Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths

by Bruce Feiler

Both immediate and timeless, Abraham is a powerful, universal story, the first-ever interfaith portrait of the man God chose to be his partner. Thoughtful and inspiring, it offers a rare vision of hope that will redefine what we think about our neighbors, our future, and ourselves.

In this timely, provocative, and uplifting journey, the bestselling author of Walking the Bible searches for the man at the heart of the world's three monotheistic religions -- and today's deadliest conflicts.
At a moment when the world is asking, "Can the religions get along?" one figure stands out as the shared ancestor of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. One man holds the key to our deepest fears -- and our possible reconciliation. Abraham.
Bruce Feiler set out on a personal quest to better understand our common patriarch. Traveling in war zones, climbing through caves and ancient shrines, and sitting down with the world's leading religious minds, Feiler uncovers fascinating, little-known details of the man who defines faith for half the world.
Both immediate and timeless, Abraham is a powerful, universal story, the first-ever interfaith portrait of the man God chose to be his partner. Thoughtful and inspiring, it offers a rare vision of hope that will redefine what we think about our neighbors, our future, and ourselves.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, History, Christianity, Spirituality, Islam, Travel

234 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

About the author

BRUCE FEILER is one of America’s most popular voices on contemporary life. He is the author of six consecutive New York Times bestsellers; the presenter of two prime-time series on PBS; and the inspiration for the drama COUNCIL OF DADS on NBC. Bruce’s two TED Talks have been viewed more than two million times. Employing a firsthand approach to his work, Bruce is known for living the experiences he writes about. His work combines timeless wisdom with timely knowledge turned into practical, positive messages that allow people to live with more meaning, passion, and joy. His new book, LIFE IS IN THE TRANSITIONS: Mastering Change at Any Age, describes his journey across America, collecting hundreds of life stories, exploring how we can navigate the growing number of life transitions with greater purpose and skill.

For more than a decade, Bruce has explored the intersection of families, relationships, health, and happiness. His book THE SECRETS OF HAPPY FAMILIES collects best practices from some of the country’s most creative minds. The book was featured on World News, GMA, and TODAY and excerpted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Parade. THE COUNCIL OF DADS describes how, faced with one of life’s greatest challenges, he asked six friends to support his young daughters. The book was profiled in PEOPLE, USA Today, and Time and was the subject of a CNN documentary hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Since 2001, Bruce has been one of the country’s preeminent thinkers about the role of spirituality in contemporary life. WALKING THE BIBLE describes his 10,000-mile journey retracing the Five Books of Moses through the desert. (“An instant classic,” Washington Post). The book spent a year and a half on the New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into fifteen languages.

ABRAHAM recounts his search for the shared ancestor of the monotheistic religions. (“Exquisitely written,” Boston Globe). WHERE GOD WAS BORN describes his trek visiting biblical sites throughout Israel, Iraq, and Iran. (“Bruce Feiler is a real-life Indiana Jones,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution). AMERICA’S PROPHET is the groundbreaking story of the influence of Moses on American history. THE FIRST LOVE STORY is a journey across four continents exploring how Adam and Eve shaped our deepest feelings about relationships. (“A miraculous thing—the literary equivalent of breathing new life into a figure of clay,” New York Times Book Review; “Feiler’s best work yet,” Publishers Weekly).

A native of Savannah, Georgia, Bruce lives in Brooklyn with wife, Linda Rottenberg, and their identical twin daughters.

Reviews

[Fatma Al Zahraa Yehia · Rating 2 out of 5]

نجمتان ونصف
كان لدي الكثير من الأسئلة عن حياة سيدنا إبراهيم وتحديداً قصة الذبح. كنت أتوقع أن أجد دراسة مبسطة تُغطي جوانب القصة كاملة كما روتها الأديان السماوية الثلاثة.

ولكن عوضاً عن ذلك وجدت تسجيلاً لرحلة قام بها مؤلف الكتاب إلى القدس بعد أحداث الحادي عشر من سبتمبر تعقباً لرواية قصة سيدنا إبراهيم. اختار المؤلف تلك الشخصية تحديدا "سيدنا إبراهيم" كنموذج لنبي أو نموذج إنساني اتفقت الأديان الثلاثة عليه كمثال لرحلة الإنسان إلى الحقيقة والتضحية. ومن ثم، يحاول الكاتب أن يعرف هل يمكن لهذا الاتفاق أن يَعِد-في عصرنا الحالي-بواقع أكثر هدوءا تستطيع فيه الأطراف الثلاثة التعايش بسلام. وهنا نتحدث تحديداً عن القدس المحتلة التي ظن المؤلف أن قصة سيدنا إبراهيم هى العقبة الوحيدة التي تقف حجر عثرة في طريق السلام.

