhammad obtained revelations for a twenty-three-year era starting in the 609 A.D. from Angel Gabriel (Van der Spuy, 2015). Even though Muslims appreciate Psalms of David, Torah, the law of Moses, and Jesus’ Gospel as God’s books, they claim that given their various translations over time, they may have been corrupt.

However, Islam and Christian similarity is illustrated with respect to God’s perception. First, attachment to God is a unifying factor regardless of religious differences. According to Vandesande et al. (2018), John Bowlby’s behavioral hallmark of attachment can explain the relationship of a religious believer with the Supernatural being. This approach increases the probability that fewer emotionally-strong individuals endure childhood dangers. The concept further reduces fear and forms of distress, allowing people to focus on other life goals and tasks. Similarly, Christians and Muslims demonstrate these hallmarks in relation to God. A sense of security and mental wellness that acts as a safe base for physical well-being also results from believing in God.

In addition, both Islam and Christianity are monotheistic religions. There is a common belief that there is only a single deity in Islam as well as Christianity (Chekovikj & Trencevska Chekovikj, 2020). They trust that God is a supreme being who created and sustained the universe. Furthermore, He is eternal, infinite, and His existence is essential. The Omni-character of this divinity is recognized in both religions. Omnipotence means that God is all-powerful and not subject to limitations. Omniscience refers to an all-knowing God who is aware of everything about humans and the entire universe (Sire, 2009). Omnipresence states that He is all-present and can be everywhere simultaneously.

Lastly, a similarity exists in religious rituals and behaviors. Christians express their need for safety and closure to God through deeds such as prayers, attending church services and fellowships, worshipping, and using physical symbols such as prayer beads and sacraments (Brooks, 2020). Seeking proximity is more common when these practices are used to plea for protection or get closer to God during need. Likewise, Muslims use religious prayers more extensively to seek Islamic spirituality and rituals to place believers nearer the prophets who intercede for them (Bhat, 2016). Other symbols include observing pureness, pilgrimage, a journey towards a place that represents God’s presence, and fasting which brings the believers closer to Allah (Bagley, 2015). The Islam believers also participate in repentance as a way of finding reunification with God.

A comparison of Christianity and Islam has revealed varying core commitments within the religions. For instance, Christians are obligated to follow the teachings of Jesus, such as forgiveness and love. Muslims have set pillars to guide them, such as salat, which means prayer, shahada, a practice of faith, and sawm for fasting (Bagley, 2015). Recognizing the similarities and differences in religious practices between Muslims and Christians is significant. Nonetheless, even as people acknowledge these differences, it is essential that both religions cultivate good relationships since they seek a common good. However, doing so will not be easier considering the past periods of misunderstandings and suspicion, as well as the existing tensions. Embracing and respecting each other’s beliefs is a challenge facing the contemporary religious world today and develops a research gap for theologists in the coming years.

A difference in people’s beliefs and opinions has brought along the categorization of religion. Both Christianity and Islam believe in a sovereign deity and illustrate a connection of people to the supernatural being. In ancient times, religious wars between Christians and Muslims were witnessed, although scholars failed to identify specific triggers of the battles. Research tools such as hagiography was used to look into religious history and were proved not to be mythical. Meta-narratives on Islam and Christianity have helped understand religion as they outlined critical values that characterized and distinguished these beliefs. The study has illustrated a resemblance between the two religions in their perception of God, acknowledgment of His existence, and their use of religious symbolism. However, there are significant differences some of which appear to be opposing one another.

As outlined in their resurrection doctrine, Christians believe in a rupture day after judgment, while Muslims believe in an immediate presentation to a paradise. Also, prayer time is set by Islam rules, whereas there is freedom of prayers among Christians. A difference is also revealed in their definitions of Holy Books. Christians believe in the Bible as a way in which God communicates to them; it is considered to be a direct word from God. For Muslims, the Quran is the ultimate word of Allah which they trust has no variation unlike the Bible which has been continuously altered during translation. Finally, despite the differences, it is essential to cultivate a healthy relationship between the two religions. Theologists have developed a research gap in the future since it has been challenging to establish a common ground for settling these religious differences. The rifts have been characterized by misunderstandings, suspicions, and ongoing tensions.

