| Basic Islamic beliefs |
|
Evangelical
Christians |
Muslims |
| Elements
of faith |
One God, revealed
and experienced as the Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit |
Only one God, called
Allah |
| Key
figure in history |
Jesus Christ |
—Muhammad (or
Mohammed)
—A.D. 570-632
—The last in the line of prophets and the final authority
—Like the other prophets, he was infallible and sinless |
| Teachings on
Christ |
The person:
One divine, eternal person
His work:
Supreme example of God’s love for humans and His intended pattern
of living. Jesus is God, reconciling the world to Himself.
|
The person:
A major prophet but not the Son of God
His work:
—Lived a sinless life
—Taught people the Golden Rule
—Didn’t die on cross but was taken to heaven by Allah |
| Holy Spirit |
—Eternal member of the Trinity
—Guide for churches, Christians |
Angels are divine messengers. Many
Muslims call the angel Gabriel the Holy Spirit because he brought
the text of the Quran. |
| Holy writings |
—Bible (Old and New Testaments‚
—Authoritative, unique, inspired Word of God
—Norm of faith and practice |
—Quran (Koran)
—A later revelation, superseding and correcting errors in the
Bible
—The source of all certainty |
| Doctrine of
humanity |
—Created in God’s image
—Since Adam’s fall, sin is inherent
—All relationships damaged beyond human ability to repair |
—Created by God with ability
to follow will of Allah |
| Doctrine of
sin |
Willful rebellion against God |
Sin caused by forgetfulness, human
weakness and a spirit of rebellion |
| Doctrine of
salvation |
—God’s gift through Jesus
Christ’s atonement
—Received by grace through personal faith in Christ |
—Achieved by submitting to
the will of Allah and living a good life
—Works oriented |
| Meeting site |
Church |
Mosque (masjid in Arabic) |
| Life after death |
—Eternal communion with God
(heaven)
—Eternal separation from God (hell) |
—Final judgment with destination
of paradise or hell |
