Al Ngu  February 2025– Paper for Christian encounter with Islam

**Introduction & Thesis** 

The defining contrast between Christianity and Islam lies in the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ, rendering the God of the Bible profoundly personal and relatable, while the Quran presents Allah as a transcendent sovereign emphasizing submission to His will. I argue that Christianity’s appeal stems from the incarnation, where God entered the world to share in human experiences, contrasting with Allah’s transcendence, which prioritizes a structured framework of obedience for attaining paradise. This doctrine of the incarnation—Immanuel, “God with us”—fundamentally distinguishes Christianity from Islam, as evidenced by the Bible and the Quran.

**The Incarnation of God into This World** 

The incarnation of Christ was prophesied throughout the Old Testament, culminating in Jesus as the Logos, the Word of God (John 1:1). Isaiah 7:14 (ESV) declares, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.” The concept of a transcendent God humbling Himself to become human is transformative. Philippians 2:6–8 (ESV) states, “Though he was in the form of God, [Jesus] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” 

This act of humility shatters self-centered ambitions. William Barclay notes that Paul urges the Philippians to emulate Christ’s selfless service, shedding pride and desire for prominence (Barclay, 2003, p. 45). In contrast, Islam rejects the incarnation, viewing it as incompatible with Allah’s absolute transcendence (Quran 4:171), highlighting a key theological divide. For Christians, Jesus as Emmanuel, “God with us,” offers a uniquely personal relationship with God.

**Islam’s Highest Purpose: Submission to God’s Will** 

In Christianity, humans are created in God’s image (Imago Dei, Genesis 1:27) and relate to Him through covenants, aiming to glorify and enjoy Him forever (John 17:3). In Islam, humans are not created in Allah’s image, as He is utterly unlike any creature (Quran 112:1–4). The Quran emphasizes submission (*islam*) to Allah’s will as humanity’s purpose (Quran 51:56). Fazlur Rahman explains, “The Qur’an insists on God’s absolute uniqueness… He is not a father or a friend but the Sovereign Lord” (Rahman, 1980, p. 6). Kenneth Cragg adds, “Allah’s sovereignty in Islam lacks the narrative intimacy of the Bible… His will is law, not a dialogue” (Cragg, 2000, p. 68). 

However, some Islamic traditions, such as the *mithaq* (covenant of Alast, Quran 7:172), suggest a primordial relationship between Allah and humanity, and Sufi mysticism emphasizes experiential closeness to God through practices like *dhikr* (remembrance). Nevertheless, these differ from Christianity’s incarnational intimacy, as Allah remains transcendent, not immanent.

**Achieving Virtue in Islam: Obedience vs. Empowerment** 

The Quran promotes virtues like unity, justice, and compassion, modeled by Muhammad, which align with biblical principles. Muslims view the Five Pillars (e.g., prayer, fasting) as fostering *taqwa* (God-consciousness), a form of spiritual discipline (Quran 2:183). However, Islam lacks a divine figure empowering believers, unlike Christianity’s Holy Spirit. Ephesians 3:16 (ESV) speaks of God strengthening believers “with power through his Spirit in your inner being,” enabling internal transformation. In Islam, the focus on outward observance, as Gary Corwin notes, prioritizes “public observance and social structure” over inner renewal (Corwin, 2004, p. 12). 

While Islamic practices cultivate devotion, they rely on human effort without the personal divine empowerment central to Christianity. Muslims strive to balance good and bad deeds (Quran 21:47), a framework that contrasts with Christianity’s reliance on Christ’s redemptive work.

**Divine Justice and Forgiveness: Atonement vs. Divine Will** 

Christianity and Islam diverge sharply on divine justice and forgiveness. In Christianity, God’s holiness requires atonement to satisfy His justice, fulfilled by Jesus’ sacrifice (Hebrews 2:17). James White critiques Islam’s approach: “How can Allah be holy and just and yet forgive sins arbitrarily, without reference to sacrifice or the fulfillment of his own law?” (White, 2013, p. 89). Islamic theology, rooted in divine voluntarism, holds that Allah’s will determines justice, as Al-Ghazali argues (Anderson, 2013, p. 23). Quran 112:1–4 reinforces Allah’s unknowability, leading to theological agnosticism about His character. 

