Thomas Holden
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199579945
- eISBN:
- 9780191722776
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199579945.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, History of Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion
This book presents an historical and critical interpretation of Hume's rejection of the existence of a deity with moral attributes. It argues that in Hume's view no first cause or designer ...
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This book presents an historical and critical interpretation of Hume's rejection of the existence of a deity with moral attributes. It argues that in Hume's view no first cause or designer responsible for the ordered universe could possibly have moral attributes; nor could the existence (or non-existence) of such a being have any real implications for human practice or conduct. Hume's case for this ‘moral atheism’ is a central plank of both his naturalistic agenda in metaphysics and his secularizing program in moral theory. It complements his wider critique of traditional theism, and threatens to rule out any religion that would make claims on moral practice. This book situates Hume's commitment to moral atheism in its historical and philosophical context, offers a systematic interpretation of his case for divine amorality, and shows how Hume can endorse moral atheism while maintaining his sceptical attitude toward traditional forms of cosmological and theological speculation.Less
This book presents an historical and critical interpretation of Hume's rejection of the existence of a deity with moral attributes. It argues that in Hume's view no first cause or designer responsible for the ordered universe could possibly have moral attributes; nor could the existence (or non-existence) of such a being have any real implications for human practice or conduct. Hume's case for this ‘moral atheism’ is a central plank of both his naturalistic agenda in metaphysics and his secularizing program in moral theory. It complements his wider critique of traditional theism, and threatens to rule out any religion that would make claims on moral practice. This book situates Hume's commitment to moral atheism in its historical and philosophical context, offers a systematic interpretation of his case for divine amorality, and shows how Hume can endorse moral atheism while maintaining his sceptical attitude toward traditional forms of cosmological and theological speculation.
David Leeming
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195142884
- eISBN:
- 9780199834402
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195142888.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Myths are living entities that continue to energize thought and action in the modern world. If ancient mythmakers conceived of the evident reality of creation in terms of character and events we ...
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Myths are living entities that continue to energize thought and action in the modern world. If ancient mythmakers conceived of the evident reality of creation in terms of character and events we associate with such works as Genesis or the Rig Veda, modern scientific mythmakers see it in terms of evolution and the Big Bang. Myth has always been intricately related to religion and new religious metaphors and energies are to be found in the new scientific myths. Modern works of literature reflect ways in which the modern mind uses the ancient Creation, Deity, and Hero archetypes to reveal new understandings.Less
Myths are living entities that continue to energize thought and action in the modern world. If ancient mythmakers conceived of the evident reality of creation in terms of character and events we associate with such works as Genesis or the Rig Veda, modern scientific mythmakers see it in terms of evolution and the Big Bang. Myth has always been intricately related to religion and new religious metaphors and energies are to be found in the new scientific myths. Modern works of literature reflect ways in which the modern mind uses the ancient Creation, Deity, and Hero archetypes to reveal new understandings.
Mark S. Smith
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195134803
- eISBN:
- 9780199834655
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019513480X.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter asks what characteristics deities generally share, or, put differently, what terms do the texts use to express what deities are? It collects and analyzes labels and statements about ...
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This chapter asks what characteristics deities generally share, or, put differently, what terms do the texts use to express what deities are? It collects and analyzes labels and statements about deities to answer the fundamental question of what a deity was considered to be. Ancient Middle Eastern literatures generalize about the characteristics and actions of deities abstracted from religious tradition and experience (“second-order discourse”), and chapter 3 has already shown how the Ugaritic texts stress the idea of the deities as a divine royal family bound by social hierarchy and family ties. This chapter examines four other common features of deities: strength and size, body and gender, holiness, and immorality. Each of these traits is addressed in turn, first in Ugaritic literature and then in Israelite texts.Less
This chapter asks what characteristics deities generally share, or, put differently, what terms do the texts use to express what deities are? It collects and analyzes labels and statements about deities to answer the fundamental question of what a deity was considered to be. Ancient Middle Eastern literatures generalize about the characteristics and actions of deities abstracted from religious tradition and experience (“second-order discourse”), and chapter 3 has already shown how the Ugaritic texts stress the idea of the deities as a divine royal family bound by social hierarchy and family ties. This chapter examines four other common features of deities: strength and size, body and gender, holiness, and immorality. Each of these traits is addressed in turn, first in Ugaritic literature and then in Israelite texts.
