4.2 Christianity and Islam

 

Christianity elaborates a profound theory on the time dimension. Various aspects related to time dimension expressed in Christian scriptures and belief are the beginning and end of time, the flow

of time, the phases of time, the nature of time and the accommodation of time. The following axioms are summarized to present the viewpoint of Christianity towards time dimension [33]:

 

The beginning and end of time are accounted for mortal beings in nature but not God, suggesting that time dimension had a beginning (when creation happened) and an end (the dooms day).

 

•From a biblical perspective, time is represented as an historical era with the creation (Gen 1:1) and second coming of Christ at the time when present world order would be terminated (Pet.

3:8-13). This indicates the famous Judeo-Christian conception of linear time conveying that time is a historical parenthesis within eternity.

 

•There are three distinct phases of time namely preparatory phase (time phase when providential events occurred to facilitate Savior's mission), fulfillment phase (when then divine plane of salvation was set into motion), consummation phase (when the created universe will perish, sinful environment will be removed, death will be destroyed and opportunity for salvation will be closed).

 

The nature of time is characterized into three different aspects, namely (1) Creation in which time facilitates but does not account for self-creative tendencies in nature and activity exists in the nature, (2) regeneration aspect where activity sustains in the nature though degeneration exists in the nature of time and (3) redemptive aspect where time cannot change the moral responsibility of living beings. In other words, time itself has no intrinsic power but it can provide an opportunity for other forces in nature to work effectively.

 

• Time dimension accommodates slow healing. It facilitates acceleration of knowledge on the part of human beings. Time dimension also accommodates the uniqueness of humans with higher intellectual powers unparalleled in nature, and humans have a serious responsibility to use their knowledge wisely in the service of God.

 

...both Christianity and Islam convey that time dimension is important to revive and act on a relationship with the divine.

 

Certain interpretations claim to have linkage between Quran and modern viewpoints of physics such as speed of light, relativistic time dilation, gravitational time dilation, black holes, singularities and wormholes [34, 35]. However, these interpretations involve good number of assumptions and do not involve a direct analysis of the scriptures. Nonetheless, Islam also accounts for the value of time in religion and stresses on the need to surrender to God and follow a set of codes to realize one's relationship with God in due course of time. To summarize, both Christianity and Islam convey that time dimension is important to revive and act on a relationship with the divine. Further, these disciplines also convey similarly in Vedanta that God is uncreated, eternal and is beyond time dimension, and that the purpose and meaning behind time dimension in nature is to remind them about their major responsibility to render service to God.