Islam and Christianity: comparative theology and history

Islam and Christianity share many beliefs yet possess distinct differences.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are three closely related religions and because they all revere Abraham and certain other patriarchs mentioned in the Bible as their spiritual ancestors, all three are referred to as Abramic religions (Comparing pp). Christianity is believed to have been founded in 32 C.E. And Islam in 662 C.E. (Comparing pp). According to one 2001 estimation, 76% of the United States population is Christian, while 0.5% are Muslims, however, it is estimated that sometime within the next several decades Islam will become the most popular religion in the world (Comparing pp). This is due to the fact that Islam has the world's lowest rate of being converted and one of the world's highest rates of converting (Kreeft pp).

Christians believe that God, the deity is found in the Trinity; basically three persons in one Godhead, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, while Islam believes God, Allah, is one and indivisible (Comparing pp). In Christianity Jesus is considered to be the Son of God and is worshiped as God as part of the Trinity, while in Islam Jesus is highly respected as the second-last prophet (Comparing pp). Both Christianity and Islam believe in the Virgin birth, however, Christians believe Jesus was executed by Roman Army in 30 CE, was resurrected, and then ascended into heaven, while Islam believes he was merely a human being and prophet (Comparing pp). Christians believe that Adam disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, but Islam believes that Adam is free from all major sins and faults and some regard him as a prophet (Comparing pp).

Christians adhere to the Bible and New Testament, while Islam adheres to the Qur'an, which is said to be the word of God spoken through Muhammad (Comparing pp). Both religions believe in the concept of heaven and hell and the confession of sins (Comparing pp). Friday is the main day of worship in the Mosque for Muslims, while for Christians it is Saturday or Sunday in a church (Comparing pp).

In one sense Islam is a simplification of Christianity just as Buddhism is a simplification of Hinduism, however, Islam adds to Christianity, for where Jews have only our Old Testament Scriptures and Christians add the New Testament, Muslims also add the Quran (Kreeft pp). Muslims accept the claims of the Jewish prophets to be sent by God and believe that Jesus deepened this revelation and that Mohammed completed it (Kreeft pp).