Mark S. Smith
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195134803
- eISBN:
- 9780199834655
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019513480X.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Chapter 4 discusses different sorts of divine intersections or interrelations, including pluralities and pairings of deities within the divine household, where there are additional relationships ...
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Chapter 4 discusses different sorts of divine intersections or interrelations, including pluralities and pairings of deities within the divine household, where there are additional relationships centered on one or two figures. These relationships are explored to illustrate further the root metaphor of the family for Ugaritic divinity. After this survey of relations among the Ugaritic deities, the final section of the chapter explores alterations of divine relations within the presentation of divinity in ancient Israel.Less
Chapter 4 discusses different sorts of divine intersections or interrelations, including pluralities and pairings of deities within the divine household, where there are additional relationships centered on one or two figures. These relationships are explored to illustrate further the root metaphor of the family for Ugaritic divinity. After this survey of relations among the Ugaritic deities, the final section of the chapter explores alterations of divine relations within the presentation of divinity in ancient Israel.
Sarah M. Pike
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195177299
- eISBN:
- 9780199785537
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195177299.003.0010
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
New religious movements have typically emerged and thrived in times of social upheaval during which normative gender roles are challenged, such as in the United States during the industrializing ...
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New religious movements have typically emerged and thrived in times of social upheaval during which normative gender roles are challenged, such as in the United States during the industrializing mid-19th century and in the 1960s-1970s. New religions offer a range of roles for men and women that are shaped by a variety of different factors, including mythology, conceptions of deity, the role and teachings of the founder and leaders, and the demographic background of participants. Gender roles in NRMs include hierarchical models, role reversals, partnerships, and androgynous models. NRMs have typically experimented with alternative sex, marriage, and family structures, including celibacy, polygamy, and free love.Less
New religious movements have typically emerged and thrived in times of social upheaval during which normative gender roles are challenged, such as in the United States during the industrializing mid-19th century and in the 1960s-1970s. New religions offer a range of roles for men and women that are shaped by a variety of different factors, including mythology, conceptions of deity, the role and teachings of the founder and leaders, and the demographic background of participants. Gender roles in NRMs include hierarchical models, role reversals, partnerships, and androgynous models. NRMs have typically experimented with alternative sex, marriage, and family structures, including celibacy, polygamy, and free love.
Steven Heine
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195326772
- eISBN:
- 9780199870363
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195326772.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
The next area of debate, nonduality versus mediation, examined in Chapter Three involves the function of rituals and other intermediating elements of practice, such as objects of worship, in what is ...
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The next area of debate, nonduality versus mediation, examined in Chapter Three involves the function of rituals and other intermediating elements of practice, such as objects of worship, in what is supposedly an iconoclastic tradition founded on direct, unmediated experience realized through meditation conducted in the Monks Hall of the seven‐hall monastery grounds. By looking at key examples of how prayer temples evolved in relation to monastic training centers, this chapter argues that the traditional view of Zen must acknowledge that the religion allows for a wide variety of compound layouts. Temples that put an emphasis on aesthetic contemplation for monks may incorporate rock gardens or teahouses, for example, while those emphasizing the pursuit of worldly benefits for lay followers generally have a prominent shrine dedicated to an indigenous or esoteric deity that has been assimilated as an avatar or bodhisattva.Less
The next area of debate, nonduality versus mediation, examined in Chapter Three involves the function of rituals and other intermediating elements of practice, such as objects of worship, in what is supposedly an iconoclastic tradition founded on direct, unmediated experience realized through meditation conducted in the Monks Hall of the seven‐hall monastery grounds. By looking at key examples of how prayer temples evolved in relation to monastic training centers, this chapter argues that the traditional view of Zen must acknowledge that the religion allows for a wide variety of compound layouts. Temples that put an emphasis on aesthetic contemplation for monks may incorporate rock gardens or teahouses, for example, while those emphasizing the pursuit of worldly benefits for lay followers generally have a prominent shrine dedicated to an indigenous or esoteric deity that has been assimilated as an avatar or bodhisattva.
Mark S. Smith
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195134803
- eISBN:
- 9780199834655
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019513480X.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This first chapter diagrams the basic contrast between anthropomorphic deities and monstrous divine creatures. Here the Assyriologist F. A. M. Wiggermann has provided a very helpful typology, which, ...
