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I read here that most of the modern Christians believe in a Triune God and Consider Jesus to be the God in trinity. I was wondering What Christianity thinks about the God of present day Judaism , as they believe in a strictly monotheistic non trinitarian version of God as believed by the people at the time of Jesus and people before Jesus.

Is there a scope for accommodating the monotheistic belief of Jews in God along with the trinitarian belief of Christians?

JesusBoughtIslam
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    If you are asking do Jews worship the same god Christians do, I think you need to ask on Judaism.SE. If you are asking do Christians worship the same god as Jews, I think you are better off asking, "What differences in the personality of God exist between Judaism and Christianity?" – Affable Geek Jun 11 '13 at 16:07
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    learned in a Synagogue? John 7:15-16 (NIV) The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?” Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. – Mawia Jun 11 '13 at 16:25
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    Here's the one on Islam. They didn't delete it like my question here: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam worship the same God? – The Freemason Jun 11 '13 at 16:26
  • Here's the one on Judaism. They didn't delete it like my question here: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and God – The Freemason Jun 11 '13 at 16:27
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    To what extent is there actually a meaningful difference between worshipping the same God in different ways and worshipping different Gods? – TRiG Jun 11 '13 at 20:28
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    @TRiG I think this can be a separate question. But very interesting one and helpful for understanding some other questions like this. Can please ask it? – Gulshan Jun 12 '13 at 09:36
  • @Gulshan. I do think it's interesting, but I'm not at all sure how to phrase it for the site, so I'll probably not ask it myself. If you want to take the idea and run with it, feel free. – TRiG Jun 12 '13 at 09:43
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    I intended to ask this question in just a bit different manner- "What Christianity thinks about the God of present day Judaism". – Gulshan Jun 12 '13 at 09:52
  • @gulshan that was intended by me too and this is what is asked u can edit to make this clear – JesusBoughtIslam Jun 12 '13 at 11:38
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    @Gulshan The problem is that you're asking a question about a group of people who are not unified in 100% of their beliefs how they view about another group that's not 100% unified. It's like saying, "How do Texans feel about being part of the United States?" There are majorities and specific groups of Texans who would answer that question differently. Ultimately your question is a truth question and cannot be properly answered in a single answer for everyone without beind debatable. – The Freemason Jun 14 '13 at 16:31
  • From a simply scholarly perspective, Judiasm and Christianity (both being Abrahamic religions) worship the same God. However individually they may not admit it. The same can be said about all religions who worship a single all powerful God. You can say as @TRiG pointed out, "they are worshipping the same God differently". – The Freemason Jun 14 '13 at 16:33
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    This question as currently worded is fundamentally different than the one you compare it to and some combination of not constructive/off topic. The other question asks specifically about Christian doctrine and is answerable even without resolving differences between Christian traditions. This question on the other hand seems to be more about raising awareness for a cause than learning something about Christianity. It is neither Christianity's nor this sites job to "reconcile" the views of modern Jews and Christians. – Caleb Jun 17 '13 at 09:27
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    Beyond that problem, there are many different takes on Judaism within the scope of "Christianity". You're going to need to focus this on some specific issue before it would be a good fit for this site. – Caleb Jun 17 '13 at 09:27
  • What do you expect to learn about Christianity from this question? Right now your entire question is premised on an answer that you've included in the question already. Obviously those who believe in a Triune God think those who don't are wrong on that point. What is there left to answer? What are you trying to learn or accomplish? – Caleb Jun 17 '13 at 10:16
  • @Caleb I am asking a pretty fundamental question : What Christianity thinks about the God of present day Judaism ? is such a version of God acceptable to Christians? – JesusBoughtIslam Jun 17 '13 at 10:20
  • You've already answered that question: of course trinatiarians do not find a non-trinatarian view "acceptable" otherwise they wouldn't be trinatarians. As for the other different question about what Christianity thinks of modern day Judaism, I already explained that question would have to be scoped more specifically because there are several views on how Jews fit into God's plan of salvation. In other words you have "question" so specific you haven't even left room for it to be a real question question and one open ended question with no scope. – Caleb Jun 17 '13 at 10:27
  • @Caleb I think the question is pretty much solid as it asks for christian view of the concept of God of Judaism even though christian believe trinity there can be a scope wherin they may allow non christians to believe in unity of God, like Jews allow non jews to follow atleast the 7 laws of Bani Noah – JesusBoughtIslam Jun 17 '13 at 10:33
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    This question has not improved sufficiently to be reopened. Unless there is actual community support for it's reopening there will be no moderator intervention. – wax eagle Jun 17 '13 at 15:03

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Fundamentally, Christians and Jews worship God the Father in similar fashion, but Christians (meaning Mainstream or Nicene aka Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant Christianity) believe God to be larger than just that. Nicene Christianity confesses that God the Father is "just" one person amongst three within the Godhead. Muslims and Jews reject this.

