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Shared Stories, Rival Tellings: Early Encounters of Jews, Christians, and Muslims

Online ISBN:
9780190231521
Print ISBN:
9780190231491
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Book

Shared Stories, Rival Tellings: Early Encounters of Jews, Christians, and Muslims

Robert C. Gregg
Robert C. Gregg

Emeritus Professor in Religious Studies

Emeritus Professor in Religious Studies, Stanford University
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Published online:
20 August 2015
Published in print:
1 October 2015
Online ISBN:
9780190231521
Print ISBN:
9780190231491
Publisher:
Oxford University Press

Abstract

The phrase “Abrahamic Religions” points to commonalities between Jews, Christians, and Muslims, but downplays critical differences between the three communities’ systems of belief and practice. Commonalities involve being book centered, and having in their cherished writings—the two Bibles and the Qur’an—revelations attributed to one God, not many. Twenty-seven narratives are, though not strictly identical in form and content, sacred to the three religions. They feature such personages as Adam and Eve, Noah, Lot, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, and Job, as well as notable prophets of God, like Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, and in the case of the Christian Bible and the Qur’an, John the Baptist and Jesus. To begin a historical query into the similarities and the critical differences, this investigation probes the character and content of first encounters between Jews and Christians beginning in the first century, and then interactions among Jews, Christians, and Muslims beginning in the seventh. How and why did rival tellings of shared stories exist, energizing distinction-drawing among the three communities? Brought to light as five narratives serve as case-studies is the cultural importance, from an early point, of specialists in biblical- and qur’anic-interpretation. These word-by-word text exegetes, commentators, historians, artists, preachers, and story-tellers labored to clarify, expand, and adapt to new times and places their religions’ sacred lore. They are the main actors in this book.

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