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This first chapter diagrams the basic contrast between anthropomorphic deities and monstrous divine creatures. Here the Assyriologist F. A. M. Wiggermann has provided a very helpful typology, which, modified for Ugaritic literature, helps to sketch the religious mapping of the cosmos; based on this typology, three zones are proposed--centwe, periphery, and beyond the periphery, which are primarily expressed in terms of space and place. These correspond, respectively, to home and foreign, what is experienced by humans and what is beyond human experience; in accordance with this scheme, deities inhabit “near” places whereas monsters and demonic forces do not. There is also a division between home (and foreign) deities who meet human need and functions, and divinities or monstrous forces on the periphery, who pose a threat or destruction. Further, benevolent deities are often rendered anthropomorphically or as domesticated animals, whereas destructive divinities appear as monstrous or as undomesticated species.Less
This first chapter diagrams the basic contrast between anthropomorphic deities and monstrous divine creatures. Here the Assyriologist F. A. M. Wiggermann has provided a very helpful typology, which, modified for Ugaritic literature, helps to sketch the religious mapping of the cosmos; based on this typology, three zones are proposed--centwe, periphery, and beyond the periphery, which are primarily expressed in terms of space and place. These correspond, respectively, to home and foreign, what is experienced by humans and what is beyond human experience; in accordance with this scheme, deities inhabit “near” places whereas monsters and demonic forces do not. There is also a division between home (and foreign) deities who meet human need and functions, and divinities or monstrous forces on the periphery, who pose a threat or destruction. Further, benevolent deities are often rendered anthropomorphically or as domesticated animals, whereas destructive divinities appear as monstrous or as undomesticated species.
Mark S. Smith
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195134803
- eISBN:
- 9780199834655
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019513480X.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
A particularly unusual case of divine death is examined in this chapter; this exception is the god Baal, who is considered to be a classic example of Sir James George Frazer’s category of “dying and ...
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A particularly unusual case of divine death is examined in this chapter; this exception is the god Baal, who is considered to be a classic example of Sir James George Frazer’s category of “dying and rising gods.” The methodology and viability of Frazer’s claim is addressed as it has been applied to Baal of Ugarit. Here the author has been influenced by Jonathan Z. Smith’s massive critique of Frazer's category of dying and rising gods, as well as by recent studies on ritual and myth. The chapter also ventures a constructive step in the interpretation of Baal’s death: if Baal is not to be regarded as a dying and rising god, what is the significance of his death and return to life? Finally, it looks briefly at the mythology of death and the god of Israel.Less
A particularly unusual case of divine death is examined in this chapter; this exception is the god Baal, who is considered to be a classic example of Sir James George Frazer’s category of “dying and rising gods.” The methodology and viability of Frazer’s claim is addressed as it has been applied to Baal of Ugarit. Here the author has been influenced by Jonathan Z. Smith’s massive critique of Frazer's category of dying and rising gods, as well as by recent studies on ritual and myth. The chapter also ventures a constructive step in the interpretation of Baal’s death: if Baal is not to be regarded as a dying and rising god, what is the significance of his death and return to life? Finally, it looks briefly at the mythology of death and the god of Israel.
M.N. Srinivas
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198077459
- eISBN:
- 9780199081165
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198077459.003.0010
- Subject:
- Sociology, Urban and Rural Studies
This chapter provides general remarks on religion in Rampura. The villagers propitiated a wide variety of deities from the high gods and goddesses of all-India Hinduism in their various ...
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This chapter provides general remarks on religion in Rampura. The villagers propitiated a wide variety of deities from the high gods and goddesses of all-India Hinduism in their various manifestations to local ones presiding over epidemics Deities differed from each other also in their personalities and character. This was particularly seen in the contrast between the mild, vegetarian deity Rama, and the fierce Mari. When several households had the same house deity, it was frequently indicative of the existence of an agnatic linkage between them. Astrology is woven into the fabric of Hindu religion as it is lived from day-to-day. The chapter takes into account certain ideas basic to the understanding of the day-to-day religious life of the people in Rampura and neighbouring villages.Less
This chapter provides general remarks on religion in Rampura. The villagers propitiated a wide variety of deities from the high gods and goddesses of all-India Hinduism in their various manifestations to local ones presiding over epidemics Deities differed from each other also in their personalities and character. This was particularly seen in the contrast between the mild, vegetarian deity Rama, and the fierce Mari. When several households had the same house deity, it was frequently indicative of the existence of an agnatic linkage between them. Astrology is woven into the fabric of Hindu religion as it is lived from day-to-day. The chapter takes into account certain ideas basic to the understanding of the day-to-day religious life of the people in Rampura and neighbouring villages.
