While many modern conflicts are spurred by differences among Judaism, Islam and Christianity, all three groups share common ground.
As a part of the annual Lazaroff Lecture Series, David Nirenberg, a professor at the University of Chicago, gave a lecture entitled Sibling Rivalries: Judaism
Christianity Islam which concentrated on historical relations and ways to suppress current conflicts.
Members from all three religions claim that the others are intolerant and that their interpretations of scripture are correct, Nirenberg stressed.
All three scriptural traditions are rich enough to generate a diversity of views
not only on toleration of other scriptural communities
but on any given topic.
Nirenberg explained the interconnections between the Quran and Hebrew scriptures and also how passages in the Quran are based upon certain books within the Bible. For example, the story of Joseph in Genesis was also told in the Quran. Although these religions are based around the same scriptures, the different interpretations and misinterpretations cause divisions among the groups.
The very same book that unites all the people of the book
also divides them into an eternal struggle of how it should be read.
Nirenberg presented both the negative and positive messages of the whirlwind tour of through religious history.
No one scriptural tradition has the answer to hatred and violence
Nirenberg said, referring to the negative message. All are capable of supporting violence
intolerance
exclusion.
The world would not live in peace even if one religion took control. Even if the world were to convert to one religion, the different interpretations, as well traditional reading methods, of the scriptures would cause division into sects, he added.
It isn't something you can simply go out and get done
he said. The ways that communities read scripture are not random. They are the product of habit and custom.
On the positive side, stopping the end of violence and intolerance is not hopeless, he said. The Abrahamic traditions are capable of embracing tolerance and commonalities between them.
Nirenberg specializes in the study of Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the Dark Ages and their social relationships.