While the Trinity is an offense to Muslims and Jews alike, it is nonetheless fundamental to the full understanding of the Godhead. Christians believe that God is three distinct persons who are one. This is a paradox. This is nonetheless true, for our limited understanding really precludes an obvious metaphor.

If we would focus on the distinct personalities of God as three individuals (which while technically the heresy of 'Tritheism' is nonetheless useful ) for the discussion here), then we could say:

  1. The Christian understanding of God the Father is primarily (if not entirely) based on the same Scriptures as that of the Jews. As such, when a Christian prays to God the Father, he could name him "Yahweh" and be perfectly consistent with the Jewish understanding. (Indeed, it would also be very similiar to that of a Muslim).

  2. Christians pray to God in the name of Jesus, the Son. Christians fundamentally believe that the Son is God but that he is also Man. He is not a separate God, but rather we perceive him in different ways. When Jesus was incarnated, for example, he showed a certain distinction from God the Father (cf. Patripassianism), and yet there is no error in his saying, "I and the Father are one." He taught nothing that was not of accord with his Father. Ironically, given your current name, He said "Nevertheless, Not my Will but Yours Be Done." In contrast, Jews reject any notion of the divinity of the Son, ergo, they do not agree with Christians in this aspect of God's true nature.

  3. Christians believe that Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father through the Son, and with the Son, He is worshipped and glorified." I'd argue that in practice, most Christians really don't know what to do with the Holy Spirit - but they acknowledge that like the Son, he is God - though again, Jews (and Muslims) would disagree.

As such, the best answer is to say that Jews and Christians do worship the same God (specifically God the Father), but that Christians have a "fuller" (or "more complex" take your pick) understanding of his nature and how He relates to himself.

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Affable Geek
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  • "Fundamentally, Christians and Jews worship God the Father in similar fashion, but Christians believe God to be larger than just that" I dont see how, what about Muslims then, how is that different?

     – JesusBoughtIslam Jun 11 '13 at 17:14
  • @NotMyWill-butGodWillBedone Does this explain it any better? I understand you reject the Trinity, but fundamentally Christians do. – Affable Geek Jun 11 '13 at 18:10
  • There are applicable types of the trinity like an apple which has a core, fruit and skin yet is one apple. –  Jun 12 '13 at 05:19
  • Hopefully this answer applies to Muslims also? You even mentioned them besides Jews. – Gulshan Jun 12 '13 at 09:44
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    @caseyr547 That's partialism, which is a form of modalism. :) Don't worry - people have been trying to come up with a suitable metaphor for the Trinity for 2000 years, and every one of them is technically a heresy. – Affable Geek Jun 12 '13 at 13:45
  • @AffableGeek you might as well say everything i disagree with is heresy while your at it. –  Jun 12 '13 at 14:09
  • @caseyr547 That was not meant as an attack, and I count myself as falling into what is technically called heresy often as well. Heresy just means not in accord with the most established of creeds – Affable Geek Jun 12 '13 at 14:11
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    When it comes to Trinitarian matters, pretty much every metaphor technically runs afoul - it's not that I am "disagreeing" with you (in fact, I've used the egg analogy myself) it's just, that's how the Trinity works. Please don't be offended - I really am just reflecting what theologians have said about that for years. – Affable Geek Jun 12 '13 at 14:12
  • I'm not offended. Outside of the scripture there is nothing so perfect as to not have issues. It is possible to pick a metaphor and describe its limitations rather than copping out. –  Jun 12 '13 at 14:28
  • @DanAndrews This entire discussion is obsolete in light of Affable's edits. – Caleb Jun 13 '13 at 12:39
  • @DanAndrews: You can believe whatever you like, but Affable has specified loud and clear at the top fo his post that mainstream Nicene (aka Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant) Christianity as the scope of his post. If you think this doesn't factually represent the traditional documented views of those groups then downvote and/or explain why, but he isn't breaking any rules here. In the mean time if your views don't fall under that umbrella, objecting to the statements made here really isn't relevant. – Caleb Jun 13 '13 at 12:45
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I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) I would say that Christians, Jews, and Muslims all worship the same God, but that they have different views on the nature of prophets, the identity of the Son, and the identity of the Holy Ghost.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints:

