Who Are the Real Chosen People?: The Meaning of Chosenness in Judaism, Christianity and Islam »

To understand how and why the concept of chosenness became so important in religion, Reuven Firestone examines the emergence of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and explores how chosenness became the authoritative marker of authenticity for the competing expressions of monotheism. He discusses how chosenness became a category over which great arguments, inquisitions, and religious wars have been fought. He shows how understanding the notion of chosenness can help you navigate between your beliefs and those of others, and help you make sense of your own unique place in a religiously complex world.

Introduction The Language of Chosenness

1 In the Beginning 1

2 Chosenness in the Ancient Near East 11

3 Best Practice Models and Religious Success 35

4 Chosenness and Covenant in the New Testament 57

5 Chosenness and Covenant in the Qur'an 73

6 Chosenness and Covenant in Rabbinic Literature 85

7 The Merit of the Ancients 91

8 The Legacy of Chosenness 115

9 Does Redemption Require Election? 131

Conclusion: Retaining Our Uniqueness while Affirming the Other 147

Notes 151

Suggestions for Further Reading 157