Religious Traditions: Christianity and Islam
Examining the Emergence of Christianity and Islam
A Description of Christianity
Christianity followed the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as its primary influence, with rituals following life, death by crucifixion, and a belief in his return in the future. Christianity follows the teachings of the apostles who witnessed the life of Jesus. Christians worship one God in Trinity form. They see Him as the creator of the universe. The growth of Christianity led to the development of three main branches: Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodoxy.
A Summary of the Emergence of Christian Influence on the Roman World
Between 620 and 750 C.E., the world’s major religions were Christianity and Islam. The formation of Christianity had a significant influence on the Roman world. On the other hand, the emergence and growth of Islam also led to significant impacts during the same period. Critical differences between the two religions at the time resulted in clear divisions among followers and shaped religious conflicts. Emperor Constantine converted the Empire to Christianity, making the underground-oppressed movement a dominant religion. The Christian culture became a characteristic of the Empire that would remain even after it fell, symbolizing stability for many people.
Why Christianity Appealed to People after the Fall of Rome
Christianity’s mission was to create a new community, which is why it succeeded. The message of the religion promised believers gifts on a spiritual dimension that would alleviate ordinary suffering and provide people with immortality. People were attracted to the promise of a life without sickness and poverty. The message also explained that humans were related to an entity more extensive than all the world’s powers. In the Roman Empire, the world was full of inequality and poverty. A few people enjoyed great wealth and power without suffering, sickness, and disease. Christianity prevailed because it concentrated on teaching equality and giving out the commandment of love that people should care for one another.
Christianity survived after the fall of the Roman Empire because it was mainly an outsider religion. As the population of Romans shrunk, so did its pagan aristocracy. Meanwhile, the immigration of the rural people who were Christians in the Empire supported the growth of Christianity. Another factor for growth despite the fall of the Empire was the composition of Christianity followers, who were mainly from different backgrounds outside the Empire. Indeed, Christianity was a product of the changing face of City life throughout the Roman Empire. In addition, the message of Christianity was about the wrath of God and the need for repentance. Natural calamities like plagues cause the number of Christians to remain high relative to non-Christians’ shrinkage, eventually making the religion dominant. An appeal to peace made the religion attractive after the fall of Rome.
A Description of Islam
The essential characteristic of Islam is the acceptance of doctrine calling for submission to God. It also asks followers to submit to Muhammad as God’s main and last prophet. The religious teachings show that God’s knowledge is passed through prophets like Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. In the time of Muhammad, the revelations from God were written in the Quran. Other characteristics of Islam include a five-time daily prayer, fasting during Ramadan, making a pilgrimage in one’s lifetime, and giving money to the poor. Others declare Allah as God and mention Muhammad as the chief prophet of Allah.
Three Key Events in Muhammad’s Life and the Way These Events Affected the Rise of Islam
There was no separation of church and state at the time of Muhammad. The culture and politics of the Islamic world were the same. At the same time, Islamic believers embraced the concept of Jihad, a holy war where proponents of Islam would force the conversion of non-believers into Islam. Muhammad entered a treaty with the Jews and Non-Muslims in Medina to bring peace to the region. The settlement in Medina by Muhammad supported the growth of Islam as a superior religion attracting admirers from around the world.
Muhammad’s last sermon cemented the Islamic practices of saying five prayers daily, giving out zakat, performing a Hajj, and fasting during Ramadan. The prophet’s death led the Muslims to believe in the promise of paradise after holy death, where prophets, saints, martyrs, and the righteous meet again for eternity.
Islam’s Effect on Culture and Politics from 620 to 750 CE.
Islam changed the laws of the regions it conquered in the Arab world and North Africa. It also created a tax, a characteristic of reduced religious freedom. In this regard, Islam imposed itself on other cultures and eroded them in aspects that did not support Islam’s cultural expectations. The religion forced governance to be provided by a Muslim leader, who would also receive taxes from both believers’ “zakat” and non-believers’ “jizya”.
How the ideologies of Christianity and Islam affected the causes and effects of the Crusades
Muslims conquered Jerusalem in 638 C.E. and extended the influence and role of religion through North Africa during that time. The Islamic spread expanded to the Roman Empire with the siege of Constantinople. Eventually, the battle of Tours led to the defeat of the Muslim army and the triumph of Christianity in the region — the crusades of Islam aimed at ensuring that the teaching of the religion was enforced throughout the world. Muhammad was the last prophet, and everyone had to pray to Allah as the only God. Hence, in the period under review, Muslim Crusaders conquered Damascus, Iran, Egypt, Syria and Palestine, North Africa, and Afghanistan, among other regions. During the Islamic Crusades, there were many battles with significant casualties. Muslims took defeat as additional indicators of the need to conquer. As the crusades spread, Islamic victory led to Islamic states in Europe and North America. In 719, the Arab governorship took a seat in Cordova, Spain.
The Christian crusades followed the ideology that Christianity needed to spread and people worldwide needed salvation. The Crusades to the East were retaliatory to the invasion by Islamic jihadists who forced people to convert to Islam. Since the Islamic crusades aimed at destroying the Christian religion and establishing Muslim rule, the Christian crusades were organized to defend the ideals of Christianity. They include equality, peace, and protection of the poor and needy in society. For Christians, participating in a crusade became a penitential act of charity and love. The values of self-sacrifice shown by Christian Crusaders also strengthened the faith of others and brought them closer to the teachings of Jesus. The need to protect Christ’s history and rescue Christians in the East led the Crusaders from Europe to Jerusalem and beyond.
