Mainstream Christian orthodoxy, solidified at the Council of Nicaea, dictates that Jesus and God are the same in essence (homoousios), defining Jesus as the pre-existent Word of God who took on human flesh.
However, secular historians and Unitarian theologians point out that the Synoptic Gospels make explicit distinctions between Jesus and God, such as when Jesus prays to the Father or denies knowing the timing of the Final Hour. Islamic theology strictly rejects any identification of Jesus with God, viewing the claim as a violation of absolute monotheism (Tawhid).