Topic 28 Monotheism & Polytheism

Question 1

What do Christians believe about one God?

Answer 1

1. Single creator God which we preach to (10 commandments ‘worship one god’)
2. Trinity -> three beings that form one entity like a three leaf clover
3. Father son + Holy Spirit refer to one + same god -> cannot say who God is without referring to son + HS

Question 2

Why do Christians believe in one God?

Answer 2

1. Religious upbringing
2. Conversion experience eg St Paul’s
3. Stated in Bible, 10 commandments + Deut 4, ‘the lord is god; there is no other besides him’
4. Ockham’s razor - simplest to worship one God, must be right
5. Only one God can be omnipotent

Question 3

What are the problems with the Christian belief in one God?

Answer 3

1. Trinity (3 things worshipped)
2. Atheists -> Bible not enough evidence to prove existence of God -> belief + cannot be empirically proven
3. Feminists -> monotheism = highest form patriarchal power, god anthropomorphised as male + opposed to femininity, feeling + sensuality

Question 4

What is polytheism?

Answer 4

• belief in many Gods

- eg Hinduism (over a million gods + goddesses worshipped)

Question 5

Why do ppl believe in polytheism?

Answer 5

1. Religious upbringing
2. Converted to polytheistic religion -> easier to relate to variety of gods (represent different things, eg Ganesh = good fortune + success) prayers more directed
3. More logical, unrealistic to have one god who rules everything (eg not one king who rules whole world)
4. Feminists = goddesses to pray to - understand needs more + emulate characteristics
5. Problem of evil + suffering (incompatible w god as omnibenevolence, omniscient + omnipotent) not a prob with many gods

Question 6

What are the problems w polytheism?

Answer 6

• omnipotence of deities diminished due to sheer number
• christians argue polytheism = wrong (goes against 10 commandments) very exclusivist
• can’t be a creator god who made everything at the beginning