The Frequency of Fundamental Doctrines in Religions as a Method for Discovering the Authenticity of Doctrines
Subject Areas :
1 - adyan u.
Keywords: Islam, Christianity, authority of evidence, development of doctrines, Monotheism, Trinity,
Abstract :
Abstract: Today, various religions assert different claims on diverse theological issues, the belief in which requires proof of authenticity or justification through specific means. Determining authoritative sources within each religion is precisely for this reason. However, a problem contemporary believers face regarding some of their doctrines is that certain beliefs, currently viewed as vital and essential, are not easily proven through conventional methods. This creates doubt about the authenticity of some doctrines—how can certain teachings hold a foundational status in the modern structure of a religion if they were not sufficiently addressed in the primary sources, making it challenging today to establish their authenticity or verify their truth or falsehood? One approach to resolving this issue is examining the frequency (or lack thereof) of a doctrine in the core of a particular religion. The claim of this paper is that if a doctrine is fundamental to a religion, it should be sufficiently emphasized in the initial core of that religion; its absence suggests that this doctrine is the result of an evolutionary process rather than a foundational, intrinsic, and deep-rooted belief. Moreover, it is untenable to claim that evidence might have existed but has not reached us for some reason, as eliminating all direct and indirect evidence is implausible. This paper examines the primary issue by comparing two doctrines—Trinity in Christianity and Monotheism in Islam—to critique the Trinity from this perspective, noting that while the Trinity, which is crucial in the structure of Christian theology today, is not addressed in the early layers of this religion, the equivalent in Islamic tradition, i.e., Monotheism, does not face such an issue. This difference is crucial in assessing the validity and authenticity of these concepts.