وجدت أن ربط قصة سيدنا ابراهيم "في رواياتها المختلفة" بأزمة ومأساة إقليمية كبرى كالقضية الفلسطينية، أو الصراع العربي الاسرائيلي كما يدعوه البعض، وجدته ربطاً شديد السذاجة والطفولية. ربط ينم عن جهلٍ مطبق بحقيقة ما يحدث على تلك الأرض. هل تتفجر الدماء ويُشرد المئات من أجل الصراع على ملكية نبي؟

أعجبني الجزء الأول من الكتاب، الذي قدم لي رواية تلك القصة المعروفة في سياق مختلف عن ما رُوي لي. أعجبني تحليل الصراع بين الأب وابنه "سيدنا إبراهيم وأبيه" وصراعه الداخلي مع نفسه وصراعه مع إيمانه ومع ما يتلقيه من أوامر من الله. استطعت أن أرى ابعادا جديدة-على اختلاف الكثير من التفاصيل-في تلك القصة القديمة. ولكن ذلك لم يكن كافيا.

في قصة سيدنا إبراهيم العديد من الأحداث التي وقف أمامها البعض مستفهما، واثارت الجدل. مثل حادثة الذبح نفسها،ورغبة إبراهيم في التأكد من قدرة الله عندما ذبح الطير، ومن قبلهم رميه في النار ونجاته منها. كان كل ذلك أكثر جدارة بالحكي بالنسبة لي من تلك التفاصيل المملة التي ملأت النصف الثاني من الكتاب عن رغبة أصحاب كل دين من الأديان الثلاثة بالاستئثار بإبراهيم لإثبات أفضليتهم على الأديان الأخرى.

وحتى في عرضه للديانات الثلاثة على طول الكتاب لم يكن الكاتب حياديا. فنجده في النهاية قدم الإسلام والمسلمين كمسئولين بشكل رئيسي عن العنف الذي يحدث في تلك البقعة من الأرض. وذلك كان متوقعاً إلى درجة كبرى من رجل يجهل أصل وحقيقة ما يحدث في هذا المكان.

ربما كان ذلك خطأ مني. فقد كنت أبحث عن معلومات وحقائق في كتاب ألفه شخص رومانسي حالم....وجاهل.

ملحوظة أخيرة: نقول ذلك باستمرار إلى أن مللنا...
المُترجم والمُراجِع وظيفتهم هى "نقل" الأفكار كما كتبها المؤلف بالضبط. ليست وظيفة المراجع-الشخص الذي يراجع الترجمة- أن يتناقش افكاره الخاصة على هوامش الكتاب. ليست وظيفة المراجع أن يصحح أو يصوب أفكار المؤلف. ليست مهمته أن يظهر لنا بهذا الشكل المزعج في معظم الصفحات ليعلن اعتراضه على ما يكتبه المؤلف.
للمرة الألف...عندما تجد ما تترجمه أو تراجعه يتعارض مع افكارك الخاصة، أرفض تلك المهمة وارحم اللي بيقرا من ارتفاع ضغط الدم

[Jolene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Approach with caution! This book packed a whopper for me, nearly knocked me on my butt. I have been interested in learning more about the similarities of the three major faiths in the world and was looking forward to reading this book. The book begins with a quote from Genesis 12: 2-3 with God’s promise to Abraham. “I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse him that curses you; And all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.” What I wasn’t prepared for was how ‘man’ uses Abraham to justify their faiths.
Bruce broke the chapters out by focusing on the Rock of Abraham (his home), the God of Abraham (his Birth and Call), the Children of Abraham (Ishmael and Issac), the People of Abraham (Jews, Christians and Muslims) and the Blood of Abraham (his legacy).

Bruce traveled to Jerusalem to write this book. He shared his experiences, the sights, the sounds, the smells, the people. He has made the book an uncomplicated journey taking his readers with him. Uncomplicated in the sense that everything is understandable. Don’t let this fool you into thinking this is an easy book. I would not have been ready to read this book when it was published in 2002, I don’t think my faith was strong enough. I might have been disillusioned by human action. I might have closed the book after the first chapter and never finished it convinced that corporate religion is all man made and not something I want to embrace.

Jerusalem is a touchstone of faith, Bruce tells us. Adam was buried here, Solomon built here, Jesus prayed here and Muhammad ascended here. For me, learning about the ‘holy land’ was like trying to understand all the stars in the sky…. so vast, so deep, sooooo many! Being a Christian I couldn’t help but be looking for some confirmation of my faith but very quickly I learned to let go and let Bruce have control of this journey. He ended the first chapter with a quote from his guide. “The relationship between a person and another human being is what creates and allows for a relationship with God. If you’re not capable of living with each other and getting along with each other, then you’re not capable of having a relationship with God.” Then his guide finished with “So the question is not whether God can bring peace into the world. The question is: Can we?”

As I entered the next chapter on Abraham’s birth and his call I still felt I was on unstable ground. Abraham’s family worshiped many gods and he was called by God to leave his homeland and become the father of a great nation. He began monotheism. God said to Abraham “Because of you, Abraham, the knowledge of me is going to the entire world.” Abraham had the first call. I was impressed and hopeful that God would not limit himself to those in a certain part of the world. However, I had difficulty with Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac and abandon his son Ishmael. I suspect there is a lot more for me to understand here.

