Catholic Christianity and Islam: A Comparison and Contrast
History has always been witness to the myriad of incidents involving bitter human conflicts and misunderstandings. Among these, the thorny issue of religious pluralism has been a constant catalyst for sowing human division and separation. This happens most distinctly when people try to pit one religion against another or compare one set of teachings against another set of doctrines. However, far from sowing division, the chief aim of this paper is to successfully present the fundamental tenets of Catholic faith and develop a ponderous juxtaposition between Catholicism and Islamic faith in the process.
This paper hopes to draw strains of resemblances between Catholicism and Islam against the backdrop of their palpable differences. In order to collocate these two goals together, this paper’s main thesis shall argue that despite patent differences, world religions – particularly Catholic Christianity and Islam – can exhibit important elements of correspondences and similarities while maintaining the uniqueness of their respective beliefs and doctrines.
Methodology and Scope.
The methodology employed in this paper will be both expository and analytical. Firstly, a systematic presentation of the fundamental tenets of the Catholic faith will be provided without making qualitative judgments over them. This is necessary to demonstrate the beliefs effectively. Secondly, an analysis will be conducted to compare and contrast the two religious organizations mentioned above. It is important to note that this paper does not aim to exhaustively discuss all doctrinal teachings of both Catholicism and Islam due to its limitations. Instead, key elements such as doctrines, ethics, and rituals will be focused on.
Catholicism: Core Doctrines and Fundamental Beliefs
Before delving deep into the fundamental teachings of Catholicism, it is important to remember that Catholicism is not the only representation of Christianity. Rather, it should be viewed as a distinct religious expression within the larger umbrella of Christianity. While Catholicism may be considered the mainline religious organization due to its large number of adherents, other denominations such as the Eastern Orthodox Church, Protestant Church, Anglicans, and Evangelicals – among many others – must also be considered part of Christianity.
The emergence of Catholicism, as well as Christianity as a whole, traces its roots back to the first group of followers who embraced the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. These individuals felt compelled to establish themselves as a distinct community of believers. Like many religious movements, Christianity began with only a small number of adherents who sought to share their personal experiences and beliefs in Jesus Christ. In essence, Christianity started when an undetermined number of Jews believed that the prophet Jesus of Nazareth who had ‘risen from the dead’ was alive in their midst by the power of God’s Spirit” (Tavard, 1992, p. 15). Alister McGrath rightly notes that “the precipitating cause of Christian faith and doctrine was and is a man named Jesus” (1997, p. 1). Therefore, one’s faith in Jesus Christ establishes the fundamental identity for every Christian.
The center and crux of the Catholic faith lies in the belief that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Son of God. In other words, every Catholic – and every Christian for that matter – believes that Jesus Christ is God-made-man who chose to live among men to save them from their sinfulness. Moreover, they believe that he is the Son of God or properly, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Therefore, from a simple belief in Jesus Christ’s divinity ensues a corollary belief in the doctrine of Trinity.
It might be good to mention that biblically speaking; there is no exact term referent for Trinity. However, when one gleans from Jesus Christ’s teachings, it would appear he implied being Son to a Father God as well as essentially related to Spirit whom Father would send.
The doctrine of Trinity teaches us that divine life consists of three persons” with equal and same divine nature: The Father, The Son (who is Jesus Christ), and The Holy Spirit (Neuner & Roos 1967 p 86). This doctrine does not claim three different divinities; instead, it embraces monotheism rather than polytheism. It teaches us that three persons share one divine nature and reality.
Catholics believe that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, came down from heaven to bring salvation to all people. Belief in Jesus Christ is seen as the initial path towards salvation. However, salvation is not a singular path that everyone must follow. Depending on how a person has lived their life – whether they have chosen to live it well or poorly – they may either merit rewards in heaven or punishment in eternal damnation in hell.
Therefore, belief in Jesus Christ does not guarantee salvation. For those whose lives have been deemed exemplary, salvation is offered after death. Catholics believe that attaining an ultimate experience of bliss and perfection with the Trinity constitutes salvation. This state of happiness is known as heaven where one can see God face-to-face and enter into an eternal living contact with the infinite perfection of God” (Sheed, 1957, p. 220).
