Monotheism

Monotheism is the belief that one god is the only deity.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5] A distinction may be made between exclusive monotheism, in which the one God is a singular existence, and both inclusive and pluriform monotheism, in which multiple gods or godly forms are recognized, but each are postulated as extensions of the same God.^[2]

Monotheism is distinguished from henotheism, a religious system in which the believer worships one god without denying that others may worship different gods with equal validity, and monolatrism, the recognition of the existence of many gods but with the consistent worship of only one deity.^[6] The term monolatry was perhaps first used by Julius Wellhausen.^[7]

The prophets of ancient Israel were among the earliest preachers of monotheism, establishing it as a foundational tenet of the Jewish religious tradition, which endures as one of its most profound and enduring legacies.^[8] Monotheism characterizes the traditions of Zoroastrianism,^[9] Bábism, the Baháʼí Faith, Christianity,^[10] Deism, Druzism,^[11] Eckankar, Sikhism, Manichaeism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Mandaeism, Rastafari, Seicho-no-Ie, Tenrikyo, Yazidism, and Atenism. Elements of monotheistic thought are found in early religions such as ancient Chinese religion, Tengrism, and Yahwism.^[2]^[12]^[13]

^ "14.2: Types of Religions". 4 June 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Monotheism". Encyclopædia Britannica. 24 May 2023.
^ Monotheism. Hutchinson Encyclopedia (12th edition). p. 644.
^ Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974). "Monotheism". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
^ William Wainwright (2018). "Monotheism". Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University.
^ Frank E. Eakin, Jr. The Religion and Culture of Israel (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1971), 70.
^ Mackintosh, Robert (1916). "Monolatry and Henotheism". Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics. Vol. VIII. p. 810. Retrieved Jan 21, 2016.
^ Cleveland, William L. (2004). A History of the Modern Middle East (3rd ed.). WestView Press. pp. 2–3. ISBN 0-8133-4048-9. Monotheism was first preached by the prophets of ancient Israel and is one of the most significant and enduring legacies of the Jewish faith.
^ Ferrero, Mario (2021). "From Polytheism to Monotheism: Zoroaster and Some Economic Theory". Homo Oeconomicus. 38 (1–4): 77–108. doi:10.1007/s41412-021-00113-4.
^ Christianity's status as monotheistic is affirmed in, among other sources, the Catholic Encyclopedia (article "Monotheism Archived 2018-07-04 at the Wayback Machine"); William F. Albright, From the Stone Age to Christianity; H. Richard Niebuhr; About.com, Monotheistic Religion resources Archived 2006-05-21 at the Wayback Machine; Kirsch, God Against the Gods; Woodhead, An Introduction to Christianity; The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Monotheism Archived 2007-10-12 at the Wayback Machine; The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, monotheism; New Dictionary of Theology, Paul Archived 2018-07-04 at the Wayback Machine, pp. 496–499; Meconi. "Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity". pp. 111ff.
^ Obeid, Anis (2006). The Druze & Their Faith in Tawhid. Syracuse University Press. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-8156-5257-1. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
^ Hayes, Christine (2012). "Understanding Biblical Monotheism". Introduction to the Bible. The Open Yale Courses Series. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. pp. 15–28. ISBN 9780300181791. JSTOR j.ctt32bxpm.6.
^
References:
- McDaniel, J. (2013-09-20). "A Modern Hindu Monotheism: Indonesian Hindus as 'People of the Book'". The Journal of Hindu Studies. 6 (3). Oxford University Press (OUP): 333–362. doi:10.1093/jhs/hit030. ISSN 1756-4255.
- Zoroastrian Studies: The Iranian Religion and Various Monographs, 1928 – Page 31, A. V. Williams Jackson – 2003
- Global Institutions of Religion: Ancient Movers, Modern Shakers – Page 88, Katherine Marshall – 2013
- Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia – Page 348, James B. Minahan – 2012
- Introduction To Sikhism – Page 15, Gobind Singh Mansukhani – 1993
- The Popular Encyclopedia of World Religions – Page 95, Richard Wolff – 2007
- Focus: Arrogance and Greed, America's Cancer – Page 102, Jim Gray – 2012

[1] "14.2: Types of Religions". 4 June 2020.

