am presenting this assignment given the gravity of world circumstances these days, in order to foster a better understanding (as opposed to ignorance) of the role of religion in our secular Western civilization. Since these particular groups form part of the body of study in Western Civilization I thought it would be a good assignment especially for our future in a world with more than 1.5 billion Muslims.

The Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) serve as a major portion of the foundation of Western societal mores and values. At times these institutions have had a partnership with the prevailing government. They have had an impact on the development of the character and image of Western civilization today. In recent years, destruction of Christian churches in Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, Egypt, and Iran took place because someone supposedly defamed a Qur’an or other questionable justifications. A recent news item involves an Iranian, turned Christian minister, arrested, freed, and re-detained. Islamophobia is a current buzz word in the West, and the image of many people is that Muslims are violent, intolerant terrorists.