David L. McMahan
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195183276
- eISBN:
- 9780199870882
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195183276.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter charts a variegated continuum between traditionalist and modernist Buddhists by providing five composite profiles of Buddhists: a British “Buddhist sympathizer,” a traditional Thai ...
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This chapter charts a variegated continuum between traditionalist and modernist Buddhists by providing five composite profiles of Buddhists: a British “Buddhist sympathizer,” a traditional Thai laywoman, an American dharma teacher, a Tibetan monk, and an Asian modernizer. It then discusses three processes by which modernization has taken place in Buddhism: detraditionalization, whereby authority is internalized and shifted from institutions to individuals; demythologization, in which elements of traditional cosmology, such as the six realms of rebirth, are re-interpreted as mental states; and psychologization, in which unseen beings are translated into psychological phenomena and, more generally, Buddhism comes to be interpreted in terms of western psychology.Less
This chapter charts a variegated continuum between traditionalist and modernist Buddhists by providing five composite profiles of Buddhists: a British “Buddhist sympathizer,” a traditional Thai laywoman, an American dharma teacher, a Tibetan monk, and an Asian modernizer. It then discusses three processes by which modernization has taken place in Buddhism: detraditionalization, whereby authority is internalized and shifted from institutions to individuals; demythologization, in which elements of traditional cosmology, such as the six realms of rebirth, are re-interpreted as mental states; and psychologization, in which unseen beings are translated into psychological phenomena and, more generally, Buddhism comes to be interpreted in terms of western psychology.
Francis Cairns
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199558681
- eISBN:
- 9780191720888
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199558681.003.0015
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, European History: BCE to 500CE
The ‘secret name of Rome’ and the identity of the alleged secret protector deity of Rome have long excited scholarly interest. This chapter reconsiders critically the ancient evidence about these ...
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The ‘secret name of Rome’ and the identity of the alleged secret protector deity of Rome have long excited scholarly interest. This chapter reconsiders critically the ancient evidence about these topics and reaches conclusions different from those of most modern scholarship: although the ‘secret name of Rome’ was a matter of speculation at least from Varro on, and the notion of a protector deity current at least by the first century AD, the relevant ancient texts contain errors and inconsistencies that undermine the historical reality of the secret name and protector deity.Less
The ‘secret name of Rome’ and the identity of the alleged secret protector deity of Rome have long excited scholarly interest. This chapter reconsiders critically the ancient evidence about these topics and reaches conclusions different from those of most modern scholarship: although the ‘secret name of Rome’ was a matter of speculation at least from Varro on, and the notion of a protector deity current at least by the first century AD, the relevant ancient texts contain errors and inconsistencies that undermine the historical reality of the secret name and protector deity.
Enrico Santangelo
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197264133
- eISBN:
- 9780191734649
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197264133.003.0007
- Subject:
- Literature, 16th-century and Renaissance Literature
This chapter examines the influence of Dante in Petrarch's Epistolae Familiares. It highlights a series of textual echoes particularly of specific cantos of the Purgatorio in this highly allusive and ...
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This chapter examines the influence of Dante in Petrarch's Epistolae Familiares. It highlights a series of textual echoes particularly of specific cantos of the Purgatorio in this highly allusive and important letter. It suggests that one major difference between Petrarch and Dante's ascent to Mont Ventoux is that Petrarch's journey up the mountain is circuitous and culminates with the discovery of the self and its divisions, while Dante's is vertical and leads to the contemplation of the Deity beyond the self.Less
This chapter examines the influence of Dante in Petrarch's Epistolae Familiares. It highlights a series of textual echoes particularly of specific cantos of the Purgatorio in this highly allusive and important letter. It suggests that one major difference between Petrarch and Dante's ascent to Mont Ventoux is that Petrarch's journey up the mountain is circuitous and culminates with the discovery of the self and its divisions, while Dante's is vertical and leads to the contemplation of the Deity beyond the self.