To work towards salvation by striving for holiness on earth is a common belief among Catholics. To aid them in this journey, Catholics rely on the efficacious power of sacraments to sanctify their lives. Sacraments are outward signs that remind Catholics of the saving works of Jesus Christ and are considered vehicles of grace” instituted by Christ. The Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance or reconciliation, marriage, orders and anointing of the sick. All these sacraments work towards sanctifying human life from conception to death (Neuner & Roos, 1967, pp. 253-254).
The sacrament of penance serves as an example of this practice. While it may be questioned whether confessing sins to priests is necessary or reasonable, Catholics believe that since Christ has the power to forgive sins and his priests – through holy orders – represent him on earth; confession mirrors God’s mercy towards sinful humanity concretely.
It is true that “as Son of God,” Christ could have forgiven sins on his own authority; however, the logic behind the sacrament of penance presupposes a belief that genuine personal contrition is essential for sanctification since forgiveness without a change in behavior does not complete it (Palmer 1963 p.6).
In many ways, living out Christian beliefs and ideals in one’s own life can be quite challenging. The ethical demand to always behave morally upright is a significant responsibility for every Catholic. Although the main ethical system of Catholics cannot be summed up in a single concept, they generally view the life and teachings of Jesus as the ultimate example of holiness and uprightness.
Catholics, along with many other Christian denominations, believe that following God’s commandments and living virtuously are expressions of moral living. In fact, a life informed by enlightened reason (and the Gospel) is considered to be the best possible life (Waller, 2008, p. 114).
It is often said that Catholics tend to avoid things that lead to immoral behavior such as corruption, gambling, excessive eating and drinking or sex outside marriage among others. These things fall under what is called the seven capital sins”: anger, envy, gluttony, greed pride lust and sloth. These are “evil desires to which reason does not consent and which men suffer against their will” (Neuner & Roos 1967 pp.253-254).
For instance alcohol consumption itself isn’t considered bad or evil by Catholics since even Jesus Christ himself ate and drank in company with people too. However it becomes evil when done excessively leading a person towards unacceptable behavior such as being irascibly angry uncontrollably craving or unreasonably lustful.
The challenge of living a Christian life therefore lies in choosing a path marked by holiness and uprightness in a world replete with occasions for indulgence malice.
Catholic ritual and worship practices are intricately woven with teachings on the sacraments. This is exemplified in the sacrament of the Eucharist, commonly referred to as Mass, where Catholics gather to thank God, worship Him, and seek assistance. The Eucharist serves as an occasion to receive their Lord in the form of bread and wine. What makes the Eucharist unique is that Catholics believe that after being consecrated by a priest, Jesus Christ is truly, really and substantially contained in the bread and wine” (Neuner & Roos, 1967, pp. 253-254). Additionally, the Eucharist serves as a commemoration of Jesus Christ’s saving works.
In many ways, celebrating the Eucharist allows Catholics to observe their holy days of obligation. Of paramount importance are the commemoration of Jesus Christ’s passion, crucifixion, and resurrection during Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil. These usually occur in March or April according to the Catholic Church’s calendar. However, every Sunday is considered a holy day of obligation for Catholics. Like Easter Sunday, each ordinary Sunday commemorates Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Other notable holidays include December 25 for celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth and sometime in June for adoring the Holy Trinity.
It is also worth mentioning that Mary – the mother of Jesus – holds a special place in Catholic worship. Select dates are faithfully observed by Catholics in her honor: December 8 to celebrate her immaculate conception; September 8 to celebrate her birth; and January 1 to honor her identity as Mother of God-man Jesus.
Other important feasts that hold lesser importance are also observed such as commemorating apostles, martyrs, holy men and women as well as dedications of churches.
