Theological Principles of Human`s Divine Approximation in Islam and Christianity

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant professor at The Iran Research Institute of Philosophy

Abstract

Human`s happiness and perfection as described in the Abrahamic religions lies in one`s approximation to the Almighty God. Among the important issues in this category are the foundations and infrastructures for approaching God. The key question here is: what anthropological and theological principles have been regarded for human approximation to God in Islam and Christianity? As shown in the paper, what considerable as the theological foundations of approximation to God in the religions lie in two groups of special and universal ones. The common ones include the personal God, the Almighty God and the available God, and the God preceding in establishing a relationship with man. While, the special theological foundations of Christianity in approaching God, derived from Christian theology, are based on the writings of Paul and John in the New Testament: unveiling, grace, the Word or the Christ. We studied the issue in order to explain the special and important position of the principles and infrastructures of human approximation to God in a Biblical and theological approach

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