Jon D. Mikalson
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199577835
- eISBN:
- 9780191723063
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199577835.003.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Ancient Greek, Roman, and Early Christian Philosophy
The introduction opens with a survey of the topics covered, an example of the method, and a listing of the philosophers included in the study. There follows a section on religious terminology in ...
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The introduction opens with a survey of the topics covered, an example of the method, and a listing of the philosophers included in the study. There follows a section on religious terminology in which more accurate English translations are offered for a number of critical Greek religious terms, including those that are usually and mistakenly translated as ‘piety’ (eusebeia), ‘holiness’ (hosiotes), and ‘happiness’ (eudaimonia). The Introduction concludes with a discussion of the various types of deities to be encountered, distinguishing between the gods of cult and those of poetry, and giving special attention to the celestial deities of philosophers and to the daimones found in Plato's writings.Less
The introduction opens with a survey of the topics covered, an example of the method, and a listing of the philosophers included in the study. There follows a section on religious terminology in which more accurate English translations are offered for a number of critical Greek religious terms, including those that are usually and mistakenly translated as ‘piety’ (eusebeia), ‘holiness’ (hosiotes), and ‘happiness’ (eudaimonia). The Introduction concludes with a discussion of the various types of deities to be encountered, distinguishing between the gods of cult and those of poetry, and giving special attention to the celestial deities of philosophers and to the daimones found in Plato's writings.
Judith Herrin
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691153216
- eISBN:
- 9781400845217
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691153216.003.0013
- Subject:
- History, World Medieval History
From classical times onward, one of the basic tasks of women was to take care of the household lares, representatives of the ancient gods, whose presence was felt to protect and assist the family. In ...
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From classical times onward, one of the basic tasks of women was to take care of the household lares, representatives of the ancient gods, whose presence was felt to protect and assist the family. In every dwelling with a hearth female members attended these deities with appropriate rituals. In the form of statuettes, often gilded, as well as framed wooden panel paintings, local deities occupied a prominent domestic space long into the Christian era. When the family converted to Christianity the ancient household gods were replaced by Christian icons, which took over the same role and protected the same space. It seems likely that women's responsibility for, and devotion to, the household protectors was transferred from the old deities to the new Christian God. Although there is no direct evidence for a removal of the older representations in order to institute new ones, when icons are later found in a domestic setting, they are in precisely that part of the home that is the particular preserve of women. It is this association between domestic cult and the veneration of icons in Byzantium that this chapter explores.Less
From classical times onward, one of the basic tasks of women was to take care of the household lares, representatives of the ancient gods, whose presence was felt to protect and assist the family. In every dwelling with a hearth female members attended these deities with appropriate rituals. In the form of statuettes, often gilded, as well as framed wooden panel paintings, local deities occupied a prominent domestic space long into the Christian era. When the family converted to Christianity the ancient household gods were replaced by Christian icons, which took over the same role and protected the same space. It seems likely that women's responsibility for, and devotion to, the household protectors was transferred from the old deities to the new Christian God. Although there is no direct evidence for a removal of the older representations in order to institute new ones, when icons are later found in a domestic setting, they are in precisely that part of the home that is the particular preserve of women. It is this association between domestic cult and the veneration of icons in Byzantium that this chapter explores.
Mark S. Smith
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195134803
- eISBN:
- 9780199834655
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019513480X.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
As the Bible tells us, ancient Israel's neighbors worshipped a wide variety of Gods. It is now widely accepted that the Israelites’ God, Yahweh, must have originated as among these many, before ...
