The Names of God in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: A Basis for Interfaith Dialogue

Description

This book offers a welcome solution to the growing need for a common language in interfaith dialogue; particularly between the three Abrahamic faiths in our modern pluralistic society. The book suggests that the names given to God in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Qur'an, could be the very foundations and building blocks for a common language between the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths. On both a formal interfaith level, as well as between everyday followers of each doctrine, this book facilitates a more fruitful and universal understanding and respect of each sacred text; exploring both the commonalities and differences between each theology and their individual receptions. In a practical application of the methodologies of comparative theology, Maire Byrne shows that the titles, names and epithets given to God in the sacred texts of Judaism, Christianity and Islam contribute towards similar images of God in each case, and elucidates the importance of this for providing a viable starting point for interfaith dialogue. Contents Acknowledgements Abbreviations Abbreviations of Biblical Books Abbreviations of Translations Other Abbreviations Notes on Sacred Texts Used Chapter 1 Interfaith Dialogue and Comparative Theology Introduction Objectives of this Work Searching for a Methodology of Approach Using Comparative Theology as a Framework Methodology What Does This Study Mean by ‘Theology’? Comparative Theology and Reading Religious Texts Possible Difficulties with Comparative Theology Approach Chapter 2 Names and Naming The Importance of Names and Naming Naming: The Human Perspective The Philosophical Approach to Names The Function of a Name Naming the Divine A Christian Approach A Judaic Approach An Islamic Approach Limits of Language Anthropomorphism Chapter 3 Divine Designations in the Hebrew Bible Introduction Selecting the Names The Tetragrammaton (הוהי)4 The Divine Name as a Form of Self-Revelation Adonai (יָנֹדֲא) Adon (ןוֹדאָ) El (לֵא) God Elohim (םיהִֹלֱא) Shaddai (Almighty) (יַּדַׁש) YHWH (Lord) of Hosts (תֹואבְָצ הָוהְי) (YHWH Sabaoth) Creator (אֵרֹוב) Maker (הֶֹשֹע) The Holy God (ׁשוֹדָּקַה לֵאׇה) The Holy One of Israel (לֵארְָשׂיִ שׁוֹדְק) King (ְךֶלֶמ) Mighty God (רוֹבִג לֵא), Mighty One of Jacob (בֹקֲעַי ריבֲׅא), Mighty One of Israel (לֵארְָׂשיִ ריׅבֲא) Redeemer (לֵאֹג) Saviour (ַעיִׁשֹומ) The Living God (יַח םיׅהֹלא) The God of Israel (לֵארְָשׂיִ יֵהֹלֱא) / God of Jacob (בֹקֲעַי יֵהֹלֱא) God of Your Ancestor David (ָךיבׅא דוּׅדָ יחֵ-לאֱ) Father (באָ) Rock (רוּצ) Chapter 4 Divine Designations in the New Testament Introduction God as a Character in the New Testament Paul Ricoeur (1913–2005) and Naming God Gender-Neutral Language and God of the New Testament Is Jesus God? The Trinity in Christianity God as ‘Father’ Θεός Theos Abba Joachim Jeremias (1900–79) Does abba Mean Daddy? Reader-Response Some Conclusions of ‘Father’ and Abbai Other Designations Conclusion Chapter 5 Divine Designations in the Qur’an Introduction Categorizing the Names The Qur’an Recitation Memorization Translation Translation into English Theology in Islam God Interpreting the Qur’an 99 Most Beautiful Names Asma ul Husna Allah The 99 Most Beautiful Names of Allah Conclusion Chapter 6 Comparative Theologies and the Names of God Introduction Benefit for the Field of Academic Study of the Sacred Texts Benefit for a Religious Understanding of the Text The Deity as Creator The Deity as Father Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index