Monotheism arose in which religions. Monotheistic religions - the emergence of monotheism and its cultural consequences. Monotheism in the biblical period

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Monotheism– 1) into one; 2) the doctrine of one God.

Monotheistic religions include those that share ideas about the super-created Creator and Creator of the world (Christianity, Judaism, Islam).

At the same time, monotheistic religions are completely heterogeneous. Their ideas about the one God are developed in completely different ways. If it deeply and comprehensively reveals the life of the one God, contains holistic ideas about His super-created existence and His relationship to the world and man created by Him, then other forms of monotheism are content with an abstract statement of monotheism.
Therefore, among monotheistic religions, it is advisable to distinguish concrete (Christian) and abstract (other) monotheism, recognizing the truth and consistency only of the first form of monotheism, which comprehensively concretizes the life of God and His relationship to the created world.

Only a religion that deeply and comprehensively reveals the life of a single Divinity can be called consistent monotheism.

So, obviously, it is not enough to say that God is one (“ You believe that God is one: you do well; and the demons believe and tremble"). To this position it must be added that He is one Person. But this thesis also needs further development, since the one Person of the uncreated God differs from the created human personality and must exist in an incomprehensible way that exceeds its created reason.

Christianity teaches that God is one, affirms His consubstantiality (God is one in essence). To this position it adds the position about the personal nature of the Divine, teaching that God is a personal Being. But it avoids anthropomorphism when it teaches about God, one in essence and trinity in Persons - inseparable and unmerged, the image of Whose being exceeds human reason.

Obviously, it is not enough to say that God is the Creator of the world. It is necessary to reveal His creative attitude towards the created world, to answer the question: “How does God create the world?” If we leave this question aside, then we can assume that the world is created from the Divine Being Himself, that is, it is equal to the uncreated God. And this thesis already means paganism.

Christianity teaches that God creates the world out of nothing. He does not create it from His essence, but calls it out of non-existence by the mere power of His thought and will. This teaching affirms the alien nature of God and the world, resolutely separates created and uncreated being, closes the path to the deification of the transitory phenomena of the created world, and the world as a whole.

If God is personal, then He can seek unity with the personality of man and, as the Almighty, achieve this unity by revealing Himself to man. Without the unity of God and man, knowledge of God will remain incomplete. How deep is this unity and in what Person was it realized in its entirety? If monotheism does not provide answers to these questions, then it will assert the complete unknowability of God for man. And such a statement means a denial of monotheistic knowledge in essence.

Christianity teaches that God became man in the God-man Jesus Christ. The Incarnation of God opens the way to the knowledge of God. The incarnation of God reveals to man the possibility of union with God, making him a son of God. Such a connection is carried out by the Divine grace of the Holy Spirit, leading the Christian to a gracious union with his Creator -

Monotheistic religion as a type of religious worldview appeared long before the beginning of our era and represented both the personification of God and the representation and endowment of all the forces of nature with a single conscious egregor. Some world religions will give God a personality and its qualities; others simply elevate the central deity above the rest. For example, Orthodox Christianity is a monotheistic religion, which is based on the image of the trinity of God.

To shed light on such a confusing system of religious beliefs, it is necessary to consider the term itself from several aspects. Here it should be remembered that all the world's monotheistic religions belong to three types. These are Abrahamic, East Asian and American religions. Strictly speaking, a monotheistic religion is not one that is based on the functioning of several cults, but has a central god who rises above the rest.

Monotheistic religions have two theoretical forms - inclusive and exclusive. According to the first - inclusive - theory, God can have several divine personifications, provided they are united in a whole central egregor. The exclusive theory endows the image of God with transcendental personal qualities.

This structure implies deep heterogeneity. For example, deism assumes withdrawal from the affairs of the Divine Creator immediately after the creation of the world and supports the concept of non-interference by supernatural forces in the course of development of the Universe; pantheism implies the holiness of the Universe itself and rejects the anthropomorphic appearance and essence of God; theism, on the contrary, contains the general idea of ​​the existence of the Creator and his active participation in world processes.