Bagley, C. (2015). Islam today: A Muslim quaker’s View . Quaker Universalist Group.

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Comparison of Christianity and Islam Essay

Different religions in the united states: when they were established, how the religious movements were spread throughout the world, religious believe system of these religions, how the two religions coexist in a globalized world, reference list.

Religion is a complex cultural phenomenon and an important aspect of life that involves devotional exercises. Additionally, religion governs people as it has a moral code that determines people’s conduct. Humanity’s awareness of religion started during the upper Paleolithic revolution about 30,000 years ago and since then it has been a common trait among people across the world (Armstrong, 1993).

Being a belief system, religion relies on symbols and narratives to explain how people came to existence and how they believe in an unseen supernatural power alleged to have created the universe.

However, despite the fact that religion acts as a light to guide people, different religions have emerged in different ways over the years, which is attributed to the different cultures across the world. Different religions have emerged in the United States and this paper seeks to compare and contrast Christianity and Islam from an anthropological perspective.

The United States, as one of the most developed and populous countries in the world, has a broad spectrum of religious diversity. The country advocates for religious freedom and allows citizens to practice any kind of religion that they may choose to follow. The US has the largest number of religious groupings in the world due to religious freedom. Some of these religious groups in the US include Christianity and Islam.

Christianity is one of the many religious groups in the history of humanity and many believers in the US are affiliated to Christianity. It is the world’s biggest and organized religion and up to date, it has around 2.1 billion followers worldwide. This religion originated from the life and teachings of the savior of humanity known as Jesus Christ.

When Christ, who was a Jew, came to earth around 2013 years ago, his teachings revived the teachings of Judaism and this aspect established the foundation of Christianity due to the transformation of Judaism to Christianity. Originally, the major branches of Christianity were eastern orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Protestantism with each branch having sub-branches.

However, over the years, the divide between different Christian communities has continued to widen, which explains why in the 21st century there has been a creation of many branches of Christianity. For instance, Armstrong (1993) notes that in “North America alone, there are 1,500 different groups of Christianity, which have different conflicting Christian beliefs” (p.62).

On the other hand, the Islamic religion was formed in the Middle East based on the teachings of Prophet Mohamed in the 7th century A.D. and it is the world’s second largest religion after Christianity with a following of about a billion Muslims (Armstrong, 1993). Prophet Mohamed was the last messenger of a supreme being who was the only creator and sustainer of the world.

Before Mohamed started preaching his ideas to the people of Mecca at around 610 A.D., Islam was nonexistent and people were worshiping different kinds of gods (Becker, 2010). The teachings of Mohamed are written in a Holy book known as the Quran and Muslims are expected to adhere to these teachings.

Just like Christianity, this religion also has branches, which include the Sunni and Shi’a each maintaining different means of interpreting the teachings of the prophet with Sunni denomination having more followers than the Shi’a. Over the years, the United States, which has been dominated by Christianity, has experienced a rise in the number of Muslims with 4.2% of the total population being Islamic, and this growth has outpaced that of the other religious groups.

According to the Bible, Jesus Christ started his mission on earth at the age of 30 years and later he was crucified to save humanity from sin and bring sinners closer to God. After Jesus’ death, missionaries took over the spreading of the gospel though this exercise was difficult as many doctrinal debates emerged within the church coupled with persecution targeting those who were spreading Christianity during the Roman Empire.

The spreading of Christianity by missionaries based on the teachings of Christ gained momentum around the 1st century, which led to the rapid growth of this religion (Armstrong, 1993). Paul, who was a Jew and had previously persecuted Christians, is one of the known instrumental missionaries who aided in the growth and spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. A remarkable development towards the spread of Christianity took place in 4th A.D. when the Roman Emperor, Constantine, converted to Christianity.

This move compelled many pagans to follow the footsteps of their leader by converting to Christianity. Since then, many missionaries have traveled to different parts of the world to spread the good news and by 1900; Christianity had spread to every continent, which contributed greatly to Christianity is the most dominant religion not only in the United States but also across the world.

Islam religion on the other hand also spread rapidly after the death of Prophet Mohamed since he had successfully established the new religion among his people. After his demise, other like-minded people emerged with the interest of abolishing paganism in society and promoting the worship of Allah.

