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Table of Contents Jesus – Son of Mary Jesus – Messenger & Prophet Conclusion The series ‘Jesus Factors in Islam and Christianity’ considers the two narratives of the person of Jesus as noted in both the Qur’an and the Bible as contributing to different assumptions. In mathematics and some algebraic expressions, factors are defined as “one of two or more numbers, or the like, when multiplied together result in a given product.” For example, 8 and 5 are factors of 40. In this light, it views the Islamic interpretation of the person of Jesus as one factor, and the Christian interpretation of the person of Jesus as another factor. This series is tasked with examining the characterization of Jesus in the Qur’an, namely: a messenger and a prophet, who was neither crucified nor killed. Jesus – Son of Mary In the surah  (Maryam 19)  of the Qur’an, Jesus is described as the son of Mary, and through the different Mary sayings the person and mission of Jesus were characterized as a m...

Table of Contents The Qur’an – Reasons Qur’an and Revelation Further Arguments from Scholars The three Abrahamic religions, namely: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have claims to three different yet analogical sacred books. For Judaism, it is the Torah; for Christianity, it is the Bible; and for Islam, it is the Qur’an. All three lay claims to the divine revelation of their holy books respectively. In this brief writing, the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an will be introduced and described as a spiritual guide to Muslims as well as the straightway to God ( al-Fatihah  1:6). In the course of this description, an emphasis on its claim to revelation will be examined, such as the reasons why the Qur’an was revealed and how it views revelation. The other two sacred books, namely: the Bible and Torah have no place in this piece of writing. The Qur’an – Reasons The Qur’an is the sacred scripture of the Islamic religion. The word “Qur’an” takes its formation from the Arabic root “ qara’a...

Table of Contents Trinitarianism – A Monotheistic Pattern Tawhid – A Monotheistic Pattern Trinitarianism and Tawhid in Contest Necessity and Contingency Arguments Conclusion The idea of Trinitarianism comes from the monotheistic Christian doctrine that views God as a Trinity of Persons – ‘God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit’. On the opposite spectrum, the idea of Tawhid  (that is, making one or claiming oneness)  follows from the monotheistic Islamic doctrine that defines God as ‘one’ and ‘undivided unity’ emphasizing that ‘there is no god but God’. Therefore, in this writing, we will try to examine the two religious doctrinal patterns about God. Our aim here is not to review all monotheistic religions. Here, we aim to concentrate on the two doctrines mentioned above and to review some of the arguments as well as critique some of the assumptions. Trinitarianism – A Monotheistic Pattern Christian doctrines and theologies focus on and develop from and around the...

Table of Contents Early Contacts between Christianity and Islam Monk Bahira The Migration to Axum Kingdom Christianity and Islam have always been two noxious bedfellows and yet always proclaim and wish peace on earth. It would not be a crass assumption to state that the two religions have over the centuries crossed paths and re-crossed paths many times. Crossing paths might have been in their ideologies, conflicts, doctrinal interpretations and even sharing some physical spaces. Therefore, in this brief writing, we will explore the early contacts between Christianity and Islam and see how they have influenced each other. Early Contacts between Christianity and Islam The early contacts between Christianity and Islam were not short of frames.  According to Kaufman et al., “frames are cognitive shortcuts that people use to help make sense of complex information.” They are means of interpreting our world and perhaps, the world of other people around us.  Such interpretations helpe...

Table of Contents The Old Man in Blackfoot’s Religion His Creative Powers The Sun in Blackfoot’s Religion To describe the Old Man in Blackfoot’s religion as a sage without good fortune is a contradiction in terms or better still, a decrepit god battered by his paradoxes. The notion of the Old Man otherwise known as  “Na’pi”  in  Blackfoot’s religion is a central figure in Blackfeet cosmology. The Blackfeet are a Native American tribe from the Great Plains. Some writers have reasoned that the Blackfoot tribe consists of four different groups of Native Americans. There are the Siksika, Kanai, and Northern Pikuni who live in Canada. The fourth group, the Amskapi Pikuni settled mainly in Montana. Some writers have suggested that there are about 16,000 registered members, with over 80,000 people claiming Blackfoot heritage. Can the Old Man, who is a god be considered wise and foolish at the same time? Understood in this light confines the notion into a competing duality and ...

Table of Contents The Igbo Tribe Same-Sex Marriage – Definition & Brief History Same-Sex Marriage in Igbo Cultural Traditions Conclusion This writing claims that same-sex marriage in Igbo culture is necessary, an improvisation, and a  ‘like with like’  construal. By construal, it places Igbo same-sex marriage in a social psychological context and views an individual as finding out ways or means to understand and interpret his-her surroundings, and the behaviour and actions of the people around and towards him-her. The reason for this claim is not far-fetched. The Igbo Tribe The Igbo is a major ethnic group in Nigeria with an estimated population of about 32 million. It is one of the largest in Africa adding to 18% of the total 177 million people of Nigeria. Igbo land consists of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states of Nigeria. However, Igbos can be found in these other states of Nigeria: Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River. Outside of Nigeria, the Igbo tribe ...