monotheistic religion as a type of religious outlook appeared long before the Christian era and represented as the personification of God and representation and empowerment of all the forces of nature one conscious egregor.Some of the world's religions have done God's personality and her character;others - just lift up the central deity above the others.For example, Orthodox Christianity - a monotheistic religion, which is based on the image of the triune God.
to shed light on such a complicated system of religious beliefs is required to consider the term from several aspects.It should be remembered that all the world's monotheistic religions belong to three types.This Abrahamic, East Asian religions and the religion of America.Strictly speaking, the monotheistic religion is not one that is based on the functioning of several cults, but God has a central, towering above the rest.
representations of the uniqueness of God
monotheistic religions have two theoretical form - inclusive and exclusive.According to the first - inclusive - theory, God may have some divine personifications provided their unity in the whole central egregor.Exclusive theory gives the image of God transtsententnymi personal qualities.
This structure implies a profound nednorodnost.For example, Deism involves withdrawal from affairs of the divine Creator immediately after the creation of the world and supports the concept of non-interference of supernatural forces in the course of the universe;pantheism involves the sanctity of the universe itself, and rejects the anthropomorphic character and nature of God;Theism, by contrast, contains a general idea of the existence of the Creator and his active participation in global processes.
teachings of the Ancient World
Egyptian ancient monotheistic religion, on the one hand, represented a kind of monotheism;On the other hand, it is also composed of a large number of local combined cult.The attempt to combine all these cults under the aegis of a single god, patron, Pharaoh of Egypt, Akhenaten was made in the 6th century BC.After his death, religious beliefs are back on track polytheism.
attempt to systematize the divine pantheon and bring it to a single personal image were made by Greek thinkers Ksefanom and Hesiod.The "State" Plato aims to search for the Absolute Truth, the power over all things in the world.Later, on the basis of his treatises representatives of Hellenistic Judaism attempted to synthesize Platonism and Judaic concept of God.The flowering of the idea of divine monotheistic essence refers to the period of antiquity.
monotheism in Judaism
From the Jewish point of view of the traditional primacy of monotheism was destroyed in the process of human development in the collapse of his multiple cults.Modern Judaism as a religion monotesticheskaya strongly denies the existence of any supernatural external forces, including the gods, beyond the control of the Creator.
But its history Judaism has always had a theological basis.And the early stages of his development took place under the status monolatry - polytheistic belief in the rise of the chief god of the secondary.
the world's monotheistic religions, such as Christianity and Islam, have their roots in Judaism.
definition of Christianity
In Christianity dominates the Old Testament Abrahamic monotheism and God's theory - as the only universal creator.However, Christianity - a monotheistic religion, the main lines are made to her the idea of the trinity of God in three proyavlyaeniyah - guises - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.This dogma of the Trinity imposes on the interpretation of Christianity Islam and Judaism polytheistic or triteistichesky character.According to Christianity itself, "monotheistic religion" as a concept is fully reflected in its basic concept, but the idea was put forward more than once tritheism theologians has not yet been rejected by the First Council of Nicaea.However, historians are of the opinion that in Russia there were followers of the Orthodox movements, denying the trinity of God, which he patronized Ivan III.
Thus, the request to "explain the concept of a monotheistic religion" can udovoletvorit, citing the definition of monotheism as the belief in one God, who may be in the world a few incarnations.
Islamic monotheistic beliefs
Islam strictly monotheistic.Monotheistic principle proclaimed in the First Pillar of the Faith: "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad - His prophet."Thus, the axiom of uniqueness and integrity of God - Tawhid - lies in its fundamental theory, and all the rites, rituals and religious activities designed to show the uniqueness and integrity of God (Allah).
greatest sin in Islam is shirk - equating to Allah other deities and figures - the sin unforgiving.
In Islam all the great prophets professed monotheism.
Specifics Baha'is
This religion has its roots in the Shiite Islam, it is now considered by many researchers as a separate flow, but Islam itself is considered to be apostate religion and its followers in the territory of the Muslim republics of the previously persecuted.
name "Bahá'í" comes from the name of the founder of the religion of Bahá'u'lláh ("The Glory of God") - Mirza Hussein Ali, who was born in 1812 in the family of the descendants of the royal Persian dynasty.
Bahá'ísm strictly monotheistic.He argues that all attempts to know God are futile and useless.The only link between the people and God are "Epiphany" - prophets.
peculiarity of the Baha'i as a religious doctrine is the open recognition of all religions are true, but one God in all forms.
Hindu and Sikh monotheism
Not all the world's monotheistic religions have similar features.This is due to their different territorial, mental, and even political origin.For example, it is impossible to draw a parallel between the monotheism of Christianity and Hinduism.Hinduism is a huge system of various rites, beliefs, local national traditions, philosophies and theories based on monotheism, pantheism, polytheism and closely related dialects of language and writing.In such a broad religious structure strongly influenced by caste stratification of Indian society.Monotheistic presentation of Hinduism is extremely difficult - all the deities merged into one to create a single host and the Creator.
Sikhism, as a kind of Hinduism, also asserts the principle of monotheism in its postulate "One God for all", in which God reveals aspects of the Absolute and the individual particle of God that lives in every human being.The physical world is illusory, God abides in time.
Chinese system of theological outlooks
Beginning in 1766 BC, the traditional ideology of Chinese imperial dynasties becomes worship of Shang Di - "the supreme ancestor," "God" - or the sky as the most powerful force (Tan).Thus, the ancient Chinese system of philosophy - is a kind of the first monotheistic religion of mankind suschestvovashaya early Buddhism, Christianity and Islam.God is here personified, but did not acquire bodily form that equates to Shang Di moizm.However, this is not a monotheistic religion in the fullest sense - in every locality there was a small pantheon of deities of the earth, determining the characteristics of the material world.
Thus, a request to "explain the concept of" monotheistic religion "can be said that such a religion peculiar monism - the external world of the Maya is an illusion, and God fills everything over time.
One God in Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism never claimedthe idea of a clear monotheism, balancing between dualism and monotheism. According to his teaching, distributed on the first tysyachelenii BC Iran, the supreme one god is Ahura Mazda. In contrast, it exists and operates Angra Mainyu - the god of death and darkness. Everyone should Kindlea fire of Ahura Mazda and iznichtozhit Angra Mainyu.
Zoroastrianism had a noticeable impact on the development of ideas of Abrahamic religions.
America. Monotheism Inca
The trend monoteinizatsii religious beliefs of the peoples of the Andes, where the process of unification of all the deities in the image of God Vikarochi,for example, the convergence of Vikarochi, creator of the world, with the Pacha-Camac, the creator of people.
thus making approximate explanation in response to the request, "Explain the concept of a monotheistic religion", we should mention that in some religious systems, the gods having similar functions, eventually merge into a single image.