  • God is Elohim from the Old Testament
  • Jesus Christ is a separate being from the Father and is his Son. He is also known as Jehova in the Old Testament.
  • The Holy Ghost is a separate being from the Father and Son and is a spirit without a body.
  • Prophets are Mortal men who are called by the Father to be his spokespersons. They are still called today and continue to write scripture.

To be continued as I have time at work....

Eric
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Short answer: Possibly, but it's complicated.

My view: It's hard to answer that Jews, Christians and Muslims worship the same God or not because everyone claim that they have the Truth. Even I myself will firmly say that what I believe is the Truth(Christianity). The deeper we go inside any of these religion, the bigger their differences are.

Our source is the same: We all sprang from one root and there are many branches, more will come as time passes. First, there was only the Jewish religion. Secondly, Christianity sprang up from Judaism and the Third is Islam. Now, Mormons, Bahai and so on.... More branches will keep on coming.

It is up to the individuals to decide what is the true religion. As for myself, after studying all major religions, I found satisfaction in Christianity with strong believe in the Trinity.

My personal belief: Judaism is the parent religion for any Abrahamic religions and it deserves respect from all. Where would we all be if Judaism was not there? I do not like it when the Qura'n makes insults about Judaism. Christianity is the completion or final stage of Abrahamic religion. Islam is a heresy created by borrowing the concepts from Judaism and Christianity. (This is only my personal belief and please don't take it seriously or personally. Thanks)

My answer: Christian God is exactly the same as the Jewish God. Christians simply see Him as a God with three personalities and that He sent His Son as the Messiah to die for our sins. What ever the Jews believed before the birth of Jesus Christ is also the same belief for the Christians. The Scripture of the Jews contains prophecies about the Messiah to come. The New Testament confirms with many evidence that Jesus Christ is the Messiah promised by the Jewish Scripture. The Jews are still waiting for the Messiah to come.

The New Testament gives a more detail picture of who the Messiah is.

Matthew 22:41-46 (NIV) While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ (Psalm 110)

If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Jesus Christ is the Word of God, the promised Messiah who was with God from the beginning and born as man without sin to die for our sins.

John 1:14 (NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Mawia
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  • Does your "My answer" part can be applied to Muslims? – Gulshan Jun 12 '13 at 09:50
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    @Gulshan If Muslims are ready to read the Jewish Scriptures as it is, then "My answer" part can be applied to Muslims as well. But the problem with Muslims is that they think that the Jewish and Christian scriptures are corrupted and are not in it's original form anymore. – Mawia Jun 12 '13 at 10:08
  • @NotMyWill-butGodWillBedone Mod notice: Comments are not the place to carry on a point and counter-point debate. Nor is that a reason to ask questions on any Stack Exchange site. You asked for an answer. If you need clarification or can can suggest improvements for an answer then comment. Other uses will likely be deleted. See also How can we improve our guidance about the comment practices? – Caleb Jun 12 '13 at 13:21
  • @NotMyWill-butGodsWillBedone: If you have an issue with the way the site is moderated, the thing to do is raise your concern in a meta post. Comments are not the place to carry on this sort of discussion. If you have anything further, take it to meta. – Caleb Jun 13 '13 at 08:49
  • @Mawia Actually what Muslims have been saying about the present day Old and New Testaments are not much different than the opinion of textual criticism scholars. These scriptures still contain many of the True words of God for sure. During the time when Torah, Psalm and Gospel were revealed, everything was not ready to preserve them as it was. That's all. But I think this point has nothing to do with worshiping the same God. BTW, do you know that Muslims also regard Jesus as the messiah or Christ and waiting for his second coming, to fight the false messiah and establish "Kingdom of God"? – Gulshan Jun 16 '13 at 02:24
  • @Gulshan: Yeah, but they don't know what it means for Christ to be called the "messiah." So, is what they think about Jesus relevant? Nope. –  Jun 19 '13 at 09:01