Teachings of the Ancient World

The ancient Egyptian monotheistic religion, on the one hand, was a kind of monotheism; on the other hand, it also consisted of a large number of local combined cults. An attempt to unite all these cults under the auspices of a single god, who patronized the pharaoh and Egypt, was made by Akhenaten in the 6th century BC. After his death, religious beliefs returned to their former course of polytheism.

Attempts to systematize the divine pantheon and bring it to a single personal image were made by the Greek thinkers Xephan and Hesiod. In the Republic, Plato sets the goal of searching for the Absolute Truth, which has power over all things in the world. Later, on the basis of his treatises, representatives of Hellenistic Judaism made attempts to synthesize Platonism and Judaistic ideas about God. The heyday of the idea of ​​the monotheism of the divine essence dates back to the period of antiquity.

Monotheism in Judaism

From the Jewish traditional point of view, the primacy of monotheism was destroyed in the process of human development by its disintegration into multiple cults. Modern Judaism, as a monotheistic religion, strictly denies the existence of any supernatural third-party forces, including gods, beyond the control of the Creator.

But in its history, Judaism has not always had such a theological basis. And the early stages of its development took place under the status of monolatry - a polytheistic belief in the elevation of the main god above the secondary ones.

World monotheistic religions, such as Christianity and Islam, have their origins in Judaism.

Definition of the concept in Christianity

Christianity is dominated by the Old Testament Abrahamic theory of monotheism and God as the only universal creator. However, Christianity is a monotheistic religion, the main directions of which introduce into it the idea of ​​the trinity of God in three manifestations - hypostases - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This dogma of the Trinity imposes a polytheistic or tritheistic character on the interpretation of Christianity by Islam and Judaism. As Christianity itself claims, “monotheistic religion” as a concept is fully reflected in its basic concept, but the idea of ​​tritheism itself was put forward more than once by theologians until it was rejected by the First Council of Nicaea. However, there is an opinion among historians that in Russia there were followers of Orthodox movements that denied the trinity of God, which were patronized by Ivan the Third himself.

Thus, the request “explain the concept of a monotheistic religion” can be satisfied by giving a definition of monotheism as the belief in one God, who can have several hypostases in this world.

Islamic monotheistic views

Islam is strictly monotheistic. The principle of monotheism is proclaimed in the First Pillar of Faith: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His prophet.” Thus, the axiom of the uniqueness and integrity of God - Tawhid - is contained in his fundamental theory, and all rites, rituals and religious activities are designed to show the Uniqueness and Integrity of God (Allah).

The greatest sin in Islam is shirk - equating other deities and personalities with Allah - this sin is unforgivable.

According to Islam, all great prophets professed monotheism.

Specific characteristics of Bahá'ís

This religion originates in Shiite Islam, is now regarded by many researchers as an independent movement, but in Islam itself it is considered an apostate religion, and its followers in the territory of Muslim republics were previously persecuted.

The name "Baha'i" comes from the name of the founder of the religion Baha'u'llah ("Glory of God") - Mirza Hussein Ali, who was born in 1812 into a family of descendants of the royal Persian dynasty.

Baha'ism is strictly monotheistic. He claims that all attempts to know God will be futile and useless. The only connection between people and God is the “Epiphanies” - the prophets.

The peculiarity of Baha'i as a religious teaching is the open recognition of all religions as true, and God as one in all forms.

Hindu and Sikh monotheism

Not all of the world's monotheistic religions have similar features. This is due to their different territorial, mental and even political origins. For example, it is impossible to draw a parallel between the monotheism of Christianity and Hinduism. Hinduism is a huge system of various rituals, beliefs, local national traditions, philosophies and theories based on monotheism, pantheism, polytheism and closely related to linguistic dialects and writing. This broad religious structure was greatly influenced by the caste stratification of Indian society. The monotheistic ideas of Hinduism are extremely complex - all deities are united into one host and created by a Single Creator.

