The Nasrani Symbol

The Arabic Letter "N" that stands for "Nasrani", i.e. Christians. ISIS used this letter to mark the homes of Christians left in Iraq. “N”, or ن, is the first letter of the Arabic word for Christian, “Nasrani” or Nazarene. The letter has become as symbol of global solidarity with Mosul Christians. The Nazarene taught that it is impossible not to love when He loved the world so much that He gave Himself into the hand of the violent in order to save them for their sins.

The depth of estrangement and contortion was manifest in the kind of death administered: the death of the Cross. It was the world that failed to recognize Him – the world that belonged to Him. Yet, the real story is not that the world rejected Him; the real story is that He was willing to let the world reject Him. Divine self-emptying, divine servanthood, and divine crucifixion are powerful themes that shock the philosophy of religion. Nietzsche called the greatest of all sins to be the murder of God (deicide). There was nothing more sinful than that. On the reverse, the greatest of all righteousness fulfilled was in the self-giving of the Son of God. This self-giving brought an end to the history of hostility between man and God. It cancelled all debts. Man had committed the greatest of all crimes, and God had allowed it to be done to Him in the ultimate divine sacrifice. The Cross was where Justice and Love met vis-à-vis. It was where man affirmed his estrangement and God affirmed His belongedness. It was where God accepted man as he was. The one act of righteousness by the Son of God nullified forever the writ of accusation against all humanity. The veil was torn away; the entrance is paved, now the ball is in our court. He has accepted us. Do we receive Him or choose to remain estranged? (Estrangement and Belongedness)

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Conceptual Differences Between Islam and Christianity

TERMS	ISLAM	CHRISTIANITY
God	Creator of the Universe; One Almighty God; Spirit	Creator of the Universe; One Almighty God; Triune: Father-Son-Holy Spirit; Spirit
World	Creation of God in Linear Time	Creation of God in Linear Time
Man	Creation of God, God’s Agent in the World	Creation of God; Made in God’s Image
Sin	Violation of Sharia	Violation of God’s Law; Violation of Love
Abraham	Father of Ishmael, Chosen of God	Father of Ishmael and Isaac; But, Isaac is Chosen for the Messianic Line
Salvation	By Good Works	By Grace of God; By Faith in The Atoning Sacrifice of Jesus
Angels	Angels of God	Angels of God
Demons	Some Jinns are Good; Evil Spirits Exist; Arch-demon: Satan	Fallen Angels; Arch-demon; Satan
Spiritual Power	Magic Powers	Power of Holy Spirit
Jesus Christ	Prophet of God; Born of Virgin; Will Return at End of Times	Son of God; Incarnated for Atonement of Sins; Will Return at End of Times
Bible	Torah and Gospels are God-Given; But, Modern Versions Are Corrupted	Inspired; Infallible; Inerrant
Heaven	Jannah- Paradise; Place of Comfort and Pleasure	Dwelling Place of God
Hell	Place of Torment	Place of Torment
Politics	Religion and State Are Indivisible	Caesar and Temple Are Separate
Holy Places	Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem	No Geographical City on Earth
Temple	Mosques	The Body of Believer is Temple of God
Offerings	Meritorious	Dedication; Belongedness
Initiation to Discipleship	Circumcision (Tahara: Purification) – not considered compulsory	Baptism
Pilgrimage	Hajj – Meritorious	None
Sacrifice	dabiha– at Eid-ul-Adha in remembrance of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Ishmael	Christ is the True and Final Sacrifice for the Sins of the World
Prayer	Namaz, Salaat	Personal, Corporate
Almsgiving	Meritorious	Pure Religion (Non-Meritorious)
Religious Leader	Any Educated or Respected Figure; Scholar (‘alim – Pl. ulamah)	Pastor, Christian Ministers in the 5-Fold Ministry Gifts
Community	Ummah – Commonwealth of Believers	Church - Ecclesiastical
Resurrection	Ummah – At the End of the Age	At the End of the Age
Judgment	Ummah – The Last Day: Judgement Day: God will Judge the Living and the Dead	The Last Day: Judgement Day: God will Judge the Living and the Dead

