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In this episode I’m joined by Dr. William Vallicella, aka “The Maverick Philosopher” to discuss the recent controversy in the American evangelical world about whether Christians and Muslims “worship the same god.” We discuss the ambiguity of this “same god” question, and how certain common theological convictions may produce a strong “No!” answer, depending on how one hears the question.
But like other Christian philosophers who have weighed in on the controversy, we focus on this question: when Christians talk of “God” and when Muslims talk of “Allah,” do those two words refer to one and the same god? One general approach to a theory of reference seems to support a negative answer, and another arguably supports a positive answer. As there is no uncontroversial theory of reference, Dr. Vallicella is inclined to a skeptical stance on this question of co-reference.
In next week’s part 2, we discuss the meaning of “worship” in this question, and I argue for a positive answer to the reference question.
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Links for this episode:
- Dr. Vallicella’s Maverick Philosopher blog
- Do Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God?
- Christians and Muslims: Exactly One God, so the Same God
- Do Christians and Jews Worship the Same God?
- Peter Geach on Worshipping the Right God
- Worship, Reference, and Existence: An Aporetic Triad
- previous trinities podcast episodes with Dr. Vallicella
- posts on the same god controversy by Dr. Francis J. Beckwith
- trinities posts on the same god controversy
- Tuggy, “Theories of Religious Diversity” (on theories of religious pluralism, and rival exclusivist and inclusivist views)
- posts on the same god controversy by Dr. Ed Feser
- Dr. James Anderson, “The Same God? A Plea for Precision” and “On Contradicting the Bible“.
- Spinoza on God/Nature
- Aquinas on God
- Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach
- theories of reference
- Dr. Kelly James Clark, “Muslims and Christians: On Worshipping the Same God“
- Dr. Michael Rea, “On Worshipping the Same God“
- Dr. Rich Davis, “Will Worshipping Just Any God Do? Reply to Beckwith and Rea“
- Dr. Lydia McGrew, “A brief note on “do Muslims and Christians worship the same God“
- This week’s thinking music is “3 pound universe” by Jeris.
Unitarian Christians may have much more similar view of God to Muslims than do Trinitarians. Before the development of the Deity of Christ we would both understand our Creator, the God of Abraham in the same light even if we differ about who was the chosen son, people, Messiah etc. But once we fold the Son and even the Spirit back into the Godhead as separate persons, then I think the Unity of God is broken and the common ground is lost.
Hi Jeff, yes, in some obvious ways a unitarian Christian’s understanding of the one God is more like the Muslim’s than is a trinitarian’s. But this whole controversy was caused by a Christian professor who was not saying that there are no important differences between Islamic and Christian (trinitarian) theologies. Rather, her point was that both groups are referring to, and at least attempting to worship the same being, the creator and god of Abraham. This seem consistent with any number of differences about the essential features of that one being. Just so, evidently both trinitarians and unitarians are referring to Yahweh.
Now when you say that on trinitarian theology “the Unity of God is broken” I take it that you mean that trinitarian theology is not monotheistic. But I would say, it depends just which Trinity theory we’re talking about. The “one self” ones are, arguably, monotheistic in fact and not only in intention. But perhaps you had in mind three self views…
One frequently encounters the argument that Muslims worship a ‘different God’ to us.
and Allah is portrayed as some sort of vengeful spirit.
The word Allah is derived from two words “Al” meaning ‘Lord” and ‘Lah’ which is the definite article ‘the’.
So Al-lah is ‘ the Lord and God of the Old Testament. –
Humans try to put us all in ‘boxes’ or ‘brand differentiate’ us but we are all the creation of the one Lord and God.
Blessings
John
Pingback: The God of Islam, the God of Judaism and the God of Christianity – Part 1 – Theology and Justice
If evangelicals say the Christian God is the same as the Jewish God they have to say the same about the Muslim God.
Most evangelicals, I think, would say the Christian God is the same God as the Jewish God, which is why I think this whole thing is political.
What Christians and Muslims differ on that is different than what Christians and Jews differ on when it comes to God is what God has done.
However for the abrahamic faiths one could argue that what makes God God is t he created everything, which, if true, would make it the same God, since only one God created everything (everyone agrees on that among the abrahamic faiths). But again, unfortunately this subject is too tied up with politics at the moment.
There is no doubt that God is God among gods. Anyone can read that there are many gods and many lords. The Chaldeans did not have the same god as the Hebrews and it became evident. There is no God greater than the God of Abraham, the father of Jesus of Nazareth.
Depends what you mean by “god” and “gods.”
Good conversation.
I enjoyed getting a “philosophical” perspective on this controversy.
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