Great analysis and I learned a ton from this! I've come from a Christian backround and have stepped away from the Christian interpretation writ large. I think there's more to the story and you do a great job of highlighting that.
Ironically, Christianity has become polytheistic again with their complexity of the Trinity. The three independent yet inter-related aspects of God.
The more I've learned about Christianity, comparative religions, theology, church history, etc., the more I've realized there is ALWAYS more to this story. It's incredible how deep the rabbit holes can go in this space.
The polytheism of the Trinity is one of the major charges against orthodox Christianity from many groups including Muslims and the LDS. I have some responses to this charge, but I hear your point :)
Have you read the Joseph Campbell book The Hero with a Thousand Faces? Great insight into the religions as well as a good psychological analysis about the value of all the religions.
Following up on your second point — even if the Israelites originally adopted monotheism for political, pragmatic or material reasons, another possible argument that this doesn’t undermine Judaism’s faith is that they have stuck with it despite all the travails they experienced shortly thereafter and ever since, down to the present day. From the destruction of their independent kingdoms, to the Babylonian captivity, their homeland being subject to foreign powers for the next 2,500 years, severe persecution throughout medieval Europe, Russian pogroms, the Holocaust, and the constant hostility and invasions by modern Israel’s neighbors since its founding in 1948.
The Jewish people have obviously been sustained by their monotheistic faith in God throughout all of this, otherwise they would have disposed of it long ago — perhaps as early as the Babylonian captivity c. 600 BC. This speaks to a profound spiritual attachment and belief in their monotheistic faith, and it is doubtful this would exist if the faith of Jews (or Christians) for the past 2,500 years was grounded merely in material concerns.
Your article is very satisfying and reassuring for a Christian believer such as myself. It is also highly logical as to both prongs of your argument. It is good to be able to articulate why the Israelite’s original polytheistic culture should not undermine its eventual adoption of a monotheistic God.
Does Wright address the first part of your argument — why other small nearby nations/kingdoms didn’t move away from polytheism during the period of independent Israelite kingdoms?
Glad you enjoyed it! Surprisingly, he does not really address the first argument. Maybe he felt he didn’t have the space for it. I’ve looked elsewhere for a response too and when an answer is offered, it tends to focus on the unique covenantal relationship the Israelites believed they had with their God, which in my mind points to a more theological difference instead of a political one like Wright argues for
Great analysis and I learned a ton from this! I've come from a Christian backround and have stepped away from the Christian interpretation writ large. I think there's more to the story and you do a great job of highlighting that.
Ironically, Christianity has become polytheistic again with their complexity of the Trinity. The three independent yet inter-related aspects of God.
The more I've learned about Christianity, comparative religions, theology, church history, etc., the more I've realized there is ALWAYS more to this story. It's incredible how deep the rabbit holes can go in this space.
The polytheism of the Trinity is one of the major charges against orthodox Christianity from many groups including Muslims and the LDS. I have some responses to this charge, but I hear your point :)
Have you read the Joseph Campbell book The Hero with a Thousand Faces? Great insight into the religions as well as a good psychological analysis about the value of all the religions.
https://amzn.to/4j4uBs7
Following up on your second point — even if the Israelites originally adopted monotheism for political, pragmatic or material reasons, another possible argument that this doesn’t undermine Judaism’s faith is that they have stuck with it despite all the travails they experienced shortly thereafter and ever since, down to the present day. From the destruction of their independent kingdoms, to the Babylonian captivity, their homeland being subject to foreign powers for the next 2,500 years, severe persecution throughout medieval Europe, Russian pogroms, the Holocaust, and the constant hostility and invasions by modern Israel’s neighbors since its founding in 1948.
The Jewish people have obviously been sustained by their monotheistic faith in God throughout all of this, otherwise they would have disposed of it long ago — perhaps as early as the Babylonian captivity c. 600 BC. This speaks to a profound spiritual attachment and belief in their monotheistic faith, and it is doubtful this would exist if the faith of Jews (or Christians) for the past 2,500 years was grounded merely in material concerns.
That’s a great point. Plenty of other examples of cultures giving up their gods after a calamity rather than doubling down.
Your article is very satisfying and reassuring for a Christian believer such as myself. It is also highly logical as to both prongs of your argument. It is good to be able to articulate why the Israelite’s original polytheistic culture should not undermine its eventual adoption of a monotheistic God.
Does Wright address the first part of your argument — why other small nearby nations/kingdoms didn’t move away from polytheism during the period of independent Israelite kingdoms?
Glad you enjoyed it! Surprisingly, he does not really address the first argument. Maybe he felt he didn’t have the space for it. I’ve looked elsewhere for a response too and when an answer is offered, it tends to focus on the unique covenantal relationship the Israelites believed they had with their God, which in my mind points to a more theological difference instead of a political one like Wright argues for
Agree, thanks.
Great post