Conceptual Differences Between Hinduism and Christianity

TERMS	HINDUISM	CHRISTIANITY
God	One Of The Many Gods; Ultimate Reality; Soul of the Universe	One God; Triune: Father-Son-Holy Spirit
World	Eternal, Cyclical, Subject To Law Of Karma; Subject To Maya	Created Out Of Nothing By God; Real
Man	Self Is Divine, Birth-Death-Rebirth	Creation-Fall-Judgment; Birth-Death-Judgment
Heavenly Beings	Devatas	Angels
Demons	Asuras, Rakshashas	Fallen Angels
Nature	Sattva-Rajas-Tamas	Subject To Corruption
Sin	Transgression Of Caste-Duty	Transgression Of Love
Righteousness	Dharma (Caste-Duty)	Law And Will Of God; Right Standing With God
Incarnation Of Deity	Multiple; Partial; To Destroy Wicked	Single; Final; Complete; Permanent; To Save Sinners
Spiritual Power	Through Self-Realization; Activation Of Power Centers In Body; Mantrik; Tantric; Siddhi	Of The Holy Spirit
Sacrifice	Yagya– accompanied with Vedic chants; to appease gods; to ward off evil spirits; Some sacrifices may be to appease the evil spirits; in occultic groups, sacrifice is connected to tantrik power	Christ is the True and Final Sacrifice for the Sins of the World
Salvation	Self-Realization, Samadhi, Super-Consciousness; Deliverance From Cycle Of Rebirth; Through Meritorious Efforts Or Bhakti	Deliverance From The Penalty Of Sin By Faith In The Atoning Sacrifice Of Jesus Christ
Heaven	Ruled By Indra, Place Of Pleasure, Dwelling Place Of Gods And Goddesses	Ruled By God, Dwelling Place Of God, Dwelling Place Of Angels, Dwelling Place Of The Redeemed
Hell	Place Of Torment	Place Of Torment
Offerings	Meritorious	Dedication; Belongedness
Temple	Earthly Place Of Worship	The Christian’s Body; Heaven
Holy Places	Pilgrimage Considered Meritorious	Where Two or Three Are Gathered in Christ’s Name, He Is In Their Midst
Priesthood	Brahminism	Priesthood of Believers; Jesus is the High Priest

Christianity and Culture

Any religion best relates to a culture by relating well with other components of the culture. A healthy religion is one that contributes to the constructive development of the whole culture by elimination of destructive elements and development of edifying ones. Since man is a rational, emotional, truth loving, political, sociological, and religious being, each of his needs must be healthily met. And so it is not practically possible for any religion not to contribute in any way to the culture. But the question is "Can Christianity maintain a healthy relationship with culture by being a significant factor in its development?"

Relationship with nature has been a significant feature of many religions. Totally segregating from any relationship with nature is impossible since survival requires relationships with nature. Even in religions like Hinduism, Catholicism, Buddhism, and Jainism ascetism has been the pursuit of a few, while the majority liberal, considered the common laymen, are left to pursue in accordance to the religious values vital relationships with nature. As a matter of fact, the blessings of the ascetics are often sought for natural prosperity. Any purely ascetic religion paralyses material cultural progression. And such asceticism doesn't appeal to the common folk. And so cultural developments, despite presence of ascetic elements in religion, are very obvious in India, China, Sri Lanka, and Japan.

Troeltsch expressed his conviction that Christianity was the only religion that can be endured or lived with by European culture. He viewed religion as a necessity of every culture but thought that trying to transplant any religion into alien soil was doomed to failure. A religion grows only in a certain soil and a certain climate. Separate it from that environment, and the results may be fatal. Troeltsch, evidently, was assuming too much. Christianity was born and grew up in Palestine but is the major religion, not of Palestine but of Europe, America, and important parts of Asia, Africa, and Australia. This despite the fact that it was already a dominant 'Way' in Jerusalem during the first century A.D. Buddhism was born and grew up in India but is the dominant religion of Korea, Japan, Sri Lanka, and other Asian countries except India itself. Facts prove that Troeltsch was wrong.

But perhaps Troeltsch is not totally wrong! This because any religion transplanted anywhere cannot survive unless it has adjusted itself there (contextualised) through interaction with the already present cultural heritage, failing which its survival there becomes difficult as either it doesn't appeal to the people or it seems to be meaningless to them.