Hughes, Abrahamic Religions Flashcards
What is Hughes central argument
Abrahamic Religions is not a scholarly term
How does Hughes defend his thesis
1) does not originate from real scholarship, people just started using it
2) makes it sound like they all come from the same historical source, but this comes from faith stories not history
3) idea was created to promote peace. Presupposes connection bc people want them to be not bc they are
4) Breaks scholarly objectivity by bringing in religious assumptions
What is the significance of the term judeo christian
gained prominence before ‘abrahamic’
aimed to create shared sense of ethical heritage between hews and christian (fostering more inclusive American identity)
history/emergence of abrahamic religions
1) Coined in the 80’s, 90’s to include islam alongside judaism and christianity
2) al faruqi helped promote the term in 1979 to encourage interfaith dialogue
3) in 30s-50s, Massignon used Abraham as a symbol to connect Christianity and Islam
4) Official in 1985 when library of congress added ‘abrahamic religions’ as a subject heading
post 9/11 political context
Key term in interfaith dialogue and promoting peace, understanding and coexistence
obama speech
what is Hughes historical critique of abrahamic terms
1) no historical link, theological claims
2) in actual history, jews christians and muslims often interacted, overlapped and influenced one another. Their history is blended and not distinctly 3 different religions (symbiotic not genealogical)
3) monotheism assumption ignores history of complexities and ambiguities early on (potential henotheism)
what his Highes critique of academic usage of abrahamic terms
1) Essentialism: Hughes says scholars like John Esposito make religions like Islam sound simple and unchanging (e.g., “Islam is peace”), which flattens their complexity.
2) Defining Authenticity: This approach lets scholars decide what counts as “real” religion and ignore inconvenient parts (like violence) by calling them “not truly religious” or just “cultural.”
3) Perpetuating the term: Using the term “Abrahamic religions” in textbooks and classes makes it seem neutral and scholarly, even though it has faith-based, non-academic origins — and keeps spreading a flawed idea.
What is Hughes alternative to ‘abrahamic’ religions term
Focus on specific, localized historical interactions, porous boundaries, and the constructed nature of religious identities, rather than assuming a shared, essential “Abrahamic” heritage.
look at context in a case to case basis rather than using an umbrella term