Learning about Abraham’s children was no less challenging. This is the beginning of different directions. Ishmael for the Muslims and Issac for Jews and Christians. Was this God’s plan? I am reminded of my son sharing his insights with me. He said “I would like to believe that heaven is a lot of different neighborhoods.” i agree with him.

As Bruce takes us through Christianity, Judaism and Muslim’s relationship with Abraham I am still reading with my jaw dropping. I struggled again with how humans use Abraham in such a way to prove to themselves that their faith is ‘THE’ faith. Tsk, tsk.

The last chapter on the Blood of Abraham did bring me to solid ground. I realized at the conclusion of this book that I just completed a journey of my own faith. I have an appreciation for other faiths, I do not believe there is only one faith or one way to God. What I do know is I am comfortable with my choice of Christianity. I choose Christ. I love Jesus’ lessons while he was among us, I desire to follow his teaching. I will also pray for those who follow the lessons from Judaism and Muslims and I will continue to pray for peace. I figure we have so far to go and we have so many challenges just within Christianity. Why must we go out of our way to criticize others faiths, Catholics, Baptists, Methodist, Lutherans, etc. I believe again the important message is that we all come to God in a different way and we choose that belief based on our gifts and our needs. Abraham’s message of monotheism is the foundation.

Bruce ends his book with this thought. This Abraham is not Jew, christian, or Muslim. He is not flawless; he’s not a saint. But he is himself, the best vessel we’ve got, the father of all. This Abraham won’t be the only Abraham. He won’t be the last Abraham. But he is an Abraham for today. I choose him.

I have to thank Bruce for taking me on this journey. I feel like a child that has just had a huge world opened up to me. Thankfully I can continue this journey with my strong and confident faith in God and Jesus and I can appreciate Abraham’s guidance in bringing me this far.

[Mustafa M. Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

فى الفترة الأخيرة ظهر مصطلح الديانة الإبراهيمية كنوع من محاولة التقريب بين الأديان السماوية التلاتة وتجاوز الصراع ودمج إسرائيل فى المنطقة وفكرنى بالكتاب ده اللى هوا عبارة عن محاولة لتتبع أثر النبى إبراهيم فى الديانات التلاتة وإيه الفروق ونقط التلاقى عن طريق مقابلات مع رجال دين وعلماء فى التاريخ والأديان.
كتاب ممتاز وممتع وموضوعى فى الطرح.

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is interesting from an cultural perspective, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone seriously interested in learning more about the historical figure Abraham. Although Feiler interviews several authorities from different faiths, the book is in no way a scholarly approach to the belief systems of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Rather, it is the journey of one man (who is rather unsure of his own beliefs) asking questions of other people about their belief systems, how they relate to the various perceptions of Abraham the patriarch, and then sort of piecing it all together in a slightly journalistic way. I picked it up expecting a few more facts and quite a few less slanted interpretations, but I might as well have picked up a book which claims to give explanation and detail to the physical characteristics of the human heart, and then is simply one person's interpretations of a person's 'heart' feelings.

That much wasn't so bad... it was intriguing to read the perspective of a Jewish American on his own religion and that of Islam and Christianity... but I had to put the whole thing down for a few weeks while reading his obnoxiously written perspective on Christianity. It was somewhat like watching the news these days and seeing a five-minute positive report on Obama and then a thirty-second negative report on McCain. I'm not really a fan of either one, but it's still irritating to watch such biased journalism.

Feiler's approach was similar, only in this case, I do happen to know a bit more about the historical and current perspectives of Christianity on Abraham, as well as on other Christian perspectives, and Feiler's interpretations were infuriating. For example, here is what he writes in first introducing the man from whom he derives his information about Christian beliefs: "We are sitting in his crowded kitchen in the Old City, a few steps from the Holy Sepulcher, and he's fussing around like a talkative aunt... Bishop Theophanes is a kitchen-table conjurer or sorts, a short, hearty Nathan Lane look-alike with a beard who could serve as the magician at a backyard birthday party but who happens to be the head of the Greek Orthodox Church in the holiest spot in Christendom." He gives a picture of a half-wit, then proceeds to cite sources as being accurate to biblical Christianity but with which I doubt many in even the broad worldwide scope of Christianity would agree.

Even more aggravating, Feiler regards both Judaism and Islam with great respect, even referring to the Koran and Mohammad's revelations as though they are completely accurate, but then treats the New Testament in much the same way as one might treat a fairy tale, with statements like, "[Jesus'] followers spread word that Jesus had not actually died irreparably on the cross." So Mohammad definitely received revelations from Allah, but Jesus couldn't possibly have risen from the dead? The whole thing would be laughable if it weren't so blatantly slanted against lending any credence to the Christian faith. I would have expected that, but I wouldn't have expected him to portray both Judaism and Islam so much more respectfully.

There are many little things which contribute to the disposability of this book... such as the blanket statement that "Muslim discrimination against nonbelievers, while profound, never reached the levels of Christian hostility to Jews." That interpretation is nothing close to accurate, yet it and others like it are consistent throughout Feiler's writing. It may be interesting as a one-time read, but to lend the author any real authority on these matters - even that of Abraham, about whom he discusses many legends but doesn't even decide whether the man actually existed or not - would be a crime.

