Wednesday, December 20, 2006

One god, different ends

Christianity shares the concept of an impending end with the other monotheistic religions. There is a strong Jewish messianic tradition, which is the base of Christian tradition. It predicts the bodily resurrection of the dead, once the state of Israel has been restored, its enemies overthrown, and it is able to live in peace with its neighbors. At this stage the messiah will come to lead Israel into a messianic age. However, there does not exist a single interpretation of these prophecies, and opinions differ on whether they are literal predictions or merely metaphorical, and also on the Utopian nature of the messianic age.

Islam also contains very detailed prophecies about the day of judgement, called Qiyamah. The final days will be preceded by the return of Mahdi, the redeemer and guide, who will unify Islam, overthrow the enemies, and create a Utopian, just society. Also in this tradition there are various interpretations. While it is common in Sunni tradition to assume that the coming of the Mahdi is an event of the future, it is common in Shiite tradition to believe that he is living, but has not yet revealed himself.

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