Christianity, Islam and Judaism

When the Romans conquered Corinth in Greece during a series of wars in 146 BC, the Roman Empire became the “world power” of its day. By the time Jesus was born in Palestine, the Romans, living under the rule of Herod, numbered about five million, including all the Greeks. Jesus, a Jew, was born into the powerful Roman Empire. Some say Jesus ministered in the region for about three years before his execution. His teachings challenged conventional thinking to become the core of Christianity that, today, is the largest religion in the world with about one-third of the population as its adherents. Christianity is divided into three main branches: Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. The second largest religion is Islam. Islam follows the teaching of the prophet Muhammad. Shia, Sunni and Ismaili are three major sects of Islam. Judaism is the 12th largest of today’s religions. In North America there are three main branches—Orthodox, Reform and Conservative. Each religion, curiously, has its roots in the life of Abraham. “The Prophet Abraham is claimed by Jews as the ancestor of the Israelites, while his son Ishmael (Isma'il) is seen in Muslim tradition as the ancestor of the Arabs. In Christian tradition, Abraham is described as a ‘father in faith’ (Romans 4), which suggests that all three religions come from one source.”      

from Threes, Chapter 4, “Threes in Religion and Mythology” 

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