Sikhism, as a variety of Hinduism, also affirms the principle of monotheism in its postulate “One God for all,” in which God is revealed by the aspects of the Absolute and the individual particle of God living in every person. The physical world is illusory, God resides in time.

Chinese system of theological worldviews

Starting from 1766 BC, the traditional worldview of the Chinese imperial dynasties became the veneration of Shang Di - the “supreme ancestor”, “God” - or the sky as the most powerful force (Tan). Thus, the Chinese ancient worldview system is a kind of first monotheistic religion of mankind, existing before Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. God here was personified, but did not acquire a bodily form, which equates Shan-Di with Moism. However, this religion is not monotheistic in the full sense - each locality had its own pantheon of small earthly deities that determined the features of the material world.

Thus, to the request “explain the concept of “monotheistic religion,” we can say that such a religion is characterized by monism - the external world of the Maya is just an illusion, and God fills the entire flow of time.

One God in Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism never affirmed the idea of ​​a clear monotheism, balancing between dualism and monotheism. According to his teachings, which spread throughout Iran in the first millennium BC, the supreme unified deity is Ahura Mazda. In contrast to him, Angra Mainyu, the god of death and darkness, exists and acts. Each person must kindle the fire of Ahura Mazda within himself and destroy Angra Mainyu.

Zoroastrianism had a noticeable influence on the development of the ideas of the Abrahamic religions.

America. Inca monotheism

There is a tendency towards monotheinization of the religious beliefs of the peoples of the Andes, where the process of uniting all deities into the image of the god Vicarochi takes place, for example, the rapprochement of Vicarochi himself, the creator of the world, with Pacha Camac, the creator of people.

Thus, when writing a rough explanation in response to the request “explain the concept of a monotheistic religion,” it should be mentioned that in some religious systems, gods with similar functions eventually merge into one image.

from Greek monos - one and teos - god) - a system of religions. beliefs based on the idea of ​​one God (monotheism), in contrast to polytheism - polytheism. In theological literature to monotheistic. Religions include Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The concept of M. is conditional and relative; there is no clear boundary between M. and polytheism, since none of the religions is consistently monotheistic: all are characterized by the dualism of a good and an evil (Satan) god, and numerous. angels and demons, together with the souls of deceased saints and righteous people, actually perform religion. consciousness the role of the lower gods. During the history development of religion M. appears very late. In the era of the collapse of the tribal system and the formation of early states, the gods of individual tribes were united into one “pantheon”, in which the first place was usually occupied by the god of the strongest tribe. In favorable cases, the priests of this god sought to turn him into the only or main god (for example, the Babylonian Marduk); in other cases, the kings tried to contrast the cult of a single god with traditional priestly cults (the religious reform of Amenhotep IV in Egypt). For the first time, relatively strict M. arose and gained dominance in the middle. and 2nd floor. 1st millennium BC e. among the Jews, when the priests of the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem established their religion. monopoly. Christianity, having formally accepted the idea of ​​Jewish M., actually retreated from it, developing the doctrine of the “trinity” of God. More strict M. was introduced in Arabia in the 7th century. n. e. will unite on the basis. movements among the Arabs. tribes, making up the main Muslim dogma. religion (see Islam). Thus, the data of modern sciences refute the assertion of theologians (including the school of Father W. Schmidt) that M. is supposedly the primordial religion of humanity (see Proto-monotheism theory), and other forms of beliefs - polytheism, animism, fetishism, etc. are only deviations from the original "true" religion. Lit.: Kunov G., The Emergence of Religion and Faith in God, 4th ed., M.-L., 1925; Nikolski N. M., Polytheism and monotheism in the Jewish religion, Mensk, 1931; Yaroslavsky E., How gods and goddesses are born, live and die, M., 1959; Tokarev S. A., Religion in the history of the peoples of the world, M., 1964.

His unity).

Philosophy: Encyclopedic Dictionary. - M.: Gardariki. Edited by A.A. Ivina. 2004 .

