Shafaqna English- The Nativity of Christ (PBUH) and the Horizon of a Theology of Unity, Re-reading Justice, Love, and Humanity in the Contemporary World by Dr Mohammad Hossein Mokhtari, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Holy See.
The birth of Jesus Christ (AS) constitutes an epistemic opportunity to re-examine one of the richest theological heritages within the religious traditions. The teachings of Christ (AS) in such domains as Divine Justice, human dignity, and universal love have not only shaped the foundations of Christian theology but have also occupied a distinguished position within the Islamic tradition.
Adopting a theological comparative approach within the framework of religious studies, the present essay seeks to demonstrate how the path and ideals of Christ (AS) may function as a shared moral and spiritual resource for strengthening interreligious dialogue and fostering ethical unity among the followers of the divine religions.
The central emphasis of this study is that the message of Christ (AS) transcending doctrinal boundaries, possesses both theoretical and practical capacities to confront the ethical and humanitarian crises of the contemporary world.
On the eve of the Nativity of Jesus Christ (AS) the divine messenger of peace, justice, and love the necessity of rethinking the meaning and socio-theological function of his message becomes ever more pressing. Despite remarkable scientific and technological advancements, the contemporary world is afflicted by profound ethical crises: the expansion of violence, structural injustice, the erosion of human bonds, and instrumentalization and misuse of religion.
In such a context, a return to the legacy of the divine prophets especially Christ (AS) can open a new horizon for the revival of ethics, human dignity, and interreligious dialogue.
Jesus (AS) is not only the Founder of one of the world’s largest religious traditions but is also regarded in Islam as a great prophet, the bearer of a revealed scripture, and a symbol of asceticism, monotheism, and love. This shared and dual status renders him a theological point of convergence among the Abrahamic religions.
The present article, adopting an analytical theological perspective, examines the path and ideals of Christ along three fundamental axes justice, humanity, and love and elucidates the role of these teachings in strengthening unity and convergence among the adherents of the divine religions.
- Divine Justice in the Teachings of Christ (AS)
Justice in the thought of Jesus Christ (AS) is a profound and multi-layered concept that transcends merely legal rules or mechanisms of social order. In the Gospels, justice is consistently understood in relation to the “Kingdom of God” and the divine will, rather than as the simple enforcement of law. Christ explicitly challenges religious hypocrisy, formalistic justice, and a hollow legalism devoid of meaning, emphasizing instead inner sincerity and purity of intention (Matthew 23:23).
Christ’s (AS) particular concern for the poor, the sick, and the socially marginalized indicates that divine justice, in his vision, possesses a liberative character a justice that resists unjust structures and places human dignity at its center (Wright, 2012). This understanding of justice is comparable to the Qurʾanic concept of qisṭ, wherein the mission of the prophets is intrinsically linked to the establishment of justice in society (The Qurʾan 57:25).
From the perspective of comparative theology, it may be argued that both Christian and the Quranic conceptions of justice emphasize the inseparable relationship between faith, ethics, and social responsibility an emphasis that offers significant potential for Muslim–Christian dialogue in the domains of public ethics and global justice (Volf, 2011).
- Humanity and the Inherent Dignity of the Human Being in the Message of Christ (AS)
The anthropology of Jesus (AS) is grounded in the principle of the inherent dignity of the human being. Regardless of social status, ethnicity, or moral background, the human person is worthy of love, respect, and the possibility of returning to the divine path. Christ’s (AS) conduct toward sinners, the ill, and the marginalized demonstrates that humanity, in his view, is not a static or predetermined condition, but a dynamic reality capable of renewal and restoration.
This understanding of the human being stands in clear opposition to any instrumental or violence-centered view of humanity. By emphasizing humility, service to others, and the prioritization of spiritual values over material interests, Christ presents an ethical paradigm that can serve as a foundation for the reconstruction of human relationships in contemporary societies. From the standpoint of interreligious dialogue, this theocentric humanism constitutes a significant point of convergence among religious traditions.
- Love as the Essence of Christian Theology
In the teachings of Jesus Christ (AS), love is not merely a moral virtue but the very foundation Attachments: of Christian theology. In the Gospels, love of God and love of neighbor are presented as the highest commandments (Matthew 22:37–40). This love, as Christ (AS) explicitly teaches, extends even to one’s enemies, thereby challenging the conventional logic of confrontation, revenge, and violence (Luke 6:27).
In contemporary Christian theology, Anders Nygren, in his classic work, characterizes Christian love as a “descending, self-giving, and unconditional” love that originates in divine initiative rather than human merit (Nygren, 1953). He writes: “Agape is spontaneous and unmotivated; it does not seek its own advantage.”
Translation: “Agape is a spontaneous love, free from self-interested motivation; a love that does not seek its own benefit” (Nygren, 1953).
Pope Benedict XVI likewise emphasizes in his theological encyclical Deus Caritas Est that the essence of Christianity is not merely a moral system, but an encounter with Divine Love. He explicitly states:
“At the origin of being Christian, there is no ethical decision or great idea, but the encounter with an event, a person.”
(Benedict XVI, 2005)
Translation: “At the beginning of being Christian there is not an ethical choice or a grand idea, but an encounter with an event, with a person.”
