This is the last post for awhile on the topic of the Common Word document as well as Islam and Christianity’s shared monotheistic background will be to clarify some of my statements as well as point the reader to further resources on this topic. My hope regarding these posts is that Muslims and Christians can realize that we share a common heritage in faith in one God and that that faith should move us towards relationship and whatever else that might lead to. May we find true peace, salaam, not the kind of peace the world offers which is human driven, but the peace that only God can provide. True peace.
One of my statements that I have received feedback regarding is,
I guess at this point, I should just say it straight and plain. Jesus is not God, if what I mean is Jesus is God the Creator, the Most High God over all.”
I’d like to clarify especially to Christians what I mean by this, but I think this also is good for Muslims to gain a glimpse into intra-Christian dialog about certain hot topics of Biblical theology. In earlier posts, I dealt with Jesus’ title “Son of God” and how this was a Jewish term meaning the one prophesied to continue the Davidic (Nabi Dawud) line of Kingship, a similar title being that of Messiah or al-Masih. This title does not mean that Jesus is the progeny of God and Mary having physical relations, nor does this title mean that Jesus is a second god in heaven with God. Both of these views would be considered against what the Bible teaches.
So, regarding my statement that Jesus isn’t God Most High, I’d like to first point to a verse in the Qur’an and then I’ll explain why I am making this statement. In Al-Maeda 5:17 it says,
005.017 لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ قُلْ فَمَنْ يَمْلِكُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا إِنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُهْلِكَ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ وَمَنْ فِي الأرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا يخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ 005.017 In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: “Who then hath the least power against Allah, if His will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all every – one that is on the earth? For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between. He createth what He pleaseth. For Allah hath power over all things.”
The part of this verse I’d like to focus on is those that are saying that “Allah is Christ the son of Mary.” What might this mean from an Islamic perspective?
Later in Al-Maeda 5:73 it says,
005.073 لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلاثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَهٍ إِلا إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهُوا عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ 005.073 They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them.
What is obvious from these two quotes is that there were some Christians in Arabia who were saying that Allah is Jesus and also somehow were communicating that Allah is one of three gods that form the Trinity. My growing conviction from spending time with Muslims and discussing these issues is that when we say Trinity and when we make statements like “Jesus is Allah” or “Allah is Jesus” what they may hear is first that Jesus is the Most High God over all, and secondly, that we are saying Allah shares heaven with two other gods, one being Jesus.
I think most Christians I know would outrightly reject the latter statement. The Biblical view is that Jesus is not taught to be a second god in heaven with God Most High.
Now the first statement is the most difficult. When I say Jesus is not Allah or Allah is not Jesus, my meaning is that this is not a good way to describe who Jesus is. It’s fraught with confusion, it leads to an impression of bi-theism or belief in at least two if not three gods, etc. A better way of communicating Jesus’ nature from the Biblical perspective is to refer to Jesus as the Word of God.
Some of my current research has taken me into the origins of the doctrine of the Trinity. Why has this doctrine caused so many problems and why has it led to the belief that Christians are polytheistic or tri-theistic? Even at a personal level in my life it has led to much confusion and I know many have lost their faith as a result of not being able to make sense of this.
One of the things I’ve discovered from my research is that this doctrine was pegged to an earlier one regarding Jesus’ title, the Word of God or kalimatullah. Prior to Christianity, Judaism had within its monotheistic understanding of God a belief in God being both high and lifted up as well as being involved in the world. God revealed Himself through such things as His Wisdom and His Word. This didn’t mean that His Wisdom or His Word were separate gods or partners, no, they were a part of His inner nature and the means of expressing Himself to His creation.
This understanding was also prevalent within Christianity. John 1:1 is a great example,
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So, the title and language that would give foundation to the doctrine of the Trinity came from Jesus’ title, the Word of God. Within Islam too, Jesus has been given this title, kalimatullah.
Another interesting point is to note a popular doctrine within Islam regarding the Qur’an’s uncreatedness and eternality. This understanding of God’s Word is very similar to our understanding of who Jesus was as God’s Word. Hopefully by now, Christians understand that I’m not trying to deny Jesus who the Bible teaches him to be, I’m actually trying to be more faithful to what the Bible actually teaches. Instead of preserving doctrine and tradition that has gotten away from the initial language of the Bible, this earlier language was Word Christology or referring to Jesus as he who the Word of God became. This doesn’t necessarily mean I’m denying later doctrine and tradition, but these doctrines and traditions need to be understood within the earlier understanding of Jesus as God’s Word, otherwise, one can easily read later theology back into the Bible and come up with a new interpretation that wasn’t what was originally intended.
I’ll leave today with a quote from James D.G. Dunn,
And an emphasis on Christ as the Son, independent of that earlier Logos-christology, can easily become in effect an expression of the very bitheism or tritheism of which Judaism and Islam accuse Christianity. It is of crucial importance for a right appreciation of Christian orthodoxy, therefore, to bear in mind that Father/Son Trinitarian language has to be read and understood within the context of Christian monotheism. If the credal Son of God language is not understood as an expression of Logos-christology it is misunderstood. (Dunn, 1989, pp. xxxi).
For more on this sensitive topic, please see the following: Christology in the Making by James D.G. Dunn New Paths in Interfaith Dialog The Word of God in Islam and Christianity
Posted by najashi 
