The Parable of the Three Rings: An Allegory of the Interconnections among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Abstract:
If we understand intercultural philosophy as an endeavor to give expression to the many voices of philosophy in their respective cultural contexts and, therefore, generate a shared, fruitful discussion granting equal rights to all, we can then envision a philosophy that facilitates an attitude of mutual respect, listening, and learning among the major Abrahamic faiths: i.e. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. One of the most challenging theological issues of our time, how to account for the great number and diversity of world religions and at the same time to acknowledge their correspondences, is also one of the most troubling social issues confronting humanity. Disputes and disagreements over religious beliefs have been and continue to be sources of conflict around the world. Yet upon careful observation of the basis or foundation of most religions, one will find correspondences among the basic beliefs behind them. This paper hypothesizes, therefore, that the three Abrahamic faiths have common values; and that while religious persecution is built on ignorance, peace can only be achieved by knowledge and understanding. Some would argue that the struggle for political power, especially between ethnically and religiously identified constituencies in so-called democratic processes within the modern state, is a major factor. But this proposition does not explain why people with certain common religious values would be convinced otherwise. This paper therefore bases its hypothesis on The Parable of the Three Rings, a classic allegory for religious tolerance and understanding. For data collection, this paper employed expert interviews and the document analysis technique, and relied on both historical and contemporary sources, namely passages from the Holy Torah, the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur’an, as well as scholarly books, journals, and Internet sources. The findings generated after a qualitative analysis of the data elucidate the fundamental correspondences among the three faiths and suggest that religiously inspired terror is unwarranted and unjustified.
Read or download full paper:
Journal of Living Together, 2-3 (1), pp. 17-45, 2016, ISSN: 2373-6615 (Print); 2373-6631 (Online).
@Article{Bangura2016
Title = {The Parable of the Three Rings: An Allegory of the Interconnections among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam}
Author = {Abdul Karim Bangura}
Url = {https://icermediation.org/interconnections-among-judaism-christianity-and-islam/}
ISSN = {2373-6615 (Print); 2373-6631 (Online)}
Year = {2016}
Date = {2016-12-18}
IssueTitle = {Faith Based Conflict Resolution: Exploring the Shared Values in the Abrahamic Religious Traditions}
Journal = {Journal of Living Together}
Volume = {2-3}
Number = {1}
Pages = {17-45}
Publisher = {International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation}
Address = {Mount Vernon, New York}
Edition = {2016}.