The three largest Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, are involved in one of the largest complex religious conflicts. On one hand Abraham is used to highlight certain commonalities among the three religions such as their common interest in one, principal religious figure. On the other hand, each religion views Abraham playing different roles. However, one thing all three religions have in common is their claim that due to Abraham’s covenant with God, they are the chosen people. With three separate groups claiming to be the sole heirs, who truly are the chosen people? F.E. Peters claims that the intertwining relationship between the three Abrahamic religions causes obscurities when discussing the inheritors of the covenant. In this paper I will address Abraham’s presence and the covenant within the three religions along with discussing F.E. Peters’ claim.
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Born Abram in the city of Ur in Babylonia around circa 1800 BCE, he was the son of Terach, an idol worshiper. Abram was consistently questioning his father’s faith, and in a polytheistic age, Abram believed that the universe was the work of one single creator and many stories account of Abram smashing his father’s idols. These stories show Abram believing and worshiping in one god, and allowing for monotheism to begin. Eventually, the true Creator called to Abram and asked of him to leave his home and country. If Abram complied, God promised, “I will make you a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12: 1-3). Due to Abram and his wife, Sarai, being both elderly and childless, such a move would not only be exhausting but it would require the utmost belief in following someone they had never
Born Abram in the city of Ur in Babylonia around circa 1800 BCE, he was the son of Terach, an idol worshiper. Abram was consistently questioning his father’s faith, and in a polytheistic age, Abram believed that the universe was the work of one single creator and many stories account of Abram smashing his father’s idols. These stories show Abram believing and worshiping in one god, and allowing for monotheism to begin. Eventually, the true Creator called to Abram and asked of him to leave his home and country. If Abram complied, God promised, “I will make you a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12: 1-3). Due to Abram and his wife, Sarai, being both elderly and childless, such a move would not only be exhausting but it would require the utmost belief in following someone they had never