Catholicism and Islam: A Comparison and Contrast
Among the world’s major religions, Catholicism and Islam are often compared and contrasted. These two religions have had conflicts and misunderstandings throughout history, resulting in wars stemming from doctrinal and socio-political disputes. However, the purpose of this comparison is not to pit one religion against the other. Instead, this discussion aims to highlight doctrinal or thematic similarities that arise from the distinct tenets of these two religions.
First, it must be noted that one of the most striking similarities between Catholicism and Islam is their religious subscription to monotheism. On the one hand, Catholics adhere to a faith called Trinitarian monotheism. In other words, Catholics believe in the essential unity of the three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. On the other hand, Muslims – like Catholics – also embrace a monotheistic faith. However, unlike Catholics, their faith does not permit any distinction within the divine God-head. Muslims believe that Allah – the name for God provided by their holy book Qur’an – is defined by the principle of tawid” which means simply “unity of God.” According to this central Islamic idea, (God) is utterly and inevitably One; a perfect unity unique unto himself (Gordon 2002 p.24). It should be further mentioned that such monotheistic worship sets both Catholicism and Islam apart from many polytheistic religions around the world.
Secondly, there is certainly a case to argue that both the Catholic and Islamic faiths share a common ‘Abrahamic’ heritage. In a sense, both Catholic and Muslim scriptures – the Bible for Catholics and Qur’an for Muslims – give Abraham a special place in their religious traditions because they believe that he is the one to whom God’s primordial call was revealed. In fact, it can be argued that Catholics and Muslims alike adore God who speaks to men when they submit to His decrees, even when inscrutable, after the example of our father Abraham” (McLean, The Relation of Islamic and Christian Cultures). Additionally, the reverence or respect which Catholics and Muslims render unto Abraham is a tacit recognition that their faiths are revealed by nature. In other words, both Catholics and Muslims acknowledge that the gratuitous initiative of God’s revelation to humankind is necessary for one’s faith.
Thirdly, it is not without reason to say that the emergence of both Catholicism and Islamism was marked by an embrace of the mission of key personalities who are considered to be God-sent. Catholics, in unison with the rest of Christianity, emerged from a small circle of followers who believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Messiah sent by God to save humanity from its frail and sinful nature. In ways more than one, the circumstances defining the emergence of Islamic faith resemble those of Christianity’s otherwise tough beginnings. Islam started from a small group of followers who believed that Muhammad was a prophet chosen by God to reveal his teachings and precepts sometime in 570 AD (Renard, 1998, p. 7). However, unlike Christianity, Islam does not believe that Muhammad is himself God or any expression thereof divine nature. While Muhammad enjoys a kind of esteem second to none among Muslims; they nevertheless contend that he is wholly distinct from Allah.
Conclusion.
This paper concludes by affirming its thesis statement that the doctrinal teachings of Catholic Christianity and Islamic faith exhibit patterns of similarities and resemblances. The first part of the discussion focused on the chief tenets of Catholic Christianity, which include belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Trinitarian character of God, efficacy of sacraments, sacred nature of Eucharistic worship, and commemoration of holy days. It was also noted that Catholicism shares certain resemblances with Islam such as faith in monotheism, emergence nature, and belief in their respective founders sent by God.
References
Gordon, M. (2002). Islam: Origins, Practices, Holy Texts, Sacred Persons, Sacred Places.” New York: Oxford University Press.
McLean, G. (n.d.). The Relation between Islamic and Christian Cultures. Retrieved September 18, 2008, from http://www.crvp.org/book/Series04/IVA-21/contents.htm
Neuner, J. and Roos, H. (1967) wrote a book titled The Teaching of the Catholic Church” which was published by Pauline Publication in New York.
Palmer, P. (1963). Sacraments of Healing and Vocation. Prentice-Hall, Inc.: New Jersey.
Sheed, F. (1957). Theology for Beginners. New York: Sheed and Ward, Inc.
Renard, J. (1998). 101 Questions and Answers on Islam. New York: Paulist Press.
Waller, B. (2008). Consider Ethics: Theory, Readings, and Contemporary Issues. Second Edition. New York: Pearson-Longman.
