Title | : | The Crucifixion of Yesus (A Theological Debate between Christians and Muslims) |
Author | : | Dian Nur Anna (CRCS, 2004) |
Abstract | ||
The crucifixion of Jesus is an issue which compare from Christian and Muslim perspectives. This is based on both religious arguments about the crucifixion of Jesus with support from both scriptures. It is problematic also because their scriptures explain about this issue ambiguously. This issue still arises in both Christians and Muslims because they have opinion not only based on the scripture itself, but also influenced by historical discoveries and the interpretation of scriptures when the issue was raised, especially about the crucifixion of Jesus. I explain the crucifixion of Jesus in synthesis methods or an academic-cum doctriner or scientific-cum-suigeneric perspective. This view means that the crucifixion of Jesus can be understand from many dimensions. It does not only talk about doctrine itself, but also includes the history where the crucifixion of Jesus happened, and its eschatological impact. I research the crucifixion of Jesus looking for what happened on the cross based on Christian and Muslim sources. The crucifixion of Jesus is an event that involves theological issues, because these events include also the divinity aspect, and automatically includes the role God plays. It relates to the position of Jesus in Christian belief that Jesus did not only have position as human, but also as God. These views influence the way of thinking of Christians. In the theological aspect, actually, according to Christian and Muslim perspectives. Beside the theological issue, the event of crucifixion is also the issue of history, because theology is not separate from history and the event was a long time ago and it is impossible to reconstruct what happened clearly. The authenticity of this event is debatable if we only try to look at the ordinary data. The historical aspects of the crucifixion of Jesus include the event and participants of crucifixion. The crucifixion of Jesus is an issue in eschatology in Christian and Muslim perspectives. In this part, I separated Jesus’ first coming and second coming. The first coming means that Jesus came, as a messiah this is part of the purpose that Jesus must die. This means that one of the reasons to accuse Jesus is Jesus as the Messiah. This is included in the eschatological issue. The second coming means that Jesus came again after he died. In this thesis, I also try to illustrate how Christians and Muslims talk about the crucifixion of Jesus and the possibility to make an understandable between both religions. The crucifixion of Jesus is not debatable in Christianity. Christianity believes that Jesus was dead on the cross for salvation. Islam, as a religion beginning after Christianity, also respects Jesus, especially the death of Jesus. Muslims have different opinions about the death of Jesus. I have divided them into two groups. The first group believes that Jesus did not crucify and did not die on the cross. The second groups of Muslims agree that Jesus crucified, but maintain that he did not die on the cross. Although among Christian and Muslim followers there are different arguments about the crucifixion of Jesus, both religions have similarities in the crucifixion of Jesus and there is the possibility to mutual understanding between them. That means both Christian and Muslim opinions about the crucifixion of Jesus can be compared and we can look a similarity, especially about the circle of crucifixion of Jesus. Both religions believe in the event of crucifixion and argue that the event of crucifixion is really accord, argue that Jesus is a prophet, a redeemer, a savior, that he died with divine love and divine triumph, the honor of God, and the dignity of humanity. Based on my thesis, I can know the meaning of crucifixion of Jesus from both Christians and Muslims. For Christians, the meaning of crucifixion of Jesus is a proof of love and triumph of God. Jesus is an incarnation of God dead to redeem a great sin of human being and he was resurrected. For Muslims, the meaning of crucifixion of Jesus is a proof of love and triumph of God. God save Jesus from death on the cross with take Jesus beside God. Then, Muslims can understand how God sent Jesus as human to redeem human beings and God loves Jesus as a prophet with special status. |