Beyond the most complex doctrines and interpretations that have accumulated over the centuries, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all uphold one essential principle: every human being is personally accountable to GOD and can choose each day to better themselves.

From Jacob’s Ladder to the Christian paths of holiness, to the purification of the soul in the Islamic tradition, the image that emerges is that of a gradual journey toward GOD, open equally to women and men. Doing good, correcting one’s ways, persevering, and continuing to ascend: for what we sow today prepares what we will reap tomorrow.