This understanding of love is comparable to the concept of Raḥma (mercy) in Islamic theology, where Divine Mercy precedes divine wrath and religious ethics are structured around love and compassion. From the perspective of comparative religious studies, Christian love can thus be regarded as one of the most fundamental shared ethical languages among religious traditions.
- Jesus Christ (AS) and the Foundations of Interreligious Unity
From the standpoint of religious studies, Jesus (AS) is among the most significant interreligious figures one whose normative and theological presence spans more than a single divine tradition. In Christianity, he stands at the very center of faith as the incarnation of the divine Word; in Islam, he is revered as a great prophet, the bearer of a revealed scripture, and a sign of divine mercy and power; and in Judaism, he is understood as a historical figure with profound religious and social influence. This multi-dimensional status renders Christ a potential axis for theological dialogue among the Abrahamic religions.
In contemporary Christian theology, interreligious dialogue is not viewed as a secondary or optional endeavor, but as a necessary implication of faith in a God whose truth and love cannot be confined to institutional boundaries. Miroslav Volf, emphasizing the shared ethical foundations of Islam and Christianity, argues that authentic faith in the One God must manifest itself in a shared responsibility for justice and global peace. He writes:
“A common belief in one God should lead to a common commitment to the flourishing of all human beings.” (Volf, 2011)
Translation: “A shared belief in the One God ought to lead to a shared commitment to the flourishing of all human beings.”
Within the Catholic theological tradition particularly in the period following the Second Vatican Council the concept of religious unity has been developed on the basis of human dignity and a shared moral conscience. The declaration Nostra Aetate, by recognizing elements of truth and holiness in other religions, laid the theological groundwork for dialogue and cooperation among religious communities. Italian theologians such as Raimon Panikkar further deepened this approach.
In his works, Panikkar emphasizes the notion of the “coexistence of truths” (plurality without relativism), writing: “Dialogue does not mean giving up one’s identity but deepening it through encounter with the other.” (Panikkar, 1999)
Translation: “Dialogue does not mean relinquishing one’s identity but rather deepening it through encounter with the other.”
Within this framework, Jesus (AS) is not perceived as a symbol of religious exclusivism, but as a divine model of dialogue, humility, and service to humanity. His emphasis on love, forgiveness, and justice has the capacity to become a shared ethical language among religions a language that, without erasing doctrinal differences, enables practical cooperation in the contemporary world.
- A Theology of Unity and the Global Responsibility of Religions
The Theology of Unity represents a contemporary endeavor in religious thought that seeks to move beyond passive coexistence toward the active and shared responsibility of religions in relation to the world. In this approach, unity does not imply the fusion of beliefs, but rather ethical and spiritual convergence in the face of global challenges such as poverty, violence, environmental degradation, and the crisis of meaning in human life.
From the perspective of Christian theology, the global responsibility of religions is rooted in a particular understanding of God as the Creator and Father of all human beings. If God is one and all humans are His creatures, then injustice, war, and human suffering cannot be regarded merely as the problems of “others.” This idea has been clearly articulated within Public Theology, where religious faith is understood as bearing a critical and constructive responsibility to engage the public sphere (Stackhouse, 2007).
Within dialogical theology, the global responsibility of religions finds its most concrete expression in interreligious cooperation. Rather than engaging in identity-based rivalry, religious traditions while preserving their theological distinctiveness can achieve synergy at the level of practical ethics. In this context, Jesus Christ (AS) offers a divine model for such responsibility: a model grounded in service, humility, and the prioritization of human suffering.
Theology of Unity: From Theoretical Possibility to Historical Responsibility
While the theology of unity, at the theoretical level, emphasizes the ethical and spiritual commonalities among religions, its realization depends upon a transition from purely conceptual dialogue to historically responsible action. Such a transition requires religious traditions, while remaining faithful to their own theological identities, to regard themselves as accountable for the shared destiny of contemporary humanity.
In this sense, unity is not a pre-given condition, but a historical process that takes shape through dialogue, mutual critique, and practical cooperation. Inspired by figures such as Jesus Christ (AS), the theology of unity seeks to demonstrate that authentic and living religious faith inevitably moves toward responsibility, solidarity, and commitment to the common good.
Accordingly, the theology of unity may be understood as a theological response to the present historical condition a response that arises neither from a position of dominance nor from one of withdrawal, but from a stance of service to humanity and fidelity to divine truth. Within this horizon, Jesus (AS) remains a source of inspiration for a path that leads toward justice, love, and global peace.
Within this framework, Public Theology plays a mediating role by enabling a critical and constructive presence of religious faith within social and political spaces. The teachings of Jesus (AS), with their emphasis on service to humanity, prioritization of the suffering of the other, and rejection of the logic of domination, offer a Divine Model for such engagement. This model is not only inspirational for Christians, but for all followers of the divine religions, and it can contribute to the formation of a faith-based global ethic.
In conclusion, it may be argued that the theology of unity as articulated through a renewed reading of the teachings of Jesus Christ (AS) is not an idealistic or abstract project, but a genuine possibility deeply rooted in the religious traditions themselves. When pursued through a critical, methodical approach that remains faithful to sacred texts, this theology can play an effective role in reducing religious tensions, deepening interreligious dialogue, and strengthening human solidarity on a global scale. From this perspective, the Nativity of Jesus (AS) is not merely a reminder of a historical event, but an enduring call to re-examine the shared responsibility of religions for the future of humanity and the world.