However, Muslims emphasize Allah’s mercy (*Ar-Rahman*, *Ar-Rahim*), believing He forgives based on repentance and righteousness (Quran 7:156). Muhammad Asad notes, “The Quran underscores the universality of divine forgiveness… a direct relationship between the sinner and God” (Asad, 2003, p. 45). This contrasts with Christianity’s atonement model, where Jesus’ sacrifice fulfills God’s justice, offering a consistent basis for forgiveness absent in Islam’s reliance on divine prerogative.

**The Power of God’s Love in Christianity** 

The Bible portrays Jesus as a High Priest who empathizes with human weaknesses, having been tempted yet remaining sinless (Hebrews 4:15). Romans 8:34 (ESV) affirms, “Christ Jesus… is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” This love, epitomized in John 3:16—“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son”—culminates in the cross, a proactive act of redemption. During the Transfiguration, God declares, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9:7), emphasizing love as Christianity’s core. 

In contrast, the Quran ties Allah’s love to obedience. Surah Al-Imran (3:31) states, “If you love Allah, then follow me [Muhammad], Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.” Fazlur Rahman explains, “God’s love is not an unconditional blanket over humanity but a response to righteousness and repentance” (Rahman, 1980, p. 25). While Islam’s *fitra* (innate disposition toward God) suggests a universal capacity for divine connection, Allah’s love remains conditional, unlike Christianity’s unconditional initiative.

**Union with Christ** 

The incarnation enables an intimate union with Christ. John 17:23 (ESV) states, “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” N.T. Wright describes this as “the astonishing truth that Christians are drawn into the life of God Himself” (Wright, 2006, p. 102). This relational union, likened to a bridegroom and bride in Revelation, contrasts with Islam’s view of Allah as a sovereign master (Quran 51:56). While Muhammad is a moral exemplar, he is not a divine mediator, unlike Jesus, the sinless God-Man (John 14:6).

**The Hypostatic Union of Christ** 

The hypostatic union—Jesus as fully God and fully human—underpins Christian atonement theology. John 1:1 affirms His divinity, while Hebrews 2:17 highlights His humanity as a “merciful and faithful high priest.” Only a sinless God-Man could atone for human sin. Tim Keller notes that John 1:14’s “tabernacled” signifies Jesus as God’s dwelling place among us, bridging humanity to God (Keller, 2013, p. 45). Islam, rejecting divine-human unity (Quran 4:171), lacks a comparable mediator, raising questions about how Allah’s forgiveness aligns with His justice without atonement.

**Conclusion** 

The personal nature of the Christian God, revealed through Christ’s incarnation, life, and love, offers grace and intimacy unmatched by the Quran’s transcendent Allah. The Bible’s God empathizes with human struggles, intercedes for believers (Romans 8:34), and sustains the universe (Hebrews 1:3). In contrast, Islamic theology, as Al-Ghazali notes, emphasizes Allah’s unknowable will over His character, prioritizing submission over relational intimacy (Anderson, 2013, p. 23). While Islam’s focus on mercy and *taqwa* fosters spiritual discipline, it lacks the incarnational redemption of Christianity. The Bible’s personal God, revealed in Jesus, radiates grace and love, drawing humanity into a transformative relationship distinct from the Quran’s transcendent framework. [Comment: Replaced “moralistic Allah” with “transcendent Allah”; added *taqwa* for balance.]

**Bibliography** 

– Anderson, James. *Christian Encounter with Islam*. Reformed Theological Seminary Global Lectures, 2013. 

– Asad, Muhammad. *The Message of the Qur’an*. The Book Foundation, 2003. 

– Barclay, William. *The Letters to Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians*. The New Daily Study Bible, 3rd ed. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003. 

– Chapman, Colin. *Cross and Crescent*. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2007. 

– Corwin, Gary. “Ten Things Worth Knowing About Islam.” *EMQ*, 2004. 

– Cragg, Kenneth. *The Call of the Minaret*. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1956; repr., Oneworld Publications, 2000. 

– Abdel Haleem, M.A.S. *The Qur’an*. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016. 

– Keller, Timothy. *Encounters with Jesus*. New York: Penguin Books, 2013. 

– Rahman, Fazlur. *Major Themes of the Qur’an*. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980. 

– White, James. *What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Quran*. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2013. 

– Wright, N.T. *Simply Christian*. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2006. 

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