Overall, I'd categorize this book more as one man's questions and interpretations regaring the abilities of the main three world religions to coexist peacefully than a true search for the historical figure of Abraham.

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book portrays the role of Abraham in the history, theology and contemporary thought in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. All three faiths claim Abraham as their own, and they all assert to be the correct modern day representative of the Abrahamic religious tradition.

The book's first half addresses what the Bible and Koran say about Abraham, his call to monotheism, and his sons Isaac and Ishmael. Particularly fascinating are Feiler's discussions of how the three religious traditions invented stories about Abraham to supplement the rather skeletal canonical version—and even borrowed these stories from one another, as when Muslim traditions about Abraham and Ishmael began appearing in eighth-century Jewish commentaries.

The second half delves into each faith tradition and discusses how the Abraham narratives relate to contemporary religious and political conflicts. The author recounts his visits and interviews with a variety of religious leaders, the most poignant of which were the two contrasting interviews with a Muslim imam in Jerusalem and a Jewish West Bank settler.

One would think that the fact that the three Abrahamic religions have a common origin story would enhance the possibilities of cooperation. Unfortunately, the opposite is true.

Link to another review:
http://www.whatfredhasread.com/book/44

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting to see how the three Abrahamic religions interpreted and incorporated Abraham into their canon. Time to watch Jordan Peterson's series on Genesis to get another view. 4 Stars

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found Bruce Feiler's search for Abraham to be somewhat interesting. Abraham is the shared ancestor of the three great monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Particularly interesting for me, as I had never thought about it, is that each religion gives a different interpretation to what Abraham means for them. Moreover, each religion has added stories about Abraham, building on the original story in Genesis. Feiler hopes that the story of Abraham can play a role in fostering communication between the three religions. But, as Feiler himself admits, there is no historical evidence that such a man as Abraham even existed. All that we know about him is from the Bible and written centuries after he was said to have existed.
I was most interested in Feiler's journey in the Middle East to follow in Abraham's footsteps as related in Genesis, going to religious sites and having to brave crossing war zones to do so. I would have liked more about the historical research into the life and times of "Abraham." But that was not really the book the author was trying to write.

[Kathryn Bashaar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I would love this book, but I was disappointed. The author's premise is his search for the truth of the Biblical Abraham. He investigates how each of the three great People of the Book - Jews, Christians & Moslems - view Abraham. I thought his analysis was thin and disorganized. He lets each faith stand on its own instead of comparing and contrasting. And he's all over the place with stories from his childhood and character studies of people he interviews and his own analysis, and limited reference to actual sources. It just didn't work for me. And OK just one more thing: as a feminist, I thought Sarah really got the short shrift. Yeah, the book's about Abraham, he's the guy that got the Call, but Sarah is just a non-entity in this analysis and I think that does her a disservice.

[Paul]

While it was an interesting piece looking at the shared aspects of the three major faiths, i found it to be a little bit more of a follow-up book than a stand-alone piece of art.

With that being said, this guy's life is completely awesome. ... So i've graduated from the Ivy League, what to do now? ... Couple years teaching English in Japan? Yep. Grad school at Oxford? That too. Year in the circus? Roger that. Explaining the Bible in a way that anyone can understand it without a particular bent toward one faith or another? Done. And a book deal for each of these experiences to boot. By the time he's done, he'll be averaging a memior for every 3 years of his life.

[الشناوي محمد جبر · Rating 3 out of 5]