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As the Bible tells us, ancient Israel's neighbors worshipped a wide variety of Gods. It is now widely accepted that the Israelites’ God, Yahweh, must have originated as among these many, before assuming the role of the one true God of monotheism. Mark Smith seeks in this book to discover more precisely what was meant by “divinity” in the ancient Near East and how these concepts apply to Yahweh. Part I, The Structures of Divinity, offers a detailed examination of the deities of ancient Ugarit (Middle East), known to us from the large surviving group of relevant extra-biblical texts. In Part II, Characteristics of Divinity, Smith looks closely at four classic problems associated with four Ugaritic deities and considers how they affect our understanding of Yahweh. Part III, The Origins of Monotheism in the Bible, returns to the question of Israelite monotheism, seeking to discover what religious issues it addressed and why it made sense at the time of its emergence. Smith argues that within the Bible, monotheism is not a separate “stage” of religion but rather represents a kind of rhetoric reinforcing Israel’s exclusive relation with its deity. Throughout the work, the Ugaritic material is emphasized.Less
As the Bible tells us, ancient Israel's neighbors worshipped a wide variety of Gods. It is now widely accepted that the Israelites’ God, Yahweh, must have originated as among these many, before assuming the role of the one true God of monotheism. Mark Smith seeks in this book to discover more precisely what was meant by “divinity” in the ancient Near East and how these concepts apply to Yahweh. Part I, The Structures of Divinity, offers a detailed examination of the deities of ancient Ugarit (Middle East), known to us from the large surviving group of relevant extra-biblical texts. In Part II, Characteristics of Divinity, Smith looks closely at four classic problems associated with four Ugaritic deities and considers how they affect our understanding of Yahweh. Part III, The Origins of Monotheism in the Bible, returns to the question of Israelite monotheism, seeking to discover what religious issues it addressed and why it made sense at the time of its emergence. Smith argues that within the Bible, monotheism is not a separate “stage” of religion but rather represents a kind of rhetoric reinforcing Israel’s exclusive relation with its deity. Throughout the work, the Ugaritic material is emphasized.
Mark S. Smith
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195134803
- eISBN:
- 9780199834655
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019513480X.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
The first part of this introduction discusses the scope of the study presented in the book, starting by examining the different approaches to divinity that may be taken--regarding it as distinct from ...
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The first part of this introduction discusses the scope of the study presented in the book, starting by examining the different approaches to divinity that may be taken--regarding it as distinct from human, looking at it etymologically, listing and studying individual deities, and taking a large-scale comparative approach that ventures a typology. The book attempts to combine all four of these approaches in examining the major indigenous conceptual structures that ancient Ugaritic and Israelite societies used to construct their religious reality. An outline is given of the contents of the ten chapters before going on to address various issues in discussing monotheism and polytheism, problems with the use of the term “Canaanite” (which is used widely in scholarly studies but largely avoided in this book as it is thought to be misleading), and the cautions that are needed when considering highly specific historical statements concerning what deities were and did and what ancient peoples believed and acted upon.Less
The first part of this introduction discusses the scope of the study presented in the book, starting by examining the different approaches to divinity that may be taken--regarding it as distinct from human, looking at it etymologically, listing and studying individual deities, and taking a large-scale comparative approach that ventures a typology. The book attempts to combine all four of these approaches in examining the major indigenous conceptual structures that ancient Ugaritic and Israelite societies used to construct their religious reality. An outline is given of the contents of the ten chapters before going on to address various issues in discussing monotheism and polytheism, problems with the use of the term “Canaanite” (which is used widely in scholarly studies but largely avoided in this book as it is thought to be misleading), and the cautions that are needed when considering highly specific historical statements concerning what deities were and did and what ancient peoples believed and acted upon.
Mark S. Smith
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195134803
- eISBN:
- 9780199834655
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019513480X.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter begins the discussion on Israelite monotheism by noting the deep impact on Yahweh of the god El; the formative traditions of Israel, now largely lost in the mists of time, camouflage a ...
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This chapter begins the discussion on Israelite monotheism by noting the deep impact on Yahweh of the god El; the formative traditions of Israel, now largely lost in the mists of time, camouflage a complex relationship between El and Yahweh. The chapter turns in particular to a seminal question in the religion of ancient Israel: who was the original chief god of Israel? Thanks to the pioneering work of B. A. Levine on El traditions in Iron Age Transjordan, it is possible to explore further old traditions about El in early Israel. Because the name of the god El appears as the divine element in the name of IsraEL, it has been supposed that El was the original god of Israel, and some evidence may point to El as the god associated with the Exodus from Egypt in some early biblical tradition. The implications for the religious origins of ancient Israel are profound, and they raise basic questions for anyone, scholar and non-scholar alike, who takes seriously the complexity of the biblical witnesses to the god of Israel. The chapter also addresses the origins of Yahweh and the problems surrounding their reconstruction.Less
This chapter begins the discussion on Israelite monotheism by noting the deep impact on Yahweh of the god El; the formative traditions of Israel, now largely lost in the mists of time, camouflage a complex relationship between El and Yahweh. The chapter turns in particular to a seminal question in the religion of ancient Israel: who was the original chief god of Israel? Thanks to the pioneering work of B. A. Levine on El traditions in Iron Age Transjordan, it is possible to explore further old traditions about El in early Israel. Because the name of the god El appears as the divine element in the name of IsraEL, it has been supposed that El was the original god of Israel, and some evidence may point to El as the god associated with the Exodus from Egypt in some early biblical tradition. The implications for the religious origins of ancient Israel are profound, and they raise basic questions for anyone, scholar and non-scholar alike, who takes seriously the complexity of the biblical witnesses to the god of Israel. The chapter also addresses the origins of Yahweh and the problems surrounding their reconstruction.