One of these people was the 1st caliph, Abu Bakr, who during his reign saw the rapid growth of Islam. Mostly, the spread of Islamic religion was mainly influenced by wars as the political and military control of the Muslim leader led to many people liking and converting to this new religion (Kennedy, 2007). Since then, many people have converted to Islam after reading the teachings of Prophet Mohamed, which has led to the expansion of the Islamic community worldwide.

Christianity holds that only one God should be worshiped and people are not supposed to worship any manmade gods. Christians also believe that after Adam and Eve sinned, every man fell out of God’s glory, which explains why God, through His unconditional love, sent His only son to come and save man from eternal punishment in hell.

Christians believe that Christ was the last sacrifice and the converts of Christianity are not supposed to offer any kind of sacrifice to God. According to the Christian religion, the main reason for man’s existence on earth is to glorify God and they have to live a godly life on earth if they want to have eternal life and see the kingdom of heaven after they die.

On the other hand, Islam, just like Christianity, holds that there is only one Supreme Being, Allah, to be worshiped and the man was created with a free will of serving and obeying Allah.

A person is accepted as a Muslim if s/he adheres to the teachings of Allah and prophet Mohamed. According to the Islamic faith, no one is responsible for any other person’s sin and if one has sinned, there is a need to ask for forgiveness from Allah directly without any intermediary through prayer, and thus any prayer directed to any other being is idolatry.

In both religious groups, leaders, as well as devotees, play a very critical role in forming a morally upright society and in indoctrinating faith on many non-believers across the world. In addition to this aspect, they have tried to bridge the gap that exists between the rich and the poor by advocating for equality since they believe that all human beings are equal and God did not create anyone to suffer.

However, in terms of some cultural issues, these religions differ and an example of this assertion lies in marriage. The Islamic religion does not allow a person to marry a non-Islamic faithful, which is different from the Christian religion that does not dictate the religion of one’s marriage partner. Additionally, in dissimilarity to Christianity, Islam does not allow its followers to eat pork, as they believe that pigs are unholy.

These two religious denominations have realized the need to coexist with one another for the advancement of the society and to cut the animosity between the two faiths that have been in existence since their creation.

Efforts to encourage and foster mutual understanding have been put in place, which is a crucial move, as it will lead to more peace and harmony amongst believers in the future (Solomon & AL Maqdisi 2009). The two religions have also worked together by being instrumental in the control of population growth especially in developing third world countries.

As the two most favorite religious faiths across the world, both Christianity and Islam converge largely in the Old Testament, but they differ largely on the New Testament of the Bible. However, uniting these two faiths is very important especially in fighting social evils, poverty, and climate changes and in ensuring that people are taught effectively on how to be morally upright from a tender age.

Armstrong, K. (1993). A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.

Becker, C. (2010). Christianity and Islam. Charleston, SC: Bibliolife, LLC .

Kennedy, H. (2007 ). The Great Arab Conquests: How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live In . Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.

Solomon, S., & AL Maqdisi, E. (2009). A Common Word: The Undermining of the Church . Afton, VA: Advancing Native Missions Pub.

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Islam and Christianity

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Islam and Christianity by Daniel A. Madigan , Diego R. Sarrio LAST REVIEWED: 02 July 2019 LAST MODIFIED: 25 May 2011 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780195390155-0114

Islam and Christianity have been related since the former emerged as what Muslims would see as a divinely initiated reform and restoration of perennial prophetic religion, particularly in its Abrahamic forms in Judaism, Christianity, and the rituals of the sanctuary of Mecca. The relationship has been theological and cultural as well as political. Despite a common tendency to read “Islam and Christianity” as signifying “Islam and the West,” a substantial part of the interaction has taken place in the central Islamic lands. The Qur’an itself engages in conversation, sometimes controversy, with the biblical and postbiblical tradition, and Islamic thought developed in a close relationship of both dialogue and polemic with the existing traditions of the Middle East, particularly Christianity. Grand narratives about the relationship have tended either to see a history permanently marked by conflict between two incompatible systems or to see Islam and Christianity as integral parts of the continuing, though nonetheless contentious, history of Western monotheism. In either case, both traditions have continued to construct their identities in relation to one another.

