Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are considered kindred religions-holding ancestral heritages and monotheistic belief in common-but there are definitive distinctions between these "Abrahamic" peoples. Shared Stories, Rival Tellings explores the early exchanges of Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and argues that their interactions were dominated by debates over the meanings of certain stories sacred to all three communities. Robert C. Gregg shows how Jewish, Christian, and Muslim interpreters--artists as well as authors--developed their unique and particular understandings of narratives present in the two Bibles and the Qur'an. Gregg focuses on five stories: Cain and Abel, Sarah and Hagar, Joseph and Potiphar's Wife, Jonah and the Whale, and Mary the Mother of Jesus. As he guides us through the often intentional variations introduced into these shared stories, Gregg exposes major issues under contention and the social-intellectual forces that contributed to spirited, and sometimes combative, exchanges among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Offering deeper insight into these historical moments and their implications for contemporary relations among the three religions, Shared Stories, Rival Tellings will inspire readers to consider--and reconsider--the dynamics of traditional and current social-religious competition.

Auteur

Robert C. Gregg is Professor in Religious Studies, Emeritus, at Stanford University. His publications are historical studies of belief systems, with special attention to the competition of religions in the late Roman-early medieval Mediterranean and Levant.

Contenu

Prologue Part I: Cain and Abel/Qabil and Habil Preview: Chapters 1-3 The first murder Chapter 1: Cain's fratricide: rabbis and other early Jewish writers judge the case Chapter 2: Cain and Abel in Early Christian Writings and Art Chapter 3: Muslims on "...the story of the two sons of Adam" Comparative Summary: Cain and Abel/Qabil and Habil Part II: Sarah and Hagar: Mothers to Three Families Preview: Chapters 4-6 Abraham's rival wives Chapter 4: Sarah and Hagar: Jewish portrayals Chapter 5: Sarah and Hagar in Christian interpretations Chapter 6: Hagar and Ishmael, Ibrahim's family in Mecca Comparative Summary: Sarah and Hagar: Mothers to three families Part III: Joseph's Temptation by his Egyptian Master's Wife Preview: Chapters 7-9 Joseph/Yusuf and the Temptress Chapter 7: Joseph and Potiphar's wife--Jewish interpretations Chapter 8: Joseph put to the test--Christian sermons and art Chapter 9: Yusuf with Zulaykha Comparative Summary: Joseph's temptation by his Egyptian master's wife Part IV: Jonah the Angry Prophet Preview: Chapters 10-12 "The one of the fish" Chapter 10: Jonah, Nineveh, the Great Fish, and God: Jews ponder the story Chapter 11: Jonah and Jesus: In One Story, Two. Chapter 12: Islam's Yunus: from anger to praise Comparative Summary: Jonah the angry prophet Part V: Mary, Miriam, Maryam Preview: Chapters 13-15 Mary through three religions' eyes Chapter 13: Mary's Story in Christian imagination: from Jewish maiden to ever-Virgin to Heavenly Advocate Chapter 14: Miriam, mother of Yeshu the false messiah: Jewish counter-stories Chapter 15: Islam's Maryam: "chosen...above the women of the worlds" Comparative Summary: Mary, Miriam, Maryam Epilogue Endnotes Works Cited/Bibliography Index