الخليل إبراهيم (رحلة إلي جوهر الديانات الثلاث)
بروس فيلر
...............................................
هذا الكتاب عبارة عن رحلة حقيقية _ وليست رحلة رمزية _ قام بها الكاتب للبلاد التي ولد بها وعاش بها ونزل بها أبو الأنبياء إبراهيم عليه السلام، وقد هدف الباحث من رحلته إلي البحث عن أصل أبو الأنبياء والتحقق من وجوده التاريخي وحقيقة رسالته، كما هدف إلي التحقق من نسب الأديان الثلاثة (اليهودية والمسيحية والإسلام) إليه، كما وضع الكاتب في رحلته هدفا عزيزا هو: البحث عن جوهر الديانات الثلاثة وما اتفقت عليه من خلال البحث عن جوهر دعوة إبراهيم عليه السلام باعتباره أبو الأنبياء والاديان الثلاثة.
في هذه الرحلة قابل الكاتب كثيرين من أبناء البلاد التي انتمي إليها إبراهيم عليه السلام يوما من الأيام، كما تحدث مع كثير من أهل الخبرة والعلم بالديانات الثلاثة الكبري التي ورثها أبناء إبراهيم، وكانت هذه الرحلة هي حكاية هذا الكتاب.
بدأ الكتاب بالحديث عن الصخرة وقبة الصخرة ووصفها وعلاقة الأديان الثلاثة بها، وسماها الكاتب (صخرة إبراهيم)، وتحدث عن موطن نشأة إبراهيم عليه السلام وبعض ما قيل عن أول حياته، ومما يثير العجب لدي الكاتب أنه لا يجد شيء يذكر عن طفولة إبراهيم عليه السلام كما لباقي الأنبياء، تحدث كذلك عن إله إبراهيم، الذي أصبح إبراهيم له خليلا، ولماذا اتخذه الله خليلا دون باقي البشر، تحدث أياض عن دعوة إبراهيم ومن أين بدأت وإلي أين انطلقت، وتحدث عن أولاد إبراهيم اسماعيل وإسحق، وعن ترتيب ميلادهم والخلاف بين المسلمين وغيرهم حول الابن الذبيح، فالمسلمون يقولون هو إسماعيل بينما يقول اليهود بأنه إسحق، ومن هذا الخلاف تأتي خلافات أخري كثيرة جوهرية متأصلة ممتدة حتي الآن.
تحدث الكتاب كذلك عن شعب إبراهيم، من هم؟ هل هم اليهود أم المسيحيون أم المسلمون؟ فكلهم يدعي أن إبراهيم له وحده، وأنه الوريث لحقيقة وجوهر الدين الذي أتي به إبراهيم، وكلهم يري في الآخر مخالف لا يمكن التصالح معه، رغم القرابة الواضحة بين الجميع، والأصل المشترك لهم جميعا.
يتميز الكتاب بأسلوبه الصحفي السهل وبعده عن الأساليب الأكاديمية، حتي ليمكن وصفه بأنه يشبه تماما التحقيقيات الصحفية، وقد كتبه مؤلفه لغرض شديد الرقي تسعي الامم لبلوغ ما أراد بلوغه في عصرنا الحالي، لكن الكتاب كذلك له عيوب منها: أن الكاتب يكتب من منظور عقائدي غريب تماما عن منظورنا العقائدي، فالكاتب يتحدث أحيانا عن الأنبياء باعتبارهم قادة وأبطال أحيانا واحيانا اخري يتحدث عنهم كرجال من عامة الشعب، كما انه تحدث عن الله بأسلوب بعيد تماما عن الإجلال والتقديس الواجب للذات الإلهية.

[Syed Waqar Bukhari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first read on comparative religions and I really enjoyed it. A beautifully written book for everyone, whether you are a simple reader or an academic.

[Syed Ali Hussain Bukhari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths by Bruce Feiler

It was my first experience to read a book discussing the personality, Abraham/Ibrahim, common in all three monotheistic religions.
Ignoring the discussion about basic beliefs, what I like is the message of co-existance, tolerance and a try to create such an environment that has courage enough to tolerate with people having opposite thinking.
A good effort...

[Samuel Neff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The first half really dove into the history of Abraham and the role that he played in being such an important figure in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The second half of the book seemed to be more about the author's own personal religious journey, which I was not as interested in. If the entire book was focused on the historical aspects of Abraham, I would of enjoyed much more.

[Kirstin Dobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was an intriguing. I learned a lot of details and perspective about a person and story I actually thought I knew more about than I actually did. That was cool, but there were some tangents I couldn't quite follow and it's biggest weakness was how some "straws were so split" for me to even keep straight.

[Lee Harmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

“So, Professor, what do we know about Abraham?” I asked.

“All we know about Abraham is in the Bible,” he says. “In the ground, there is nothing.”

This book is Bruce Feiler’s best. With no archaeological evidence whatsoever to explore, he embarks on his journey to learn about Abraham by interviewing members of various faiths, and finds himself enmeshed in a bewildering array of legends and claims. Abraham begins life as a polytheist in Ur, but is called by a foreign god, Yahweh, to journey to a new land. The promise by this strange god? “All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.” Various passages in the Bible retain echoes of this polytheism; Abraham is a transitional figure, with a foot in both worlds.

In this new land, two sons are born to Abraham, and God asks Abraham to sacrifice one of them as a test of his faith. So diverse are the legends about Abraham that there is not even agreement over which son is the requested sacrifice, but the Biblical account favors Isaac. This sacrifice—of whichever son—plays a major role in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Feiler writes, “Considering that I set out in search of what I thought was one Abraham at the heart of all three faiths, I was amazed by how much time I spent trying to figure out when one religion’s Abraham ended and another began.

The Jewish religion appears to have seniority. “Long before Christians and Muslims set about reinterpreting Abraham, early Jews were the first to perform reconstructive surgery on their purported father.” Feiler describes how the Israelites set about codifying their Bible, gathering and recording oral stories. Suddenly, Israel had scripture that described their ancestors, but what difference did that make? They still needed to make that text relevant to their lives. They needed midrash. Qumran provides excellent examples of Jewish midrash, and how Abraham was molded into their image.

Some years later, Christians entered the scene. In Paul’s fourteen letters, he refers to Abraham nineteen times, more than any other figure except Jesus. But the idea that Abraham belongs to all humanity, which appears at least in spirit in Paul’s letters, soon begins to dissipate. Matthew traces Jesus’ lineage through Isaac to Abraham. God’s sacrifice of his Son is compared directly to Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. Abraham, says John, knew about Jesus thousands of years before Jesus was born. Abraham has been appropriated to the Christian side.

