Christianity, Judaism, and Islam

This paper is a consideration of three of the world's most popular religions - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam - and their potential place in life in the 21st century. This paper posits a future in which technology has contributed to an increase in prosperity, helped to reverse current environmental stresses, allowed humankind to regularly travel beyond Earth, and provided a bountiful society for the majority of earth's citizens. In this new world, organized religion can be expected to continue to serve an important purpose, but only by being willing and able to adapt to a world transformed by science. The dramatic changes that have occurred in this century have already proved the durability and flexibility of the world's great religions in remaining relevant to daily life.

Paul Boyer (1992) devoted several years and considerable effort to researching and writing an exhaustive study of post-World War II prophecy belief in America. At times, he questioned whether the subject merited such intense scrutiny, but he ultimately concluded that his work was justified by the universality of interest in the possibility of an imminent apocalypse. World events, especially the destruction wrought by the two atomic bombs exploded over Japan in 1945, helped make the end of the world a legitimate topic for discussion and concern in mainstream society. Boyer notes that writers prophesying the end of the world saw ample proof for their arguments in modern society: "The rising ooze of

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he sacred city of monotheism (1995, p. 230). Islam's monotheism demands a more precise observation than either Christianity or Judaism. As Paul Varo Martinson describes it, followers of Islam "are obligated to be available for the service of their Lord, and to put the entire earth under God's lordship" (1994, p. 37). The religion is founded on five "pillars," five strictly prescribed sets of duties that, not incidentally, serve to keep followers separated from nonbelievers. On closer examination, however, Islam's "closeness to Judaism and Christianity becomes clear: In Islam, too, the primary concern is for the right relationship of humanity with the one and only God" (Martinson, 1994, p. 36). Miles notes, "Christianity and Islam do understand themselves to worship the same being that Israel first worshipped" (1995, p. 230). The abilities to adapt to modern American life that both older religions have demonstrated offer intriguing examples for Islam to follow in its own evolution. Martinson talks of profound change that is already occurring within many Muslim societies, creating a tension between tradition and the modern world (1994, pp. 62-64). Different societies have found different solutions; Turkey, for example, has d

Category: Philosophy - C