Episode 68

For a historic meeting, the agenda must be equally significant.

To be frank, the issue proposed by the Jewish side would naturally be resolved if the Christian side’s demands were confirmed.

Saladin, who was presiding over the meeting, looked at me and Georgios II and asked, “Shall we establish in the doctrines of the three religions that the Christian God, the Islamic Allah, and the Jewish Yahweh are the same entity? Have I understood correctly?”

“Yes. Although this issue has been discussed many times, it has never been officially enshrined in doctrine. How often do representatives of the three religions gather like this? We need to settle this now to give momentum to future discussions.”

Georgios II agreed with my response and added, “Frankly, if we believe in different gods, there’s no point in continuing these meetings. We’d just end up accusing each other of idolatry, leading to nothing more than a verbal battle.”

“You both make valid points. It seems like the most urgent matter to address. Let’s tackle this first,” Saladin decided, setting the agenda and changing the atmosphere in the room.

To be precise, while the Catholics, Orthodox, and Muslims seemed to take it in stride, the Jewish representatives were visibly tense.

This was, after all, the topic they least wanted to discuss.

Maimonides, the link between the Islamic and Jewish sides, spoke up with a troubled expression. “God is… a singular, omnipotent deity. While the Christian and Islamic gods can be traced back to the same roots as our God…”

Maimonides glanced at Saladin and the Islamic representatives.

Jews were publicly vilified in Europe and slightly better off in the Islamic world, thanks to figures like Maimonides who had the protection of Islamic rulers. But one misstep could lead to disaster.

Traditionally, Judaism did not equate the Christian or Islamic gods with Yahweh. Many found the very suggestion offensive.

Devout Jews saw Christianity and Islam as distortions of their faith, using their God without permission.

Christianity acknowledged the Jewish scriptures as the Old Testament but created the New Testament, which they saw as heretical.

The concept of the Trinity further complicated matters, making it impossible for them to accept.

They felt their promised Messiah had been stolen, and the Trinity undermined Yahweh’s uniqueness.

How could they accept this?

Islam wasn’t much better. It claimed the Jewish scriptures were corrupted, dismissing much of the Old Testament as false.

They touted the Quran as the true revelation, ignoring the original faith.

From the Jewish perspective, it was only natural to declare, “Your gods are false.”

But Maimonides was too shrewd to voice this here.

He likely hoped this topic wouldn’t arise, but it was inevitable.

I watched Maimonides, curious to see how he would navigate this delicate situation.

“We do not accept the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. God is an absolute, transcendent being, not intrinsically linked to humanity.”

Robert responded, slightly uncomfortable, “What about the Islamic God? Islam doesn’t have the Trinity and seems similar to your faith in being transcendent and absolute.”

“Islam is… well…”

As Maimonides hesitated, another rabbi stepped forward, as if to say, “Why even ask?”

“The God we worship is absolute, and the Christian and Islamic gods are not the same as the one we revere! The only true God is Yahweh, who chose our people…”

“But,” Maimonides interjected, pulling the rabbi back, “even within the same religion, there are different interpretations of doctrine. Perhaps we can consider it from that perspective. Ha ha… ha ha ha…”

Maimonides whispered sharply to the rabbi, who was grumbling.

Though I couldn’t hear, his expression made it clear: “Are you clueless, you fool?”

Maimonides had offered the best compromise he could, but not everyone on the Jewish side was willing to accept it.

The room erupted with accusations of “Who are you to interpret God’s word?” and “Are you an Islamic puppet?” alongside criticisms of “Stubborn fundamentalists.”

As expected, the Jews began arguing among themselves, and the Christian scholars smirked.

The Vatican’s hidden card, Cardinal Lothario, a candidate for the next pope and my ally, turned the focus to the Muslims.

“It seems Judaism hasn’t reached a consensus. What about your faith?”

“Our stance has always been clear. Historically, the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim gods are the same. This is evidenced by the Prophet Muhammad’s joy when the Byzantine Emperor defeated Persia. We follow the Prophet’s views.”

“I see. We hold a similar position. While there are differing theological opinions, we aim to solidify our doctrine through this opportunity. Though there are fundamental differences in our understanding of God, we interpret the same entity differently.”

Initially, it seemed Judaism and Islam would unite to counter Catholic and Orthodox claims, but the first topic caused a split.

Saladin glanced at me and asked quietly, “Is everything going smoothly?”

“Who knows? The meeting has just begun.”

Though they disagreed now, if asked to recognize me as a prophet, Islam and Judaism might unite.

For Saladin, who didn’t mind how the meeting unfolded, the current situation seemed amusing.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Lothario, watching the Jewish representatives argue, subtly urged them, “Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Islam seem to have reached a consensus. What about Judaism?”

“Indeed. This should have been settled before coming here,” Robert chuckled, nodding.

It was clear they were trying to sow discord, but the Islamic representatives didn’t object.

After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but that doesn’t mean cooperating on every issue.

The Muslims likely wanted to curb the Jews’ constant nitpicking.

If the Jews acknowledged Allah and Yahweh as the same, it would benefit them, not harm them.

There was no reason to hinder this.

As the heated debate continued without resolution, Saladin intervened.

“It seems we’re stuck in a fruitless argument. The Jewish side should finalize their stance. If not, we’ll proceed to a vote.”

With the Sultan’s ultimatum, a flustered Maimonides gathered his rabbis and spoke rapidly.

If they stood alone, the oppression they’d face would be unprecedented.

It was wise to acknowledge what they must and frame it as a theological difference to assert their position.

As expected, the vote resulted in a 7:3 split in favor of Maimonides’ stance.

Had they refused to yield, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

For the Jews, it was a narrow escape.

“Then it’s settled. The God worshipped by Christianity, Islam, and Judaism is the same singular deity. However, this doesn’t mean the doctrines are mutually accepted, as there are fundamental differences in understanding God. Let’s proceed with this as our premise.”

With Saladin’s summary, the other representatives nodded in agreement.

The Christians, having achieved their goal, smiled triumphantly, while the Muslims accepted the outcome calmly.

In contrast, the Jews, having taken a hit from the start, glared at us.

Sensing the need for a change in atmosphere, Maimonides signaled to the Islamic side.

Now was the time to shift the momentum.

With a tone that carried a sense of solemnity, he introduced the next item on the agenda.

“Now that the most crucial prerequisite has been met, we can return to our original course. I thought it might be better to discuss this later, but it seems the Christian side believes important matters should be addressed promptly.”

The eyes of the Jewish rabbis all turned, not to the Christian delegation, but directly towards me at the head of the table.

“Christians and Muslims each interpret and accept the word of God in their own ways, but there are many areas where they align. One such area is the acknowledgment of prophecies and prophets. In this regard, we need to have a serious discussion. Does God intend to send a prophet to deliver His word in this era? I propose we examine this in light of doctrine and scripture.”

The moment had finally arrived.

I had expected this topic to come up tomorrow or the day after, but it seemed the Jewish side was quite agitated. However, reacting impulsively in such a setting would never achieve our goals.

Several members of the Muslim delegation seemed to think this was too soon. Before anyone from their side could speak, Cardinal Rotario quickly interjected.

“We’ve been hoping for this as well! Let’s begin the discussion right away!”

His voice echoed through the room, as if he had been waiting for this moment. The Muslim side requested a brief recess.

“Given the gravity of the matter, please allow us some time to exchange views.”

When Saladin looked over to see if we were okay with this, I and Georgios II nodded calmly, indicating our agreement.

“Then we will take a short recess before proceeding with the next discussion. I urge each delegation to calm their heightened emotions and unify their opinions before we reconvene.”