How Old Is Christianity vs Islam — And Where Does Judaism Fit In?

Judaism is widely considered the oldest of the three Abrahamic religions, with origins scholars trace back over 3,500 years. Its foundational narrative centers on the covenant God made with Abraham, who was 99 years old at the time of his circumcision — a sign of that covenant Genesis 17:24. The faith developed through the patriarchs, the Exodus, and the giving of the Torah.

Moses, one of Judaism's most central figures, was 80 years old when he confronted Pharaoh and led the Israelites out of Egypt Exodus 7:7. This event, the Exodus, is traditionally dated to around the 13th century BCE, giving Judaism a documented religious history of roughly 3,300–3,500 years. The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) remains the faith's primary scripture, and Jewish identity is inseparable from the covenant established with Abraham and his descendants Genesis 21:5.

Christianity is approximately 2,000 years old, emerging in the 1st century CE from within Second Temple Judaism. It centers on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. The Gospel of Luke records Jesus at age twelve visiting Jerusalem for the Passover feast, already engaging religious teachers Luke 2:42. His public ministry began roughly 18 years later, around 27–30 CE.

Christianity shares Judaism's scriptures (the Old Testament) but adds the New Testament, viewing Jesus as the fulfillment of Mosaic and Abrahamic prophecy. Abraham's story — including the birth of Isaac when Abraham was 100 years old Genesis 21:5 — is reinterpreted in Christian theology as foreshadowing faith in Christ. Christianity spread rapidly across the Roman Empire and today counts over 2 billion adherents worldwide.

Islam is the youngest of the three Abrahamic faiths, founded in the 7th century CE — approximately 1,400 years ago. The Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation around 610 CE in Mecca, and the religion was formally established with the Hijra (migration to Medina) in 622 CE, which marks the start of the Islamic calendar. Islam views itself not as a new religion but as the restoration of the original monotheism of Abraham.

Islamic tradition holds that Ishmael — born to Abraham when he was 86 years old Genesis 16:16 — is the ancestor of the Arab people and, through them, of the Prophet Muhammad. The rite of circumcision, commanded for Abraham's household on the eighth day Genesis 17:12, is also practiced in Islam, underscoring the shared Abrahamic heritage. The Quran affirms Abraham as a central patriarch, and Muslims see Muhammad as the seal of the prophets, delivering God's final and complete revelation.