MONOTHEISM

(from Greek monos - only and theos - God)

the doctrine of a single personified God. Judaism and Islam are monotheistic in the strict sense, and in a broad sense also Christianity (see. Trinity).

Philosophical Encyclopedic Dictionary. 2010 .

MONOTHEISM

(from Greek μόνος - single, ϑεός -) - religious. beliefs, veneration of a single god, monotheism, in contrast to polytheism - polytheism. To monotheistic Religions usually include Christianity, Judaism and Islam. It is clear M. is conditional and relative, because Essentially, none of the religions is consistently monotheistic: in Christianity, for example, along with the cult of a single god, there is God and Satan, angels, saints, demons, etc.

In religious studies, monotheism is one of the forms of religion, most fully embodied in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; clearly manifested in Zoroastrianism, as well as in some varieties of Hinduism (especially in New). Monotheistic religions are religions that have founders. For them, the fundamental thing is that they are constituted on the basis of divine revelation. Revelation has a prophetic form. The concept of “monotheism” in one way or another correlates with the concepts of “polytheism”, “monolatry” and “henotheism”. “Polytheism” is the recognition of the existence of many gods, to one degree or another, independent of each other. “Monolatry” means the veneration of one god without denying the existence of other gods. “Henotheism” presupposes the actual veneration of one god, which does not exclude the existence of other gods. Some religious theories were based on the thesis that monotheism, as the belief in one supreme God, was the original form and source of various religions. Among the most famous is “proto-monotheism” by W. Schmidt. Other theories proclaimed monotheism to be the completion of the evolution of the religious life of mankind. Such theories do not find convincing confirmation in the diverse religious and historical material.

As a theological and as a philosophical concept, “monotheism” in its content essentially coincides with the concept of “theism”, first encountered by the Cambridge Platonist G. More. “Theism” originally meant the opposite of “atheism” and equivalent to “deism.” Only gradually did the conceptual difference between “theism” and “deism” take shape, the essence of which was already expressed by I. Kant: “The deist believes in one God, and the theist - in one living God.” A certain innovation in the consideration of monotheism was introduced by G. W. F. Hegel, who for the first time contrasted monotheism not with polytheism, but with pantheism. G. Cohen linked the world-historical significance of Judaism with the formation of monotheism. In the concept of “theism,” God is conceptualized as an absolute, spiritual-personal transcendent in relation to the world, acting as the unconditional creative source of all non-divine existence and maintaining an effective presence in the world. “Theism,” however, receives its own specification in each of the religions classified as monotheistic.

Yu. A. Kimelev

New Philosophical Encyclopedia: In 4 vols. M.: Thought. Edited by V. S. Stepin. 2001 .

Antonyms:

See what "MONOTHEISM" is in other dictionaries:

Monotheism... Spelling dictionary-reference book

- (Greek, from monos one, Theos God). Doctrine recognizing one God. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. MONOTHEISM [Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Religion, monotheism. Ant. polytheism Dictionary of Russian synonyms. monotheism see monotheism Dictionary of synonyms of the Russian language. Practical guide. M.: Russian language. Z. E. Alexandrova ... Synonym dictionary

MONOTHEISM see POLYTHEISM and MONOTHEISM, THEISM, GOD. POLYTHEISM AND MONOTHEISM (Greek: poly many, gao nos one, theos God) religious doctrine and idea of ​​polytheism and monotheism, worship of many or one God. P. occurs during the period... ... The latest philosophical dictionary

monotheism- a, m. monotheisme m. A form of religious belief that recognizes only one deity; monotheism (opposite polytheism). BAS 1. For the same reason, they smerds so willingly clung to polytheism: it seemed to them more convenient than... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

- (from mono... and Greek theos god) (monotheism), a system of religious beliefs based on the concept of one God. Monotheistic religions include Judaism, Christianity and Islam... Modern encyclopedia

- (from mono... and Greek theos god) (monotheism) a system of religious beliefs based on the concept of one God. In theological literature, monotheistic religions include Judaism, Christianity and Islam... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- [te], monotheism, plural. no, husband (from Greek monos one and theos god) (scientific). Monotheism; ant. polytheism. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