The various partial bibliographies available may eventually be superseded by the monumental project of Thomas, et al. 2009 , which intends to cover all historical periods and geographical areas. The analyses of Anawati 1969 and Caspar 1975 , although now somewhat dated, are from two major authorities in the field. The bibliographies of Christian Arabic literature ( Graf 1944–1953 , Teule and Schepens 2005 , and North American Society for Christian Arabic Studies ) are generally for the specialist. The Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies, Oxford is developing more introductory resources, and the website of the Muslim dialogue initiative Common Word offers graduated lists.

Anawati, Georges C. “Polémique, apologie et dialogue islamo-chrétiens: Positions classiques médiévales et positions contemporaines.” Euntes Docete 22 (1969): 375–451.

Covering polemical works of Muslim authors from the 9th century to the 16th, then the most relevant works of both Muslim and Christian authors 1865 to 1968. The author analyzes 20th-century developments in Muslim attitudes toward Christianity by comparing them to the classical positions.

Caspar, Robert. “Bibliographie du dialogue islamo-chrétien.” Islamochristiana 1 (1975): 125–181.

Continued in Islamochristiana 2 (1976): 187–249; 3 (1977): 257–286; 4 (1978): 247–267; 5 (1979): 299–317; 6 (1980): 259–299; 7 (1981): 299–307; 10 (1984): 273–292; 13 (1987): 173–180; 15 (1989): 169–174. Covering the period from the 7th century to the 14th, this series of essays includes not only the works written in Arabic by both Muslim and Christian authors but also Christian works originally written in Greek, Latin, Armenian, Georgian, Coptic, and Syriac.

Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies, Oxford .

“Starter bibliographies” on various issues related to Muslim-Christian relations.

Common Word .

Graduated reading lists for the understanding of the two religions contributed by scholars (both Muslim and Christian) involved in the Common Word initiative.

Graf, Georg. Geschichte der christlichen arabischen Literatur . Studie testi 118, 133, 146, 147, 172. Vatican City: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 1944–1953.

History of Christian Arabic literature. Covers literature in Arabic concerned with Christianity until the end of the 19th century. Graf sought to complement Carl Brockelmann’s Geschichte der arabischen Literatur , which did not include Christian Arabic literature. A guide to the use of this work produced by the Middle East Librarian’s Association (MELA) is available online .

North American Society for Christian Arabic Studies .

Notices of recent publications in Christian Arabic studies, including many on Islam and Christianity.

Teule, Herman G. B., and Vic Schepens. “Christian Arabic Bibliography 1990–1995.” Journal of Eastern Christian Studies 57.1–2 (2005): 129–174.

DOI: 10.2143/JECS.57.1.2003120

This project from the Institute of Eastern Christian Studies (Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands) is compiling a bibliography of Christian Arabic studies since the work of Graf 1944–1953 . A subsequent publication by the same authors is “Christian Arabic Bibliography 1996–2000,” Journal of Eastern Christian Studies 58.1–2 (2006): 265–300.

Thomas, David, and Barbara Roggema, with Juan Pedro Monferrer Sala, Johannes Pahlitzsch, Mark Swanson, Herman Teule, and John Tolan, eds. Christian-Muslim Relations: A Bibliographical History . Vol. 1, 600–900 . The History of Christian-Muslim Relations 11. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, 2009.

DOI: 10.1163/ej.9789004169753.i-960

Impressive first volume of a major project covering all written sources to do with Muslim-Christian relations. In addition to David Thomas’s general survey, includes useful essays on the presentation of Christians in the Qur’an, in its commentaries, in prophetic biography, in hadith, and in Sunni law.

Thomas, David, and Alex Mallett, with Juan Pedro Monferrer Sala, Johannes Pahlitzsch, Mark Swanson, Herman Teule, and John Tolan, eds. Christian-Muslim Relations: A Bibliographical History . Vol. 2, 900–1050 . The History of Christian-Muslim Relations 14. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, 2010.

Originally projected to cover the period to 1200, because of the quantity of material this volume only covers the period prior to the Crusades. Introductory essays include David Thomas on Muslim regard for Christians and Christianity and Nicholas Drocourt on sources and themes of Christian-Muslim diplomatic relations in the period.

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