Posted by MVR for Hannah Breckenridge
Almost every religion claims to have an infinite God. In the bible,
“Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.”- Psalms 147:5
and in the Qu’ran,
“They can never fathom the greatness of GOD.”- Sura 39; Verse 39:67
there are references to an all powerful, incomprehensible God. Somehow, we as Christians have molded our “infinite” God into a deity that we claim to comprehend. Why? Possibly we have lived under the assumption that because we have a physical representation of God, he/she has been made apparent. However, if we had a glimpse at an infinite God, would he/she still not be incomprehendable? Christians and non-christians have been arguing over the life and message of Jesus for over two-thousand years. All we know is that God is good. Since its establishment, Christianity has been plagued by religious exculsivism. It has lead to wars, prejudice, and a theology that relies on fear. Some of these issues were addressed in the letter, “A Common Word Between Us and You”. It is one step of many that must be taken to reach peace and equality. How do we continue this pursuit? We must become more like God; more infinite.
Our understanding of God is limited by our humanity. So, why do we claim that we have the truth while others are condemned? Imagine an X and Y axis (See Figure 1). If God were the X axis and Christians were to place every major religion on a line, 
, where would they place themselves? Some would place themselves on the x-axis, meaning that their religion is the embodiment of God. Most, however, would place themselves on the asymptote closest to God with the other religions further away. This is where the problem occurs. By taking this later view, we claim to be closer to an incomprehensible God than all of the other religions. How can this be? God is infinite.
, where would they place themselves? Some would place themselves on the x-axis, meaning that their religion is the embodiment of God. Most, however, would place themselves on the asymptote closest to God with the other religions further away. This is where the problem occurs. By taking this later view, we claim to be closer to an incomprehensible God than all of the other religions. How can this be? God is infinite. 
However, what if there was no asymptote? Suppose the asymptote was now a straight line (see Figure 2). No religion claimed to have anything over the other religions. It was simply a matter of what path one chose. For example, one religion may emphasize God’s grace, another, God’s power. Each takes on one “point” on the line, and we work together as one human race to come closer to God (though it is impossible to reach). In this scenario, we keep our place as humans, and God is not lowered to a level of our understanding. This truly mimics God’s infinitude.
In the letter, “A Common Word Between Us and You”, Muslim leaders call for an understanding on the similarities between the Abrahamic religions. In understanding each other, people of different faiths start pulling away from the asymptote and begin forming a unified line. The commonalities between our religions are far greater than our differences. It is imperative that our generation continues shaping our minds by uncovering the straight line through connections such as these.
“A Common Word Between Us and You”. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company.
King James Version. Bible Gateway. 25 feb . 2011.
<http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+147%3A5&version=KJV >.
“Suras 39” In The Glorious Qur’an: An Authorized English Versioin, translated by Rashad Khalifa.
Capistrano Beach, CA: Ilsamic Productions, 2005. http://www.submission.org/suras/sura39.html
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