Harmony between the Bible and the Qur'an

[BrotherSka]

And remember that one must read the Qur'an in the original language to have any authority to discuss it with Muslims.

Hi Jedidijh:

Islam is approximately 500 years younger than Christianity. About 500 years ago, the Christian religious leaders discouraged the reading of scripture except in Latin, and primarilily or exclusively taught their religious traditions rather than what was written in the scriptures. Anyone who disagreed with the religious authority’s interpretations risked bodily harm and financial damage. Islamic religious leaders behave in a similar fashion today.

Please note that harmony is observed in any reputable English language Qur'an and Bible. There is no need to try to re-translate from classical arabic.

Regards.

[BrotherSka]

Well...for starters, the Bible says Jesus is God. The Quran does not.

Hi Desert Berean & Bill the Cat:

Since the nature of Jesus is a potential contentious issue among Muslims, perhaps we could discuss this issue on a separate thread. However, both the Bible and the Qur’an identify Jesus as a Prophet and the Messiah.

Regards.

[BrotherSka]

I believe the Bible and the Quran are in harmony, but not the same, as with the Torah and the NT, these books reflect the human record of what they believed at the times they wrote the books.

From the perspective of each religion, yes they are different, and Jews believe the NT is irreconcilably different from the Torah, and Christians believe the Quran is irreconcilably different from the Bible, but in reality the Quran is closer to the Torah than the NT.

Hi Shunryadragon:

I am not referring to an interfaith compromising type of harmony; rather, harmony which does not compromise any teaching or damage the integrity of any verse in either book.

Regards.

[BrotherSka]

First and foremost, unlike most people here (seemingly), I love difference, I respect difference and I want to know difference. Difference is not a bad thing, it is something to be admired and studied in its richness.

There are differences between Christianities and Islams just as there are differences between a Christianity and another Christianity. The main ones are that no Islams hold faith in a Triune God and one cannot be an orthodox Christian without proclaiming the Apostolic Creed. Also no Islams believe that Jesus was crucified, (although I would argue that religious language in this department needs to be understood much more figuratively), Islams hold belief in Jesus as prophet ascended to heaven who will return at the end of time. Perhaps we should understand the Islamic "Jesus" as another figure to the Christian "Jesus".

Allan

Hi Allan:

Your descriptions of Islamic religious traditions are accurate. However, I found harmony between the principal teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an, not Christian and Islamic religious traditions. What part of the Apostles Creed is in conflict with the Qur’an?

Regards.

[barnasha]

There was only one Jesus of Nazareth. You can contrast two views of him .

[JAYMZ]

not true.

Bible says Jesus is a man.
Bible says God is not a man.

neither a messiah (aka Christ) nor golden calf is a god which you can worship without breaking the first commandment which Jesus taught to his people.



yes but all those are strongly European traditions which arose after the books of the bible... we are talking about bible and quran

The bible shows that there is only one God. The bible shows that God will not share his Glory, honor, and worship with anyone or anything.

In the bible you see that, demons feared and obeyed him, the weather obeyed him, said that he had authority to forgive sins, accepted worship, raised the dead and rose from the dead himself.

DO THE MATH.

Or are you saying the jewish leaders were correct with their charge of blasphemy.

[barnasha]

One must read the bible in greek or hebrew to have authority, too. It's just many christians are not educated in this, whereas many muslims are. Some of this has to do with their culture - it doens't mean they are more educated than Christians.

(Note that many religious Jews also have some understanding of the hebrew language)

[Bill the Cat]

Hi Desert Berean & Bill the Cat:

Since the nature of Jesus is a potential contentious issue among Muslims, perhaps we could discuss this issue on a separate thread. However, both the Bible and the Qur’an identify Jesus as a Prophet and the Messiah.

Regards.

Yet that was only a portion of who Jesus is, so ignoring the second nature He possesses makes Him out to be merely a man, and thus, not the Jesus of the Bible.

[JAYMZ]

If any ones interested they can get a quran and check out Surah 3:45, 4:156-157, and 4:171.

Then read the related verses in the bible.

[popaface]

Hi Allan:

Your descriptions of Islamic religious traditions are accurate. However, I found harmony between the principal teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an, not Christian and Islamic religious traditions. What part of the Apostles Creed is in conflict with the Qur’an?

Regards.

It makes absolutely zero sense to see Christian Scripture outside of Christian Tradition. This is entirely a myth of contemporary Protestantism. The Christian Bible doesn't mean anything outside of its religion and its religion was always complex, just like any religion.

Allan

[barnasha]

It makes absolutely zero sense to see Christian Scripture outside of Christian Tradition. This is entirely a myth of contemporary Protestantism. The Christian Bible doesn't mean anything outside of its religion and its religion was always complex, just like any religion.

Allan

Since the large majority of christian tradition (i.e. the doctrines and traditions of the "Christian Church") inarguably postdates the text, one could more easily argue the opposite.

[JAYMZ]

Since the large majority of christian tradition (i.e. the doctrines and traditions of the "Christian Church") inarguably postdates the text, one could more easily argue the opposite.

The doctrines come from the text.

[JAYMZ]

If any ones interested they can get a quran and check out Surah 3:45, 4:156-157, and 4:171.

Then read the related verses in the bible.

The quran pays lip service to Jesus, but nothing more.

[popaface]

Since the large majority of christian tradition (i.e. the doctrines and traditions of the "Christian Church") inarguably postdates the text, one could more easily argue the opposite.

It was these Christians traditions that chose and interpreted the text in order to come up with the Christian traditions that chose the canons which inform the ritual and sacraments and creeds that were considered normative for Christian communities. My goodness, it's not a simple linear process at all, it's complex and messy and separating the Christian text from the Christian traditions that chose them is just plain wack. Especially when you're doing it in favour of contemporary "traditions" of interpretations which themselves only exist because of the entire history of interpretation of the various passages.

See how complex it is. Take it from me, I've done a Bachelor of Theology and I can tell you now that there is absolutely no possible way of distinguishing between "Scripture" and "Tradition".

I'd also argue that since Hans Georg Gadamer, "interpretation" and "hermeneutic" because a very very problematic concept.

And lastly, I'd argue, "What do you mean by a 'Christian canon'?" As far as I can see there is, and never was, a standardized Christian canon, just as there is, and never was, a standardized "Christianity". History is full of fluidity when it comes to "Scripture".

Allan

[BrotherSka]

The bible shows that there is only one God. The bible shows that God will not share his Glory, honor, and worship with anyone or anything.

In the bible you see that, demons feared and obeyed him, the weather obeyed him, said that he had authority to forgive sins, accepted worship, raised the dead and rose from the dead himself.

DO THE MATH.

Or are you saying the jewish leaders were correct with their charge of blasphemy.

Hi Jaymz:

Please note that God gave Jesus authority over many things. Before Jesus died, He acknowledged that his authority came from God, and that eternal life was obtained by knowing His Father, who is the only true God, and by knowing Jesus, the Messiah, whom God had sent.

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (John 17:1-3)

After Jesus was crucified, Jesus proclaimed that He had received additional authority:

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28:18)

Also, I read the Qur’anic verses that you published. As I said, there is harmony between the Bible and the Qur’an, but not between Christian and Islamic religious traditions.

Further, not all doctrines come from the text.

Regards.