- [te], ah, husband. (specialist.). Belief in one single deity, in one god, monotheism; opposite polytheism. | adj. monotheistic, oh, oh. Monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu.... ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

- (from monos one and deos God) faith and worship of one God. M., as a religious form, is the opposite of polytheism; As a philosophical doctrine, it differs not only from polytheism, but also from pantheism, deism and theism. Religious M. in perfect form... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Books

• Religions of the North Caucasus. Monotheism. Polytheism. Pantheism, Nikolai Lysenko, This monograph covers all significant religions of the North Caucasus. The influence of world religions and pagan cults was most clearly manifested in the western part of the region. Right here… Category: Religious studies. History of religions Publisher:

There are many religious movements that were formed at different times and have their own principles and foundations. One of the main differences is the number of gods that people believe in, so there are religions based on the belief in one god, and there are polytheists.

What are these monotheistic religions?

The doctrine of one God is usually called monotheism. There are several movements that share the idea of ​​a super-created Creator. Understanding what a monotheistic religion means, it is worth saying that this is the name given to the three main world movements: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. There are disputes about other religious movements. It is important to note that monotheistic religions are distinct movements, since some endow the Lord with personality and different qualities, while others simply elevate a central deity above others.

What is the difference between monotheism and polytheism?

The meaning of such a concept as “monotheism” has been understood, but as for polytheism, it is the complete opposite of monotheism and is based on belief in several gods. Among modern religions, these include, for example, Hinduism. Adherents of polytheism are sure that there are many gods who have their own spheres of influence and habits. A striking example is the gods of Ancient Greece.

Scientists believe that polytheism arose first, which over time moved to belief in one God. Many people are interested in the reasons for the transition from polytheism to monotheism, and there are several explanations for this, but one is the most justified. Scientists believe that such religious changes reflect certain stages in the development of society. In those days, the slave system was strengthened and a monarchy was created. Monotheism has become a kind of basis for the formation of a new society that believes in a single monarch and God.

World monotheistic religions

It has already been said that the main world religions, which are based on monotheism, are Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Some scientists consider them a mass form of ideological life, which are aimed at strengthening the moral content in it. The rulers of the states of the Ancient East during the formation of monotheism were guided not only by their interests and the strengthening of states, but also by the ability to exploit people as efficiently as possible. The God of the monotheistic religion gave them a chance to find a way to the souls of believers and strengthen themselves on his throne as a monarch.

Monotheistic religion – Christianity

Judging by the time of its origin, Christianity is the second world religion. It was originally a sect of Judaism in Palestine. A similar relationship is observed in the fact that the Old Testament (the first part of the Bible) is an important book for both Christians and Jews. As for the New Testament, which consists of the four Gospels, these books are sacred only to Christians.

1. There are misconceptions in Christianity on the topic of monotheism, since the basis of this religion is faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For many, this is a contradiction of the foundations of monotheism, but in fact, all of this is considered to be three hypostases of the Lord.
2. Christianity implies redemption and salvation, and people believe in God for sinful man.
3. Comparing other monotheistic religions and Christianity, it should be said that in this system life flows from God to people. In other movements, a person must make an effort to ascend to the Lord.

Monotheistic religion – Judaism

The oldest religion, which arose around 1000 BC. To form a new movement, the prophets used different beliefs of that time, but there was the only important difference - the presence of a single and omnipotent God, who requires people to strictly adhere to a moral code. The emergence of monotheism and its cultural consequences is an important topic that scholars continue to explore, and the following facts stand out in Judaism:

1. The founder of this movement is the prophet Abraham.
2. Jewish monotheism is established as the basic idea for the moral development of the Jewish people.
3. The current is based on the recognition of a single god, Yahweh, who judges all people, not only the living, but also the dead.
4. The first literary work of Judaism is the Torah, which contains the basic dogmas and commandments.

