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As with many concepts in the study of religions, it’s very helpful to use etymology, or the study of word roots, to get a deeper insight into the meaning of the terms we use.
The English word “monotheism” comes from two Greek words: “mono,” meaning “one,” and “theos,” meaning “god. Thus the word monotheism means the belief that only one god exists.
There are many references to monotheism and the monotheistic tradition throughout the study of religions, but the term usually refers to the three Abrahamic religions:
Before the emergence of YHWH, the unspeakable name for the one God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the tribes of Canaan in Mesopotamia had many gods.
It is believed that eventually a deal was struck between the god El and the people that lived in and around Mesopotamia and Canaan. In exchange for security and protection from other tribes, the Canaanites agreed to worship no other gods but El.
At some point in the second millennium before the common era, it is also believed that a covenant or agreement was made between Abraham and YHWH, and Abraham thus set off for the promised land of Canaan.
In the book of Genesis, it says, “To your offspring I will give this land.” The book of Genesis is in the Torah, which is also called the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. This statement begins the Abrahamic journey all the way through Christianity and Islam.
In the order of the three Abrahamic religions, Christianity comes second historically, yet the relationship among all these faiths is very complex because of a weaving of similarities and differences.
One aspect that Judaism and Islam have in common is that they both follow a very strict monotheism when compared to the Trinitarian monotheism of Christianity.
Among Christians in general, there is the belief in the doctrine of the Trinity, which refers to God existing as one God in three divine persons, or hypostases:
Additionally, Islam and Judaism also both deny the resurrection of Jesus. Judaism regards him as a wise teacher, but not as prophet or messiah, while Islam generally considers him a true prophet, second in importance only to Muhammad, but whose message became corrupted.
Although Judaism and Islam share a strict monotheism, Islam calls God by the name Allah, because this is the Arabic word for God.
Source: THIS TUTORIAL WAS AUTHORED BY TED FAIRCHILD FOR SOPHIA LEARNING. Please see our Terms of Use.