THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS Three of the world’s largest religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all began within a remarkably small region of the Middle East. Together, these traditions shape the beliefs, cultures, and moral frameworks of billions of people across the globe. Judaism emerged among the ancient Israelites nearly 4,000 years ago, introducing the idea of one universal God and a moral law guiding human behavior. Centuries later, Christianity arose within the Jewish world of Roman Judea through the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, eventually spreading throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. Around 600 years later, Islam began in the Arabian city of Mecca, where the Prophet Muhammad received revelations that would become the Qur’an. Despite their differences, all three religions share a common spiritual ancestry traced back to Abraham. Because of this shared heritage, historians refer to them collectively as the Abrahamic religions. What makes this eve...