Comparative Theology
Year:2013 | Volume:3 | Issue:8|Papers Count:9

The term Theology has various definitions and meanings in the Christian tradition. In this article, after discussing these definitions and meanings we have tried to illuminate the extended functions of theology in Christianity and we have also explained the meaning of this term which has been entered to our literature by means of translation from European languages into Persian. In this connection, the history of the term, “theology”, is discussed rapidly and then some main branches of theology explained according to its functions. Finally, we have concentrated on some equivalents of "theology" in Persian language.

In this paper one of human characteristic namely beyond abstract status is studied from view point of two great philosophers: Mulla Sadra and Mulla Hadi Sabzewari. In philosophic knowledge of human being, transcendental theosophy and its commentators, have paid a particular attention to this certain status and have proved its bases. In this article, opinions of Mulla Sadra and Mulla Hadi Sabzewari on this status are studied and it is concluded that from viewpoint of these two sages, human being, having no determined status, can pass all stages and reach to a stage that is abstract of both: matter and quality. Although these two sages demonstrate and express this subject in a little different ways and this lead them to two different horizon of vision about this status.

The issue of “the meaning of life”calls man’s felicity into question in terms of three concepts, namely value, utility and the ultimate goal of life. In Ibn Al Arabi’s mystical view, “intuitive cognition about truth “which is also known as “knowledge mingled with belief” enjoys such originality that it is regarded as the sufficient requirement for man's felicity. Although, Ibn Al Arabi mentions another type of felicity, which is universal. He maintains that pure felicity and wickedness concern the other world, regards wickedness as transient and believes that on the basis of Divine blessing, it leads to salvation. He believes that the world came into existence for salvation and that it will eventually achieve this ultimate goal. We can infer from his other views about salvation that the feeling of satisfaction towards life and, in other words, the feeling of happiness, requires intuitive cognition, which also clarifies the meaning of life. Furthermore, man’s salvation-oriented attitude refutes the view that man’s life is only an instrument used to access the Divine End.

People in society differ from each other. Each follow specific aim and based on goal, choose different path and method in life. Some people are so believer and firm and although they have success in personal life and have actualized their own talents, are creative and supporting others in society. They are people who are completed and self-made man and called them self-actualized in humanistic psychology (Third Force). In this study, having used library method to describe the features of self-actualized people from the perspective of the Quran and psychology while trying to present comprehensive criteria for self-actualization based on the Verses of Quran. By a comprehensive review and using the in terpretations of the Quran verses, results showed that completed man is the man who in addition of religious precepts like prayer and tithe and leaving the guilt and sin, takes over responsibilities that is beyond of believer’s duties and he is someone that strives for personal and social development. In according to comprehensive vision of the Quran and it’s universal mission, is fitting that, to be used instead of theories raised by human in self-actualization.

Spiritual psychology has a special status and essential role in philosophical theology of Thomas Aquinas and MullA Sadra. Characteristics of such status and role can be clearly found in compiling structure of “Summa Theologiae” of Aquinas and “Asfar” of A Comparative survey of this fundamental element in two systematical structures indicates that these philosophers has so similarly regarded spiritual psychology in networks of metaphysical teachings and doctrines that considered both ontological aspect of human being as caused/creature and his epistemological statue or situation about God, himself and world. However, the issue of the way of human beings toward God in two mentioned systems has provided two different types of justification and compiling structure, because of different Christian background of Aquinas’ thought and Islamic background of Sadra’s thought.

‘Resurrection’ is one of the most important issue among the religious, philosophical and theological issues. As an aim, this essay has to compare some opinions of the two prominent thinkers in Islam and Christianity. Avicenna and Aquinas, in regard with the Resurrection. Exept in respect to badily Resurrection, Avicenna’s method of dispute is an absolutely philosophical one; whereas Aquinas’ is a theological-philosophical method. Avicenna and Aquinas are both agreed that the soul is and incorporeal substance, so that it won’t be destroyed, supposing destruction of the body. Moreover, they both have the view that the soul is created and are agreed that it is eternal. There is no place for purgatory, bodily paradise and hell in Avicena’s philosophy. But, Aquinas, according to the narrative texts, accepts them and deals with thire’s details. As Aquinas, Avicenna believe in necessity of the Resurrection, but he thinks that the only way of accepting bodily Resurrection is to have earnest trust in our religious tradition. His main obstacle is the materiality of imagination. But, while insisting on the point that, man is a compound of soul and body, and that we cannot obtain perfect happiness in this world, Aquinas, consequently, arrives at necessity of bodily Resurrection; accepthing, of course, some differences between corporeality in this world and corporeality in the Resurrection. Concerning spiritual Resurrection, Avicenna, proves immateriality of the soul and so he guarantees it’s permanence. Then, by proposing some principles, he claimes the existence of intelctual enjoyment and intellectual pain; or, the human soul’s misery and happiness.On the other hand, Aquinas, by denying various probable cases of happiness; he concludes that the last happiness will not happen unless you have an immediate intelectual vision of God’s entity, and this occurs only in Resurrection and by Divine illumination.

This research attempts to consider the relationship between “Islam” And “religious pluralism” through lexical and Quranic semantic of “Islam .”This word derived from “Selm” in Arabic and means subordination, humility and submission, because it does not have any insubordination and refusal. In Quranic verses “Islam” means “being surrendered to God and his commands”, the commands that transmitted to people by messengers of God. Therefore, according to the verses of noble Quran, one of the most important submission conditions is the belief that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), is the messenger of God. This reading is consistent with a meaning of the religious pluralism that emphasizes on rightfulness of Islam along the salvation of non Muslim people and, also, peaceful life with them, while is inconsistent with the definition that believe in plurality and equality of religions in rightfulness.