Monotheistic religion – Islam

The second largest religion is Islam, which appeared later than other directions. This movement originated in Arabia in the 7th century AD. e. The essence of the monotheism of Islam lies in the following dogmas:

1. Muslims must believe in one God - . He is represented as a being who has moral qualities, but only to the superlative degree.
2. The founder of this movement was Muhammad, to whom God appeared and gave him a series of revelations described in the Koran.
3. The Koran is the main Muslim holy book.
4. In Islam there are angels and evil spirits called jinn, but all entities are under the control of God.
5. Every person lives according to divine destiny, as Allah determines destiny.

Monotheistic religion – Buddhism

One of the oldest religions in the world, whose name is associated with the important title of its founder, is called Buddhism. This movement arose in India. There are scientists who, when listing monotheistic religions, mention this movement, but in essence it cannot be attributed to either monotheism or polytheism. This is explained by the fact that Buddha does not deny the existence of other gods, but at the same time he assures that everyone is subject to the action of karma. Taking this into account, when figuring out which religions are monotheistic, it is incorrect to include Buddhism in the list. Its main provisions include:

1. No one except a person can stop the process of rebirth, since he has the power to change himself and achieve nirvana.
2. Buddhism can take different forms depending on where it is practiced.
3. This direction promises believers deliverance from suffering, worries and fears, but at the same time, it does not confirm the immortality of the soul.

Monotheistic religion – Hinduism

The ancient Vedic movement, which includes different philosophical schools and traditions, is called Hinduism. Many, when describing the main monotheistic religions, do not consider it necessary to mention this direction, since its adherents believe in approximately 330 million gods. Actually this cannot be considered as an exact definition as Hindu concept is complex and people can understand it in their own way but everything in Hinduism revolves around one God.

1. Practitioners believe that it is impossible to understand one supreme God, therefore he is represented in three earthly incarnations: Shiva and Brahma. Each believer has the right to independently decide which incarnation to give preference to.
2. This religious movement does not have one fundamental text; believers use the Vedas, Upanishads and others.
3. An important tenet of Hinduism indicates that the soul of every person must go through a huge number of reincarnations.
4. All living beings have karma, and all actions will be taken into account.

Monotheistic religion – Zoroastrianism

One of the most ancient religious movements is Zoroastrianism. Many religious scholars believe that all monotheistic religions began with this movement. There are historians who say that it is dualistic. It appeared in ancient Persia.

1. This is one of the first beliefs that introduced people to the struggle between good and evil. The light forces in Zoroastrianism are represented by the god Ahuramazda, and the dark ones by Angra-Manyu.
2. The first monotheistic religion indicates that every person should keep his soul pure by spreading goodness on earth.
3. The main importance in Zoroastrianism is not cult and prayer, but good deeds, thoughts and words.

Monotheistic religion – Jainism

The ancient dharmic religion, which was originally a reformist movement in Hinduism, is commonly called Jainism. It appeared and spread in India. The religions of monotheism and Jainism have nothing in common, since this movement does not imply belief in God. The main provisions of this direction include:

1. Every living thing on earth has a soul that has infinite knowledge, power and happiness.
2. A person must be responsible for his life in the present and future, since everything is reflected in karma.
3. The goal of this movement is to free the soul from the negativity that is caused by wrong actions, thoughts and speech.
4. The main prayer of Jainism is the Navokhar mantra and while chanting it, a person shows respect to the liberated souls.

Monotheistic religions – Confucianism

Many scientists are sure that Confucianism cannot be considered a religion, and call it a philosophical movement in China. The idea of ​​monotheism can be seen in the fact that Confucius was eventually deified, but this movement practically does not pay attention to the nature and activity of God. Confucianism differs in many ways from the world's major monotheistic religions.

1. Based on strict compliance with existing regulations and rituals.
2. The main thing for this cult is the veneration of ancestors, so each clan has its own temple where sacrifices are made.
3. The goal of a person is to find his place in world harmony, and for this it is necessary to constantly improve. Confucius proposed his unique program for the harmony of people with the cosmos.