SYNOPSIS

THIS DOCUMENTARY, “THREE FAITHS, ONE GOD: JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM” COMPARES SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES IN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES THAT ISLAM HAS WITH CHRISTIANITY AND JUDAISM . IT ALSO EXAMINES HOW PEOPLE OF GOODWILL IN THE ABRAHAMIC FAITH COMMUNITIES ARE COMING TO TERMS WITH HISTORICAL CONFLICTS THAT IMPACT THEIR LIVES TODAY, AND THEIR DEDICATION TO TEARING DOWN BARRIERS TO UNDERSTANDING & RESPECT.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM CONTENT

The importance of this subject in the world environment today makes this ground-breaking documentary most appropriate for public television. Even though there have been programs about the respective faiths groups, to our knowledge there has not been a documentary on the vital issue of interfaith understanding between the three religions.

The structural thread of the documentary will focus on: commonalities the three religions share, similarities between scriptural text and religious practices, historical conflicts and differences, the crisis of the fundamentalist approach to religious pluralism, and understanding and reconciliation.
In the program Rabbi David Rosen (Interfaith Director for the American Jewish Committee) observes that the three Abrahamic religions “are people of the books as opposed to people of the book.” For example, in one of the scriptural comparisons we will show how the three religions interpret Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice to God. From Islam’s point of view, which differs from the Hebrew scriptures, Ishmael replaces Isaac as the son who is offered for sacrifice. In Christianity, Jesus is seen as a symbolic sacrificial offering. We also learn that Muslims recognize Jesus as the greatest prophet next to Muhammad and yet they see Muhammad’s mission as more akin to that of Moses.

We will compare the religious practices of the three faiths. e.g The ritual of fasting as observed in Ramadan, and Yom Kippur. At sunset we visit a Muslim family in their home during Ramamdan to see how the fast is broken. We go to a Muslim and a Jewish wedding to witness how the wedding contract is signed in both religions. We see and hear what the Lord’s Prayer and the opening passages of the Koran have in common.
We also explore the historical conflicts between the three faiths, ranging from Mohammed”s battle with the Jews in Medina, the expulsion of Jews and Muslims from Spain during the Inquisition, and the lingering negative impact of the Christian Crusades on Muslim thinking today.

In a sequence in the ancient Spanish cities of Granada, and Cordoba. We revisit the historic “Golden Age of Spain” under Muslim rule. We see how Muslims, Jews and Christians created a culture of tolerance in Medieval Spain. Jews and Christians were deeply influenced by Muslim art, culture and spiritual concepts. Jewish scholars acknowledge Islam’s influence in the use of Arabic by some of their greatest thinkers. Throughout the scene we see and hear original music recorded at a live concert by the Al-Andalus Ensemble a Moroccan-based group, who are inspired by the musical traditions of the three faiths in Moorish Spain.

After setting up exposition that deals with the fundamental crisis that impacts on the three religions, we see a dramatic and moving example of understanding and reconciliation. Judea Pearl, in honor and memory of his son, the late Danny Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was murdered by terrorists in Pakistan, has dedicated himself to opening a dialogue between Muslims and Jews to create a better understanding between the two faiths. He conducts a one-on-one dialogue with Professor Akbar Ahmed, Chair of Islamic Studies at American University, and author of the recent book “Islam Under Siege”. The event titled, “Towards Interfaith Understanding: A Journey Through Dialogue” was held in Pittsburgh, Pa. at the University of Pittsburgh auditorium. One of the most touching moments was a surprise visit by two representatives of the Pakistani government who made a public apology for the death of Danny Pearl.

We look in on a Muslim-Christian-Jewish conflict-resolution workshop under the auspices of the National Coalition Building Institute engaging in an intensive dialogue as they dispell myths, misconceptions, and stereotypes about each others’ faith. The group learns to deal effectively with bigoted comments and behavior and understand the personal impact of descrimination.

As faith communities seek ways of interacting that promote harmony among themselves and benefits for the broader society, one challenge common to all is how to involve youth in this process. The Interfaith Youth Core, a youth-led Chicago-based international interfaith organization, seeks to link the religious identities of youth to two areas: understanding, appreciating and respecting other religious identities; and making a difference in the broader society through social action. As an example of how different faith communities can work together through social activism, we follow the Interfaith Youth Core volunteers mentoring immigrant children to improve their language aptitude skills. Afterwards, in a group dialogue, the volunteers articulated why doing service is important in their religious tradition. This scene demonstrates the Interfaith Youth Core’s goal to have teenagers be able to explore their impulses towards service in their own religious traditions and to develop a deeper understanding of how other religious traditions view the importance of social service.

In another scene, Diana Eck, Director of Harvard’s Pluralism Project, facilitates a discussion with women of the three Abrahamic faiths as they share their views on women’s rights regarding rules of religion and culture, and the role of women in their respective religions.

A controversial and sensitive subject between the religions is interfaith marriage. In New York City, we videotaped a frank discussion between interfaith couples. We gain insight to the challenges these couples face in their relationships, and the impact on families and children. Some of the questions that come up include: What kind of marriage will you have if you have two traditions in the family? How do you raise the children? Throughout the discussion we see how their faith is tested.

In Washington D.C., Imam Hendi , the Muslim chaplin of Georgetown University is invited to give a sermon at a United Congregational Church. Before the sermon, in a unique scene, he teaches the Sunday school class how Muslim’s pray. The children particpate and then curiously ask about the prayers.

It is our intention throughout the documentary to capture in dynamic situations, a broad range of voices and ideas from the three faith “communities”, ranging from the views of ordinary people to the finest thinkers in the interfaith field, including: Karen Armstrong, noted author of some of the foremost books on the subject including, “The Battle for God” and “The Holy War”; Professor Abdulaziz Sachedina, author of “The Islamic Roots of Democratic Pluralism”; Rabbi Reuven Firestone, author of “Children of Abraham: Introduction of Judaism for Muslims”; Dr. Krister Stendahl, Professor Emeritus, Harvard Divinity School; Professor Mark Gopin, Director of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University; GWU Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr, one of the world's leading experts on Islamic science and spirituality; Bishop John Chane, Washington National Cathedral; Imam Fiesal Rauf, author of, “What’s Right with Islam; Professor Sulayman Nyang, Howard University, co-director of Muslims in the American Public Square; Yale University Professor Maria Rosa Menocal, author of the critically-acclaimed book, “The Ornament of the World.”

We are confident that at the end of the program our audience will come away with new insights and understanding of the other’s faith. One of our interviewees sums up the point of view of this documentary. “There is enormous value in attempts to reaffirm for people who are believers of different faiths that they share basic, human values on which they can build, or rebuild mutually respectful peaceful relationships.”