Thursday, July 17, 2008

Christian Trinitarianism and Muslim Unitarianism

This won't be a detailed look at Christian Trinitarianism - I am not a theologian, and there are many better qualified than I to make the complete case - but I did want to cite my two favorite Bible verses on the topic.

Pay special attention to the wording of verse 19, below:

Matthew 28:18-20 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Footnotes:

Matthew 28:19 Or into; see Acts 8:16; 19:5; Romans 6:3; 1 Cor. 1:13; 10:2 and Gal. 3:27.


But this is probably my favorite Trinitarian verse:

Matthew 3:16-17 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."


The Son, the dove, and the voice from heaven; gotta love it.

But if I feel myself unqualified to make the theological argument for Christian Trinitarianism, I definitely feel myself unqualified to make the theological argument for Muslim Unitarianism. Here is part of an article at beconvinced.com:

«"They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity, for there is no god except One God."» (Qur'an 5:73) It is worth noting that the Arabic language Bible uses the name "Allah" as the name of God....

While the Qur'an does condemn both trinitarianism (the Qur'an 4:17) and
the worship of Jesus and his mother Mary (the Qur'an 5:116), nowhere does it identify the actual three components of the Christian Trinity. The
position of the Qur'an is that WHO or WHAT comprises this doctrine is not
important; what is important is that the very notion of a Trinity is an
affront against the concept of One God....

[W]e see that the doctrine of the Trinity is a concept
conceived entirely by man; there is no sanction whatsoever from God to be
found regarding the matter simply because the whole idea of a Trinity of
divine beings has no place in monotheism. In the Qur'an, God's Final
Revelations to mankind, we find His stand quite clearly stated in a
number of eloquent passages:

«"...your God is One God: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner."» (Qur'an 18:110)

«"...take not, with God, another object of worship, lest you should be thrown into Hell, blameworthy and rejected."» (Qur'an 17:39)

...Because, as God tells us over and over again in a Message that is
echoed throughout All His Revealed Scriptures:

«"...I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore, serve Me (and no other)..."» (Qur'an 21:92)


To be continued.

[SUNDAY: PART TWO.]

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