[EncyclopædiaBritannica-2] "Monotheism". Encyclopædia Britannica. 24 May 2023.

[3] Monotheism. Hutchinson Encyclopedia (12th edition). p. 644.

[odccmono-4] Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974). "Monotheism". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[5] William Wainwright (2018). "Monotheism". Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University.

[6] Frank E. Eakin, Jr. The Religion and Culture of Israel (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1971), 70.

[7] Mackintosh, Robert (1916). "Monolatry and Henotheism". Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics. Vol. VIII. p. 810. Retrieved Jan 21, 2016.

[8] Cleveland, William L. (2004). A History of the Modern Middle East (3rd ed.). WestView Press. pp. 2–3. ISBN 0-8133-4048-9. Monotheism was first preached by the prophets of ancient Israel and is one of the most significant and enduring legacies of the Jewish faith.

[9] Ferrero, Mario (2021). "From Polytheism to Monotheism: Zoroaster and Some Economic Theory". Homo Oeconomicus. 38 (1–4): 77–108. doi:10.1007/s41412-021-00113-4.

[Monotheism-10] Christianity's status as monotheistic is affirmed in, among other sources, the Catholic Encyclopedia (article "Monotheism Archived 2018-07-04 at the Wayback Machine"); William F. Albright, From the Stone Age to Christianity; H. Richard Niebuhr; About.com, Monotheistic Religion resources Archived 2006-05-21 at the Wayback Machine; Kirsch, God Against the Gods; Woodhead, An Introduction to Christianity; The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Monotheism Archived 2007-10-12 at the Wayback Machine; The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, monotheism; New Dictionary of Theology, Paul Archived 2018-07-04 at the Wayback Machine, pp. 496–499; Meconi. "Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity". pp. 111ff.

[Druze-11] Obeid, Anis (2006). The Druze & Their Faith in Tawhid. Syracuse University Press. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-8156-5257-1. Retrieved 27 May 2017.

[Hayes_2012-12] Hayes, Christine (2012). "Understanding Biblical Monotheism". Introduction to the Bible. The Open Yale Courses Series. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. pp. 15–28. ISBN 9780300181791. JSTOR j.ctt32bxpm.6.

[13] References:
McDaniel, J. (2013-09-20). "A Modern Hindu Monotheism: Indonesian Hindus as 'People of the Book'". The Journal of Hindu Studies. 6 (3). Oxford University Press (OUP): 333–362. doi:10.1093/jhs/hit030. ISSN 1756-4255.

Zoroastrian Studies: The Iranian Religion and Various Monographs, 1928 – Page 31, A. V. Williams Jackson – 2003

Global Institutions of Religion: Ancient Movers, Modern Shakers – Page 88, Katherine Marshall – 2013

Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia – Page 348, James B. Minahan – 2012

Introduction To Sikhism – Page 15, Gobind Singh Mansukhani – 1993

The Popular Encyclopedia of World Religions – Page 95, Richard Wolff – 2007

Focus: Arrogance and Greed, America's Cancer – Page 102, Jim Gray – 2012

[14] McDaniel, J. (2013-09-20). "A Modern Hindu Monotheism: Indonesian Hindus as 'People of the Book'". The Journal of Hindu Studies. 6 (3). Oxford University Press (OUP): 333–362. doi:10.1093/jhs/hit030. ISSN 1756-4255.

[15] Zoroastrian Studies: The Iranian Religion and Various Monographs, 1928 – Page 31, A. V. Williams Jackson – 2003

[16] Global Institutions of Religion: Ancient Movers, Modern Shakers – Page 88, Katherine Marshall – 2013

[17] Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia – Page 348, James B. Minahan – 2012

[18] Introduction To Sikhism – Page 15, Gobind Singh Mansukhani – 1993

[19] The Popular Encyclopedia of World Religions – Page 95, Richard Wolff – 2007

[20] Focus: Arrogance and Greed, America's Cancer – Page 102, Jim Gray – 2012

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