by Dubravka Majer

Created on: July 25, 2009   Last Updated: July 26, 2009

Analysis of the context of history in which the Abrahamic religions emerged

The confrontations between Judaism, Islam and Christianity were colored by political and social consideration. Considering the growing interest in the exchange between East and West many thinkers will not be able to rest with older formulations concerning the nature of other religious systems. Monotheistic' religions that circle our Aura in one concrete spiritual being began with Abraham.

Abraham was first of the Hebrew patriarchs. He was also father of faith for the three great monotheistic' religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He is presented as a seer or prophet. Whenever a new Prophet emerged the whole civilized world was going forward hundreds of years in the evolution. Jesus enlightens our world for at least 700 years. Abram (The Father is Exalted), later named Abraham (The Father of Many Nations) was called by God to leave his own Ur in Mesopotamia and journey to Harran, where he will become founder of a new nation.

In nearly 4,000 years of historical development, the Jewish people and their religion have displayed both, a remarkable adaptility and continuity. In their encounter with great civilizations, from ancient Babylonia and Egypt down to Christendom and modern secular culture, they have assimilated foreign elements and integrated them in their own socio-religions system, thus maintaining a line of ethnic and religious tradition. Law became major instrumentality by which Judaism was to bring about the reign of God on earth. According to Judaic belief, it is in the historical evolution of man that the divine guidance constantly manifests itself.

Christianity began as a movement within Judaism at the period when the Jews had long been under foreign influence and rule. From Amos (8th century BC) onward the religion of Israel was marked by tension between the concept of monotheism, with its universal ideal of salvation (for all nations), and the nation of God's special choice of Israel. The Old Testament faith viewed history as the stage of providential data eventually ending in a triumph of God over all present sources of frustration. An anointed prince (the Messiah) of the like of David would establish God's rule. The word and acts of Jesus were believed to be the inauguration of a process that was to culminate in a final triumph of God. When Constantine the Great, was converted to Christianity he brought the Church out of its withdrawal from the world to accept

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