Reading outline · The divine
How do these texts speak about the divine?
Different languages for ultimate reality.
Divine unity, a Christian prologue about the Word, and Krishna’s account of his manifestations arise in different traditions and genres. Read their surrounding passages before comparing vocabulary such as God, Brahma or the divine. These selected passages do not summarize every interpretation within their traditions.
In this reading
Quran · Islam
Opening of a short surah emphasizing divine unity.
Read passage · Quran →Say: He is Allah, the One!
Bible · Christianity
The theological prologue to John’s Gospel.
Read passage · Bible →In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Bhagavad Gita · Hinduism
Krishna describes knowledge of his origin and manifestations.
Read passage · Bhagavad Gita →“The Holy One said, ‘Once more still, O mighty-armed one, listen to my supernal words which, from desire of (thy) good, I say unto thee that wouldst be pleased (therewith). The hosts of gods know not my origin, nor the great Rishis, since I am, in every way, the source of the gods and the …
What changes when we read them together?
The speaker and form of each selection matter. A declaration of unity, a Gospel prologue and Krishna’s self-description should not be made into interchangeable definitions.
Words in these readings
- Unity
- Read Quran 112 as a complete, brief surah rather than an isolated English noun.
- Word
- John’s opening introduces this term within a theological prologue.
- Manifestations
- Krishna speaks within a dialogue; the list belongs to that speaking situation.
Sources & reading notes
These are selected passages, not a complete account of any tradition. Introductions and explanations are editorial writing. Quotations use the named translations; an ellipsis marks a shortened selection.
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