DAS FRÜHESTE ZEUGNIS EINER ABRAHAMISCHEN ÖKUMENE. ZUM ANTIKEN INTERRELIGIÖSEN ABRAHAMKULT VON MAMRE
The Earliest Witness of an Abrahamic Ecumenism. On the Ancient Interreligious Cult at Mamre

Summary/Abstract: The concept of Abrahamic religions and Abrahamic “ecumenism” has grown out of the awareness that Judaism, Christianity and Islam are connected by their common roots. To speak of Abrahamic religions makes sense only when Abraham functions as an identification-factor. Sozomenos’ testimony of a cultic space and celebration at Mamre, shared by Jews, Christians and Arabs up to the time of Constantine, is an example for the integrative function of Abraham. At the shared cultic place in the neighbourhood of Hebron each religion has interpreted Abraham and the space dedicated to him in its own way. Related theological concepts, such as that of “people of the Book”, or other biblical characters, like Sarah, Moses, Elijah or Job may also contribute to the interreligious dialogue. On the other hand, references to the symbolic figure of Abraham have performed a polemic-apologetic function as well, in an attempt to prove the priority of one’s own faith in salvation history. Despite this aspect, Abraham, father of both Isaac and Ishmael, may open the door to the dialogue between monotheistic religions.

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