REL 210 Final Project - Abrahamic Faithline Timeline

Judaism - Call of Abraham

2000 BCE

Summary: Abraham receives a divine call from God to leave his homeland and is promised land, a great nation, and blessings.
Shared Heritage Connection: Abraham is foundational to all three Abrahamic faiths.

Judaism - Exodus, Moses leads Israelites out of Egypt

1250 BCE

Summary: Moses leads the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery after encountering God in the form of a burning bush
Shared Heritage Connection: Moses and the covenant establish Israel's religious identity; later referenced by Jesus and Muhammad

Judaism - King David establishes Jerusalem as capital

1000 BCE

Summary: King David unifies the tribes of Israel and establishes Jerusalem as the political and religious center.
Shared Heritage Connection: King David is a messianic figure referenced in Christianity (Jesus as his descendant)

Judaism - Solomon builds the First Temple

960 BCE

Summary: David’s son Solomon builds the First Temple, centralizing Jewish worship in Jerusalem.
Shared Heritage Connection: Temple central to Jewish worship; Jesus taught there, referenced in Islamic tradition

Judaism - Babylonian Exile, First Temple destroyed

586 BCE

Summary: The Babylonians destroy the First Temple and exile the Israelites, leading to theological reflection and adaptation.
Shared Heritage Connection: Exile shapes Jewish theology; Christians interpret Jesus as fulfillment of return; Qur’an echoes exile motif

Judaism - Second Temple is built in Jerusalem

515 BCE

Summary: After the return from Babylonian exile, Jews rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, restoring their religious center.
Shared Heritage Connection: Rebuilds the central place of Jewish worship; Jesus later teaches here, and the site remains significant in Islam.

Judaism - Maccabean Revolt

167 BCE

Summary: Jewish revolt against Hellenistic influence leads to re-dedication of the Temple, celebrated in Hanukkah.
Shared Heritage Connection: Shows Jewish resistance; inspires themes of faith and dedication echoed in Christian and Islamic narratives.

Christianity - Birth of Jesus of Nazareth

4 BCE

Summary: Jesus is born to Mary in Bethlehem, marking the incarnation of God's word in Christian belief.
Shared Heritage Connection: Jesus born into Jewish context; name means 'God saves'; also honored in Islam

Christianity - Jesus begins public ministry

27

Summary: Jesus travels and teaches across Judea and Galilee, proclaiming the Kingdom of God and performing miracles.
Shared Heritage Connection: Jesus teaches with parables and heals, connecting his message to Jewish prophecy; referenced in Islam as a prophet.

Christianity - Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus

30

Summary: Jesus is crucified and, according to Christian tradition, resurrected, which becomes the cornerstone of Christian salvation.
Shared Heritage Connection: Crucifixion pivotal in Christianity; Islam acknowledges Jesus' prophetic mission, but not crucifixion

Christianity - Paul’s Conversion

35

Summary: Paul’s transformation from enemy to apostle broadens the early Christian movement across the Roman Empire.
Shared Heritage Connection: Paul, a former persecutor, spreads Christianity to Gentiles, extending the covenant beyond ethnic Israel; echoes Abrahamic expansion.

Christianity - Council of Jerusalem

50

Summary: Early church leaders decide how non-Jewish converts can join the faith, shaping Christianity as a distinct religion.
Shared Heritage Connection: Decision that Gentiles don’t need to follow all Jewish laws marks Christianity’s divergence; shows transition from Judaic roots.

Christianity/Judaism - Destruction of Second Temple by Romans

70

Summary: The Romans destroy the Second Temple; this forces a transformation in Jewish practice and impacts early Christianity.
Shared Heritage Connection: Shared grief and transformation after temple destruction; leads to Rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity

Judaism - Compilation of the Mishnah

200

Summary: The Mishnah, a codification of oral laws, is compiled, becoming foundational to Jewish legal tradition.
Shared Heritage Connection: Forms the basis of Rabbinic Judaism, which influences both Christian legal thinking and later Islamic jurisprudence.