Hundreds of years later, Muslims trace their relevancy through Abraham’s other son, Ishmael. Ibn Kathir accuses Jews of dishonesty and slander, claiming they introduced Isaac into the story, even though the Bible says Abraham went to sacrifice his only son, his favored son. For Muslims, Ishmael was the favored son, so he was the one Abraham took to sacrifice. As Feiler interviews a Muslim leader, he is told, “Abraham is the father of one religion, and that religion is Islam.” “So what will happen to me?” Feiler asked. “You’ll die,” came the answer.

Thoroughly rattled, Feiler retreats. His book has become something entirely different than what he set out to write.

(please follow this link to the Dubious Disciple below for further discussion of this topic)

http://www.dubiousdisciple.com/2011/0...

[Georgia Herod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because I have been a student and teacher of the Bible, I read with great interest Feiler's book, particularly because I knew I was limited in my understanding of the perceptions of Abraham by adherents of Judaism and Islam. Feiler goes in search of the real Abraham, history's first monotheist and the father of twelve million Jews, two billion Christians, and one billion Muslims. Feiler allows the reader to participate in his quest as he seeks out the documents related to the many legends about Abraham. Feiler expresses his surprise, shock, and disappointment in his findings. He expresses his confusion along the way. USA Today said, "Bruce Feiler went looking for proof. He learned that proof doesn't matter." (That could also be applied to the history and books of the LDS church.)

Separate chapters trace the necessity of each faith for Abraham in order to establish its legitimacy. Feiler uses interviews with experts, renowned scholars, theologians, and archaeologists (and others) to introduce each segment of his subject matter. That contributed a sense of immediacy for the reader. In addition, the reader journeys with Feiler as he walks the streets of Jerusalem, stands near the Wailing Wall, visits ancient shrines, climbs to the caves of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and enters Hebron under high security. Because I have traveled in Israel, these forays helped make Feiler's search even more personal to me.

Abraham's story stands at the root of the Middle Eastern conflict today. Can the religions co-exist? Perhaps, perhaps not. Historically, they have become geo-political.

As I read Feiler, I often turned to Genesis to verify his presentation. Because I've looked at Abraham from the Christian perspective, I was interested in the other vantage points, even differences in the narrative.

Feiler's conclusion: Abraham "represents the basic desire all people have to form a union with God." Abraham is a "physical manifestation of the fundamental yearning to be descended from a sacred source." Those are deductions that I've not made in my study of Abraham before.

Feiler provides an overview of Abraham in the three faiths. As a result, brevity and absence of more specific detail could be a weakness. Fluid, vivid prose.

[أحمد ضيوف · Rating 2 out of 5]

يتحدث الكتاب عن سيدنا ابراهيم باعتباره أبو الأنبياء الذي خرج من أصلابه ذرية شكلت الأديان السماوية الثلاث، لم أعرف هوية الكاتب أو موطنه وحاولت البحث عن وطنه عبر الانترنت و لم أعرف لكن يتضح من النص انه يهوديا اسرائيليا حيث يذهب الكاتب في رحلة الي القدس لاجراء بحث عن موطن سيدنا ابراهيم في أرض كنعان يحاول أن يرينا ابراهيم من منظور كتب العهد القديم و العهد الجديد ونصوص الانجيل و القرآن.
لم أحب طريقة كلامه عن الله في الكاتب حيث وصف علاقة سيدنا ابراهيم بالله علي انها علاقة نفعية بين فردين وليس بين آله خالق ومهيمن علي الأشياء وبين عبد شعر يوما أن لهذا الكون خالق، كما أن الكاتب أنكر في كلامه نبوة سيدنا اسماعيل وقلل من شأنه ومن شأن ذريته التي هي ذرية نبي الاسلام سيدنا محمد كما أثني علي سيدنا اسحاق واعتبره هو الوريث الشرعي لمكانة النبوة بدلا من اسماعيل، كما قلل الكاتب من شأن السيدة هاجر ( أم اسماعيل) و وصف علاقتها بسيدنا ابراهيم بانها علاقة نفعية هدفها الانجاب فقط كما أثني علي السيدة سارة ( أم اسحاق) وأثني عليها واعتبرها أول أم لليهود كقوم.
كان هدف الكاتب من خلال مقدمة الكاتب ايجاد المشتركات في كل ما هو مدون عن سيدنا ابراهيم من خلال الأديان الثلاثة في محاولة من الكاتب - علي حد وصفه - التقريب بين الأديان أكثر لكن كل ما كُتب في ما بعد المقدمة من كلمات و وصف لسيدنا ابراهيم واولاده يعتبر مخالف تماما لما ورد الينا في صحيح القرآن وأن كان ورد في نصوص العهد القديم و الجديد .
يجب أن أسجل اني كدت لا أٌكمل هذا الكتاب من تطرف نصوصه وبعدها عن مركزيتي كمسلم من الديانات السماوية الآخري لكني أكملت حتي أحدد قصور الضعف والنقص في كلمات الكتاب و أكون منصف في مراجعتي عنه وأن كنت لا أنصح أحد بقراءاته خاصة أن كان لم يقرأ من قبل عن تاريخ الديانات السماوية الابراهيمية أو لم يكن لديه علم بما ورد في نصوص الديانات الآخري من يهودية و مسيحية ولم يقرأ نصوص العهد الجديد والقديم.
صلي الله علي خاتم الأنبياء و المرسلين وعلي كل الأنبياء ابراهيم و اسماعيل ويعقوب وعيسي و موسي لا نفرق بين أحدا منهم..

