Blog:
Reflections on the evolution of history.
The thoughts within this section
hopefully begin a synthesis.
It is about bringing the past into the
present.
Terrorists and
their "thought leaders" have often been quoted saying that they will not rest
until Islam rules the world.
We all know the two
most visible people, Osma Bin Laden and Ahmadinejad. Yet, both rely on Islamic
thinkers -- clerics with such names as
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei and
Ayatollah Mohammad
Emami-Kashani in Iran,
Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani
in Iraq and
Sheikh Abu Muhammad
al-Maqdisi in a Jordanian prison (all links go to Google references).
We all should
scrutinize the writings -- the logic and concepts -- that they use to guide
their thinking. Their elitism can no longer continue to go unchallenged by the
public, by moderate Muslims, and by learned scholars. Let us all see in what
ways they are right and where they are wrong or incomplete or misguided. They
are each human. Each sleeps at night and all will die within 120 years of their
birth.
Among so many
issues, it is important to look at a new synopsis between the Hebrew Bible, the
Christian Bible and the Muslim Qur’an. What passages of scripture do the
three books have in common? There are many synoptic books but to my knowledge
there is no synopsis between the sacred texts that are at the foundations of
Islam, Christianity and Judaism. For example, it would be good to see the best
scholarly work to understand and interpret the story of Cain who killed his
brother, Abel (Hebrew/Christian Bible, Genesis 4 and Qur’an at 5:27-32).
The idea of
Synoptic Scriptures may have originated in around 1776 within the work of the
German biblical scholar, Johann Jakob Griesbach. His compilation and comparison
(textual criticism) was of common passages found in the first three Gospels -
Matthew, Mark and Luke - of the Christian New Testament. These passages are
considered special.
So it was early in
September 2006, to help understand the historic relation between Islam,
Judaism, and Chrisitianity, I went looking for a synoptic book based on the
Judaic, Christian, and Islamic scriptures.
Of just 22
references in Google to "Synoptic Scriptures" that day (September 7, 2006),
they all referred to the synoptic gospels of the Christians.
I began thinking,
"The Synoptic Scriptures." And being a typical entrepreneur, I asked myself,
"Why not?" (also assuming it hadn't been done). Within that moment I
thought such a book could be done relatively quickly and that it should become
part of mainstream discussions about "revealed text" and interpreted text.
There are many great scholars who have done the work within their respective
discipline. We would look for the best and look for some theologians within
each religion to write some reflective overviews based on faith, science and
the human future.
Elitism, fanaticism
and extremism should not have such an easy ride.
To get such a book
into publication, I turned to the largest university press in the world, Oxford
University Press. On September 7, 2006, I wrote to both the managing director
of the press and their journals to suggest such a work.
I also opened the
dialogue on
Wikipedia so as many people as possible could
readily and easily participate. We can attempt to be scholars infront of the
world.
That
Wikipedia entry encountered immediate
problems.
A seemingly-nice
Wiki editor immediately shuffled the text over and under the "synoptic
gospels." That is probably among the worst possible places to focus people's
attention when we are attempting to look at those texts held in common by these
three often hostile religions. In my last attempt to keep that entry as a
singular placement, I did a little rewrite and this is what I said:
"That the Judaic
Bible, the Christian Bible and the Islamic Qur'an share common passages is well
known. Those passages that are found in all three books are synoptic
scriptures.
"Though there has
been very little public discussion about these synoptic scriptures, the need
for such an awareness is painfuly self-evident.
"In these times,
the need for synoptic scriptures, a verse-by-verse analysis of that scripture
held in common between the Christians, Jews and Muslims, would provide at least
one common ground for dialogue. These Synoptic Scriptures will be quite
important because they lift that text to a higher standard for study and
interpretation.
"These passages are
possibly axiomatic. These could be a foundation for a mutual statement of
faith. At the very least these passages will open more arguments, but also
possibly more toleration, perhaps a little respect, and maybe even fellowship.
"All other texts
will not necessarily open doors to understanding. These texts will be the
unique observations within a particular space and time that are historic yet
probably not quite universal.
"There will be
texts that are shared by two and, with a stretch of the metaphor, might
possibly include the third. These should be noted and scrutinized carefuly.
"There will
undoubtedly be a wide range of texts that are shared by two and not by the
third. These should also be noted to begin delineating the uniqueness of each
expression.
"Let us begin. Your
contributions are welcomed.
"Here is one of the
early passages shared by all three and a very important and telling starting
point is the story of Cain who killed his brother, Abel (Hebrew and Christian
Bible, Genesis 4 and Qur'an 5:27-32)."
So a simple little
concept, "The Synoptic Scriptures between Christians, Jews, and Muslims," is
probably not a new idea, but I would like to have that book on my shelf and as
of today, I am going to see if we can get some of the world's best scholars to
do it. |