Christianity - Christianity legalized in Roman Empire by Constantine

313

Summary: Emperor Constantine legalizes Christianity, allowing it to grow and establish theological and institutional roots.
Shared Heritage Connection: Christianity gains legitimacy; roots in Judaism acknowledged

Christianity -

325

Summary: Leaders from across the Christian world affirm central doctrines, especially about Jesus' divinity.
Shared Heritage Connection: Defines Jesus as fully divine; codifies Christian belief within shared Abrahamic monotheism framework.

Judaism - Completion of the Talmud

500

Summary: The Talmud, expanding on the Mishnah, is finalized and becomes central to Jewish religious education.
Shared Heritage Connection: Key text for Jewish law and ethics; parallels Christian theological writings and Islamic hadith traditions.

Islam - Birth of Muhammad in Mecca

570

Summary: Muhammad is born in Mecca, seen by Muslims as the final prophet in the Abrahamic tradition.
Shared Heritage Connection: Muhammad’s lineage traced to Abraham through Ishmael

Islam - First revelations to Muhammad (Qur’an begins)

610

Summary: Muhammad receives revelations from God through the angel Gabriel, which become the basis of the Qur’an.
Shared Heritage Connection: Revelation through angel Gabriel mirrors biblical prophecy; Qur’an shares figures with earlier scriptures

Islam - Hijra - Muhammad migrates to Medina, Islamic calendar begins

622

Summary: The Hijra marks the migration of Muhammad and his followers to Medina, forming the first Muslim community.
Shared Heritage Connection: Marks the beginning of the Islamic community, in the spirit of Abrahamic migration stories

Islam - Death of Muhammad, beginning of caliphate

632

Summary: After Muhammad's death, leadership passes to the caliphs and Islam begins to expand rapidly.
Shared Heritage Connection: Muhammad dies; Qur’an seen as fulfillment of divine message, in line with Jewish and Christian prophecy

Islam - Qur'an compiled into written form under Caliph Uthman

650

Summary: The Qur'an is compiled into a single written text under Caliph Uthman to preserve the revelations.
Shared Heritage Connection: Written Qur’an parallels canonization of earlier scriptures

Islam - Assassination of Ali and rise of Umayyad Caliphate

661

Summary: Ali, cousin of Muhammad, is killed, leading to the establishment of the Umayyad dynasty.
Shared Heritage Connection: Marks the Sunni-Shia split; echoes earlier divisions in Jewish and Christian communities over succession and authority.

Islam - Abbasid Caliphate and Islamic Golden Age begins

750

Summary: The Abbasid Caliphate ushers in a golden age of Islamic culture, preserving and building upon Abrahamic knowledge.
Shared Heritage Connection: Islamic Golden Age revives Abrahamic heritage in philosophy, science, and theology

Islam - Start of the Abbasid Caliphate

750

Summary: New caliphate ushers in cultural and scientific flourishing in the Islamic world.
Shared Heritage Connection: Abbasids promote scholarship and interfaith translation movements; preserve Jewish and Christian texts.

Christianity - The Great Schism

1054

Summary: The church splits into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox branches over doctrinal and political differences.
Shared Heritage Connection: Divides Eastern and Western Christianity; reflects diverse interpretations of inherited Abrahamic tradition.

Islam - Fall of Baghdad

1258

Summary: Mongol invasion destroys the Abbasid capital, causing major shift in Islamic political and intellectual life.
Shared Heritage Connection: Loss of cultural and religious center echoes destruction of Jewish Temples and Christian schisms.

Islam - Expulsion of Muslims and Jews from Spain

1492

Summary: End of Muslim rule in Iberia leads to mass expulsions and diaspora for Muslims and Jews.
Shared Heritage Connection: Marks end of convivencia; shows shared fate and cultural legacy of Muslims and Jews in Europe.

Judaism - Establishment of the State of Israel

1948

Summary: Israel becomes a sovereign state, representing a modern return to the biblical land of covenant.
Shared Heritage Connection: Modern reestablishment of Jewish homeland ties back to biblical promises and resonates with all Abrahamic traditions' view of the land.

Islam - Over 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide

2023

Summary: Islam continues to grow as a global religion rooted in monotheism and prophetic tradition of Abraham.
Shared Heritage Connection: Reflects Islam’s place as a major global Abrahamic faith alongside Judaism and Christianity.