Monotheism
From polytheism to monotheism*
Little is known about the family of Abraham/Abram, except that Terah, his father, was a polytheist who traded in terracotta idols. The biblical commentary (midrash) Bereshit Rabba explains that Terah often left his son alone to look after the shop and ensure sales. Until one day, according to the story, he returned to his shop to find all his idols pulverised except for one, who was standing with a stick in her hand, upright in the middle of the debris. Not understanding what could have happened, Terah questioned his son, who pointed to the god still standing and accused him of the misdeed.
- Abram," said Terah, "it's just a clay statue; it's incapable of doing what you accuse it of.
- Truly," triumphed Abram, "I hope your ears hear what your mouth has just said.
The young man wanted to provoke his father's reflection: by destroying the idols, he wanted to prove the non-existence of these gods which, dislocated and on the ground, proved at the very least their powerlessness, if not their death. Unable to find anything to replace the destroyed idols, it was not until his father's death that Abram, at the age of 75, finally found his answer. A voice was raised, that of Yahweh, commanding him to abandon everything and follow her. It promised to make him "a great nation". He pledged his allegiance to her, gathered his clan and left (Gen. 12:1-2). This divine promise was renewed during a covenant ceremony (Gen. 15, 7-21), during which he also received the order to circumcise, the first ritual sign of a covenant between him and God, thus committing all his male descendants.
*Les religions d’Abraham, p. 27-28, Vauclair David, édition Eyrolles 2011
Abraham
is one of the major figures in the Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions. A central figure in the Book of Genesis, he is repeated in the Koran under the name of Ibrahim. Strictly speaking, he is the first patriarch of the Bible. He is considered a founding figure of Judaism, one of the main figures of Christianity, and one of the five great prophets of Islam (along with Noah, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed). He is presented as the ancestor of the Hebrew and Arab peoples and as the father of monotheism*.
*Christianity, Wikipedia 2020
Monotheism
is a form of religion that believes in the existence and worship of a single God. It is a characteristic of certain major religions, notably Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which are sometimes grouped together under the term Abrahamic religions.
- Judaism : considered to be the first monotheistic religion, it is based on the teachings of the Torah. Jews believe in a single God, Yahweh, who established a covenant with his chosen people, the Israelites.
- Christianity : based on the teachings of Jesus Christ as presented in the New Testament of the Bible. Christians believe in a single God in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit.
- Islam : Muslims believe in one God, Allah, and follow the teachings of the Koran. Islam is based on the teachings of the prophet Mohammed.
Monotheism is distinct from polytheism, which believes in many gods, and atheism, which denies the existence of any god. There is also pantheism, which identifies God with the universe and all its laws and forces. Monotheistic religions tend to have specific moral and ethical codes, rites and practices, and often believe in concepts such as heaven and hell, the last judgement and life after death.
Here are a few points about these religions:
- One God : monotheism is based on the belief that there is only one God who is the creator and maintainer of the universe. This God is often described as omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (present everywhere).
- Sacred texts : monotheistic religions generally have sacred texts and scriptures that contain the teachings of their God. For example, Judaism has the Torah, Christianity has the Bible and Islam has the Koran.
{The Old Testament is the expression used in the Christian tradition to designate all the writings of the Bible prior to Jesus Christ. The Old Testament is therefore the Jewish Bible (also known as the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh). For Christians, it forms the first part of the Bible, the second part, called the New Testament, being made up of all the books relating to the life of Jesus Christ - Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Epistles, Apocalypse - and the third part, called the New Testament, being made up of all the books relating to the life of Jesus Christ - Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Epistles, Apocalypse -. Christians consider the Bible to be made up of the Old Testament (writings prior to Jesus) and the New Testament. Wikipedia 2020}
- Prophets : in many monotheistic religions, God communicates with humans through prophets or messengers. These individuals are chosen by God to pass on his teachings and commandments to others.
- Worship practices : monotheistic religions have worship practices that are designed to honour and adore their God. These may include prayer, meditation, fasting, rituals and ceremonies.
- Morals and ethics : monotheistic religions generally have systems of morals and ethics based on the commandments of their God. These rules guide the behaviour of believers and influence their interactions with others.