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The Annunciation
(Click to enlarge image)

This is an image that was in a keychain that I bought for two dollars last week. I've been using it to conduct a survey of religious knowledge. "Who is that and what's going on?"

Well, it's a woman and an angel. Most people either say, "She's Mary," or, "That's the Blessed Virgin," if they are Catholic. Some recognize the angel as 'Gabriel'. "OK, who is 'Mary", and why do you recognize her?"

Most people will say, "She's the mother of Jesus," and if they are Catholic, they will probably say, "She's the mother of God." Even Muslims will recognize her as Miryam (Mary), the mother of Isa (Jesus), although most will say, "I cannot remember the name of the angel."

The next question is, "So, what is going on here; what event is recorded in this image?"

Most people will recognize this as "The Annunciation", when the angel came to tell Mary that she would become the mother of Jesus even though she was a virgin, and God made her pregnant through the agency of the Holy Spirit, which is represented by the dove. Most Muslims are not able to recognize that element of the picture.

As to the second part of the question, how do you recognize her, most people will say, "Because her garments are blue." That's when I pounce on them.

"Well, it's also that she's dressed like a nun, but nuns usually where black. What's interesting is that a nun's habit is the same as traditional Islamic dress for women ... the head and arms are covered so that only the face and hands are exposed, and none of the body's curves are revealed by the flowing, shapeless garment."

"Now, to a Muslim or a Jew, a picture like this would be a Graven Image, but to a Catholic it is ... well ... it's not supposed to be a picture of God, it's just a picture of the mother of God."

But that's not the point. The point is that by using this common point of reference, the Virgin Birth of Jesus, I am able to discuss Islam with Christians and Catholics, both of whom are trinitarians, sharing the belief in God-in-three-parts; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

(This also distinguishes Jews from Christians in that they are, like Muslims, strict monotheists who attribute no partners to Him ... this is the Abrahamic tradition which both follow, but Christians do not.)

more to follow

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