[Ron Tenney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book on Audible a while back. I found the narrative to be a fascinating tour through the Genesis account and very eye-opening in helping me to understand the claim the three great world religions have on this patriarch.

This is an easy read. It is not designed as a scholarly book with extensive footnotes. It is more conversational. There is a short bibliography at the back that provides sources for further reading for those so inclined.

Mormon doctrine has a very different interpretation of the Abraham based on the words in the Pearl of Great Price, books of Moses and Abraham. I found it hard to set aside the teachings of the church in reading about all of these other traditions. I think the best part of the book for me is to open my eyes to the stories of Hagar and Ismael. They are really compelling figures right in the Hebrew Bible.

I like this book. I like the light, conversational tone and the great story-telling talent of Bruce Feiler.

It is a "good read" in my book.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abraham claims to take the reader on a journey (physically, philosophically, and spiritually) to the heart of the three Abrahamic religions. The book fails to do so. The author, Bruce Feiler, is Jewish and it is very apparent in his writing. A larger portion of the book was promoted to a positive connection between Abraham and Judaism than was given to Christianity or Islam. In fact, I felt the entire section devoted to the connection between Abraham and Islam to be very negative. This book does nothing to strengthen bonds between the three major world religions or open dialogues; it simply helps Mr. Feiler feel more connected to his religion's founding father. What ever happened to objectivity in journalism?

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abraham has been claimed as the patriarch of three faiths and Bruce Feiler looks at both the way Abraham has been portrayed by each faith--how his story has been expressed and interpreted--and also how each faith has attempted to claim him exclusively. It was fascinating to see how Abraham has been presented throughout history. His reputation and the portions of his story that were historically highlighted and debated said as much about the period in which they were written as it did about evolving religious traditions. A very well written book. Most interesting were Feiler's interviews with clerics and scholars and their reflections about the role and pivotal importance of Abraham to the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions.

[Kkraemer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beginning with the hints and allusions of the oldest stories, Feiler explores how this one man, Abraham, becomes the father of all of the Jews, Christians, and Muslims worshipping today. There are few details in these bits and snippets, nothing about Abraham's early life before he receives the Call to leave his home and venture elsewhere. We then learn of the older wife, the child, the newer wife, another child, the binding.

Over the millennia, all of these stories have been told by many voices. Some are the voices of the clergy who hear and tell them through the lens of their faith; others are simply people who hear and tell the stories to prove a point, entertain the masses, bring solace.

And the two sons: Ishmael and Isaac. And stories about them as well.

From this set of stories have arisen countless interpretations that both guide humans to embrace all of Abraham's children as brethren and to despise all of his children have different understandings of the stories, different ways of submitting to God.

Feiler is a fascinating writer who envelops each set of stories in his tales of being somewhere, of talking with someone. He follows the various branches of the people of Abraham, noting both their similarities and their differences, and even includes some incidents that are based on such logic that their terror grips the absolute core of the reader.

[Ron Scheese · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Compelling Read

Just finished Bruce Feiler's "Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths," a thought-provoking exploration of the patriarch who stands at the intersection of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

As the world grapples with religious conflicts, Feiler’s journey to understand Abraham's significance offers both a historical perspective and a hope for interfaith harmony.

The book is divided into two main sections. The first dives into the scriptural accounts of Abraham in the Bible and the Koran, uncovering the narratives that have shaped Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions. The author examines how these traditions have borrowed from and influenced each other. The second part of the book examines Abraham's role in current religious and political contexts, highlighting how each faith's interpretation of Abraham informs interfaith dynamics with an eye primarily on the Middle East.

The author makes Abraham accessible to a wide audience, from casual readers to those deeply interested in religious studies. One of the book's strengths is its hopeful message that Abraham's shared heritage could foster reconciliation among the three religions.

"Abraham" is a compelling read that blends history, theology, and personal reflection. Check it out.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021 bk 21. Bruce Feiler makes you ponder (thinking is by far too flirty of a word for this book). Taking experiences gained from his Walking the Bible, in this book Feiler visits the places that anchored Abraham, where he journeyed in his way around the middle east and his journey with God as opposed to the deities of his childhood. To journey with Abraham and his influence on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is to cause reflection on your own faith and grounding or at least to reflect on how different people have interpreted the life of Abraham. An excellent read and I wish there had been a television documentary to accompany this as was done with Walking the Bible.

