Monotheism

The concept of monotheism (Greek μόνος Mónos "alone" and θεός theos "god" ) refers to religions or philosophical doctrines that know a universal God and recognize. For these to be distinguished in the study of religion from polytheism, who knows and worshiped many gods. Religions who know many gods, but one of them give priority (as alone worshiping God ), the term monolatry. The term " monotheism " is first identified in the 17th century when the English theologian and philosopher Henry More.

Examples and characteristics

Contemporary monotheistic religions are Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism and the Bahaitum. Part found in historical observation of Zoroastrianism as a dualistic and the beginnings of the Jewish faith as a religion henotheistic consideration. According to most Egyptologists is demonstrable historical preforms of monotheism found in the 14th century BC in Ancient Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten ( Amenhotep IV ). He rose Aten the only god. As he, however, the existence of the traditional deities did not deny and whose cult was prohibited only partially, rate other Egyptologists these early forms as temporary henotheism, but this represented a temporary cut in polytheism. Jan Assmann calls this incision as " implied monotheism ", but does not yet meet the full definition of the later monotheism. Other monotheistic religions are the Mandaeans and Yazidis the.

From the perspective of Jews, Muslims and Unitarians is provided partly in question, that Christianity is a monotheistic religion. From this point of view is partially claimed that it was because of the Trinity ( Father, Son, Holy Spirit ) by a tritheism, ie a belief in three gods.

Monotheism is a form of theism.

Accruals

In practice, the distinction between monotheism and polytheism is not always easy. Followers of polytheistic religions are often de facto monotheists, since they only worship one of the gods of their belief system. One speaks in this case of henotheism. On the other hand, there are also monotheistic religions with polytheistic elements.

The ethnologist Wilhelm Schmidt spoke of a common world " original monotheism " and tried to substantiate this idea in his 12 - volume work " The origin of the idea of ​​God " or in " the origin and Will of Religion" ( 1930). This thesis is empirically controversial. Not all religions include a belief in a Supreme Being. In many African religions, where such can be found today implies not only the absence of a cult out that the high God was virtually " donated " by Christian missionaries, but also the comparative historical evidence can prove this in detail. An example of a monotheistic African religion (paired with ancestor worship ) we find among the Kikuyu in Kenya. On the other hand, there are also monotheistic religions polytheistic acting elements, such as the Virgin and the veneration of saints in the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches.

Related names

• Abrahamic religions: It refers to those monotheistic religions that are based on Abraham as the progenitor are (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Bahai ).
• Monotheism: German for monotheism
• Revealed religions: This term derives from the fact that the teachings of the monotheistic religions ( according to the belief of their followers ) was revealed by Messenger of God throughout history.
• Book religions: Judaism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Islam and the religion of Bahai there are scriptures that are considered God's Word. Therefore, they are sometimes referred to as a book or font religions.