Journeys / From another faith / Step 1 of 7
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Quick answers to related questions
All 7 steps in From another faith You’re on step 1
A tent in the desert
Four thousand years ago an old man named Abraham sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day, and three strangers appeared. He ran to meet them. Jews, Christians and Muslims still tell his story.
“The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,”
You’ll need
- Ten quiet minutes.
- An open mind, and your honest questions.
Remember Respect first. Honesty always.
Key points
- Muslims and Catholics both adore the one, merciful God. CCC 841
- Muslims revere Jesus as a prophet and honor Mary. Nostra Aetate 3
- The Church urges mutual understanding after centuries of hostility. Nostra Aetate 3
- Faith is never forced: it’s of its nature a free act. CCC 160
What the Church teaches
You can stop anytime. This asks nothing of you.
Short on time? Read the whole path in 10 minutes
About half the people on earth trace their faith back to one man who packed up and left home because God called him: Abraham. Jews, Christians and Muslims all call him father. So when a Muslim and a Catholic sit down over tea, they’re not strangers. They’re relatives who disagree about some very big things. That’s exactly why the conversation is worth having.
What the Catholic Church says about you
In 1965 the Second Vatican Council wrote of Muslims, Nostra Aetate 3 “The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has spoken to men.” Nostra Aetate 3
It went on, Nostra Aetate 3 “Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion.” Nostra Aetate 3
“together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”
And the Council was honest: “not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems,” so it urged everyone “to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding.” Nostra Aetate 3
What these steps will do
Here’s the plan. We’ll explain, plainly and in the Church’s own words, what Catholics believe about God, Jesus, Mary and the cross. Where we agree, we’ll say so. Where we don’t, we’ll say that too, honestly, no cartoons. Quotations from the Qur’an use Marmaduke Pickthall’s English translation (1930).
What’s the one question about Christians you’ve always wanted to ask, but never got the chance?
Try this, this week
- Read Nostra Aetate 3. It’s one paragraph, the Church’s own words about Islam.
- Write down one question. Bring it to the next step, or to a Catholic friend.
More from the voices of the revival
What is the Trinity?Bishop Robert Barron · Bishop Robert Barron · Apr 6, 2009 · 3 minYouTube
From the official channels of the teachers named. Links checked 10 October 2026; each film was matched to this topic by its title and channel, so treat it as a starting point. Scripture and the Catechism cited on this page are the authority. All videos by topic.
If this is hard
If you’ve been hurt by Christians, or have watched your community be treated badly, that matters. The Church itself admits a history of quarrels and hostilities. You can take this slowly, or stop anytime.
Common questions
Tap a question to open it. Every answer is cited.
Do Catholics think Muslims worship a different God?
Answered on video by Catholic Answers · Full answer page
The Catechism says Muslims “together with us” adore the one, merciful God. CCC 841
Step 1 of 7 · From another faith
We both say God is one. So why do Christians speak of Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
Step 2: One God, not threeTake it with you
Printable one-page cardDownload card (A4 PDF)Download card (US Letter PDF)Short link: stoneandincense.com/go/af1
When you’re ready
Every journey here ends with real people, not a website. No pressure, ever.
Your real next step
This page can’t give you the sacraments. A parish can.
We’re just pointing. People walk with you. Find a Catholic parish near you, go to a Mass, or just ask a priest for ten minutes. You don’t need to have it figured out.
Sources on this page
How we know · 3 Catechism paragraphs · 1 Bible passage · 1 Church document
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 160, 841, 843 (official text on vatican.va).
- Scripture (World English Bible, Catholic edition, public domain; modern verse numbers, Douay-Rheims numbers in brackets where they differ): Genesis 18:1-2.
- Nostra Aetate (Vatican II, Declaration on Non-Christian Religions, 1965), vatican.va.
Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America Copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. – Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with Permission. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright © 1997, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops – Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
Stone & Incense restates Church teaching in plain words and cites every teaching claim. Our own wording is not an official Church text. Found a mistake? Report an errorCorrections.