[Brandon Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best part of the book is the deep Biblical exegesis on the Abraham and Issac story (or Ishmael depending on what tradition you are reading) and I particularly enjoyed the section on each of the three Abrahamic religions - I learned a lot about Islam and the way Muslims have interpreted the life of Abraham and Ishmael in particular. I agree with the author's thesis that we must find common ground with people of different faiths - to view and read sacred texts in a way that accepts other religions, and not a way that condemns them. This is so important if we want to see a world of true religious freedom with less violence and have inter-religious dialogues with members of different faiths.

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yikes it took me over 8 months to finish this book 🙃 but I finally finished! Originally started reading this for my religion and politics class last semester but recently finished it up this past weekend. I’m glad I did - I think it’s a very well-written and open-minded book. The 3 main monotheistic religions have so much more in common than one would realize, and it encourages an interfaith dialogue among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Abraham being the common unifying figure.

Favorite quote: “Those of us who believe in mutual respect and coexistence must join this conversation as well. In this days of mass destruction and weapons of terror, silence, sadly, equals violence.”

[Neo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruce Feiler investigates the patriach of three major religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The journey across nations, religions and most importantly, individuals, was hard at times. There were many moments of absolute despair. We all have to let go of the idea that our way is “right” and live and let live. The author draws all pieces of the very much unsolved puzzle and invites us into a new, peaceful and forward-thinking reality. He gives a unique and welcome ending to the story with no end. Yet.

[Karen Powell]

The world's three major religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - have many major differences that cause conflict all over the world. But the three are united in their devotion to Abraham, the folk hero of 4000 years ago who predates all the modern religions, but is claimed by each as their "father." [return][return]Feiler travels to the volatile Middle East to the land where Abraham once walked to get a better understanding of the influential figure. Along the way, he talks to followers of the three different religions in order to grasp a better understanding of Abraham, and ultimately to wonder if through their love of Abraham, can their ever be peace among dissenters?[return][return]There are some amazing revelations along the way. For one, Jews and Christians agree that Jacob was the son to be sacrificed by Abraham, while Muslims insist that it is Ishmael. Also, Abraham himself was largely forgotten after his time until a revival designed to reignite the Jewish faith after the destruction of the Second Temple. [return][return]The book confronts the animosity among the different religions, but in a gingerly way, pleading for peace and understanding. Flaws in each belief are exposed, but Muslims in particular come off partcualrily harsh when the chosen representative of Islam in an interview with the author gives a defense of suicide bombers. This is explained away as the unfortunate current representation of Islam today, saying that the hope for this religion lies in its Western believers, who live in more peaceful areas. I don't know if that's patronizing or naive. That the author, and many others, can maintain a positive hope for understanding is very heartening after being confronted with some disturbing views.

[Charlie Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an incredibly informative book; Bruce Feiler does a great job at explaining Abraham's relevance to each big monotheistic religion and writes about each belief system in a style that a person of any faith can understand.

Feiler takes on a positive outlook regarding religious/political affairs - and explains not only how differing beliefs about Abraham play into these issues, but also how Abraham can serve as a unifying figure to help generate peace between feuding religions.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite passages from this fascinating bibliographic adventure (i.e. Bruce Feiler's Abraham) highlights the virtue and value of modesty or humility as far as our personal faith is concerned.

In this conversation, Feiler discusses the archetypal tale as related in the (3) major monotheistic scriptures with Hanan Eschel, one of the leading archaeologists of the first millenium B.C.E. (This excerpt appears on p. 135.)

Hanan explains to the author: "What I'm trying to do, especially in this part of the world, is to teach people to be more modest [i.e. about their faith, religious practices & beliefs, etc.]. To explain to them that they don't have all the answers. If you'll be modest, you'll probably understand the text better, and there's much less chance that you'll do awful things in the name of God."

[Then Feiler inquires:] "So can you find a basis in the Abraham story for modesty?"

He smiled. "The whole story is about modesty. Leave your family, leave what you know. Think of when God tells Abraham to follow what Sarah says in regard to Ishmael. We know Abraham felt bad about this; he had to send Ishmael away. But he knew he didn't understand everything.

"You can take the story of Abraham and teach people they don't have all the answers, because we are Abraham--just like all those commentators said--and we don't have all the answers. We don't know our destination. And we certainly don't know everything about God."

Amen, brother Eschel! It's hard to put it better....

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Abraham marks the emergence in human history of monotheism, and idea that represents a major shift in human consciousness. For believers in a single deity, it's an idea whose simplicity gives it an integrity that is self-evident. Three thousand years later, the complexity of not one but myriad Abrahams confounds understanding of the one God he believed in.

Feiler's informative book gives us in broad brushstrokes an account of how that transformation took place. His search for common ground between competing belief systems takes him on a perplexing journey to sacred sites in the Holy Land, where he interviews men and women who have devoted their lives to study of God and the descendants of Abraham. The answers he gets to his questions illuminate his subject and raise even further questions.

At first I didn't think I was going to like this book. I expected something scholarly, and this seemed more like magazine writing - breezy and superficial. Then as Feiler wades into deeper theological and political waters, the subject became compelling and full of unexpected surprises. I recommend this very readable book for readers with even a passing knowledge of Abraham, the ancestral father of three world faiths, and who wonder at the current ferocity of religious beliefs that haunts our days.