Monolatrism

Under monolatry ( from Greek: μόνος monos " only " and λατρεία latreia " cultic worship " ) refers to the worship of only one God in a particular place or at a particular tribe or people, without the existence of other gods is denied. This is also the name henotheism is needed.

In the Old Testament

Development from polytheism to monolatry

In the Old Testament there are numerous indications that it (before 597 BC) were no monolatry in pre-exilic Israel. In addition to YHWH was worshiped other, male and female gods, which are known from the environment of Israel else ( polytheism ). Places of worship were generally high places, which were consecrated to these gods. Other heights were dedicated to female deities, such as Asherah, the wife of the Ugaritic god El, and Astarte, the Assyrian- Babylonian fertility goddess Ishtar, ( 2 Kgs 23,13.15 EU).

In the Psalms, numerous traces of the worship of other gods have received. So Ps 77.17 to 20 EU YHWH describes with pictures that are otherwise associated with the Canaanite god Baal weather. Ps 82 EU describes YHWH analogous to the Ugaritic chief god El, the chairman of the assembly of gods:

" God stands in the congregation of God, and judgeth among the gods. "

Archaeological findings confirm the worship of other gods in pre-exilic period: In Israel, inscriptions and artifacts have been found that indicate the worship of other gods. For example, in 1975 inscriptions were in Kuntillet Ajrud in Judah from the 8 / 7 Century BC discovered containing blessings of " YHWH and his wife Asherah ."

The fact that the texts of the Bible can be polytheism can recognize, but condemn him sharply, going back to a later development of the Jewish religion. The reason for the rejection of polytheism and the turn to monolatry was the downfall of the state of Judah. It was interpreted as punishment for the worship of other gods (Deut 28 EU).

This new interpretation of one's own past has meant that the biblical books were designed ( to ), that is the worship of other gods is condemned. In particular, the Deuteronomistic History and concluded with the Pentateuch Deuteronomy are results of this religious orientation. To underline the exclusive worship of YHWH claim, in Deuteronomy, the commandment of monolatry is laid in the legendary early period and linked to the authority of Moses:

" Hear, O Israel, YHWH is our God, YHWH alone. "

Texts such as the quoted Psalm 82 be added that the other gods are degraded:

6 "Well, I have said, Ye are gods and all of you sons of the Most High '; 7But ye shall die like men, and as a tyrant perish. "

In these verses, already hints at the shift from the monolatry to monotheism. It came after Deuteronomy 6:4 only that Israel no other gods worshiped - irrespective of whether other nations have no other gods - means the development of monolatry to monotheism, the categorical denial of the existence of other gods. Few late texts of the Hebrew Bible are monotheistic in this sense, eg Isaiah 45.4-7 EU.

Criticism

This religious-historical interpretation of the development of an original polytheism to a monolatry YHVH, and finally to monotheism is shared by the majority of researchers. But there are also critical voices among Jewish and Christian theologians. Although these confess that in Israel other deities were worshiped as report the texts, however, put the shift from polytheism to monolatry not in the post-exilic time, but not already made for the time of Moses by a phase of monolatry. Instead of a critically reconstructed image of history so that they follow the view that seek to convey the biblical texts. You see the commandment to worship only one God, as a revelation of God to Moses considered as a historical person. The worship of multiple gods in the regal period is then to be regarded with the Deuteronomic history as a waste of this Mosaic (divine) bid was punished for Israel with the Babylonian exile.