Kevin Hart and Barbara Wall (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- March 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780823225187
- eISBN:
- 9780823237135
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Fordham University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5422/fso/9780823225187.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Philosophy of Religion
This book provides a series of approaches to the ancient question of whether and how God is a matter of “experience”, or, alternately, to what extent the notion of experience can be ...
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This book provides a series of approaches to the ancient question of whether and how God is a matter of “experience”, or, alternately, to what extent the notion of experience can be true to itself if it does not include God. On the one hand, it seems impossible to experience God: the deity does not offer Himself to sense experience. On the other hand, there have been mystics who have claimed to have encountered God. The essays in this collection seek to explore the topic again, drawing insights from phenomenology, theology, literature, and feminism. Throughout, this collection maintains a strong connection with concrete rather than abstract approaches to God.Less
This book provides a series of approaches to the ancient question of whether and how God is a matter of “experience”, or, alternately, to what extent the notion of experience can be true to itself if it does not include God. On the one hand, it seems impossible to experience God: the deity does not offer Himself to sense experience. On the other hand, there have been mystics who have claimed to have encountered God. The essays in this collection seek to explore the topic again, drawing insights from phenomenology, theology, literature, and feminism. Throughout, this collection maintains a strong connection with concrete rather than abstract approaches to God.
Corinne G. Dempsey
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195187298
- eISBN:
- 9780199784547
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195187296.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
This chapter describes the transplanting of South Asian divinities onto North American soil, and the transposition of South Asian sacred geography to rural upstate New York. It begins by recounting ...
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This chapter describes the transplanting of South Asian divinities onto North American soil, and the transposition of South Asian sacred geography to rural upstate New York. It begins by recounting the circuitous route of Íri Rājarājeśwarī’s granite mūrti from an ashram in the Poconos to Aiya’s temple housed in his garage and, finally, to its current location that transformed a barn in Rush, New York, into a temple. It discusses the importance of sacred geography within Hindu traditions, and recounts the challenges and innovations involved in establishing sacred terrain at diaspora temples in general, and at Rush in particular. The chapter concludes by recounting narratives of traveling Hindu deities and accounts of their miraculous appearances at Rush, demonstrating divine as well as human creativity and adaptability.Less
This chapter describes the transplanting of South Asian divinities onto North American soil, and the transposition of South Asian sacred geography to rural upstate New York. It begins by recounting the circuitous route of Íri Rājarājeśwarī’s granite mūrti from an ashram in the Poconos to Aiya’s temple housed in his garage and, finally, to its current location that transformed a barn in Rush, New York, into a temple. It discusses the importance of sacred geography within Hindu traditions, and recounts the challenges and innovations involved in establishing sacred terrain at diaspora temples in general, and at Rush in particular. The chapter concludes by recounting narratives of traveling Hindu deities and accounts of their miraculous appearances at Rush, demonstrating divine as well as human creativity and adaptability.
Thomas Holden
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199579945
- eISBN:
- 9780191722776
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199579945.003.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, History of Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion
This chapter defines and introduces the conceptual category of ‘moral atheism’ — i.e. the denial of the existence of a deity with moral attributes — and distinguishes between two main versions of the ...
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This chapter defines and introduces the conceptual category of ‘moral atheism’ — i.e. the denial of the existence of a deity with moral attributes — and distinguishes between two main versions of the position. A ‘weak moral atheist’ rejects the existence of a morally praiseworthy divinity; while a ‘strong moral atheist’ rejects the existence of a morally assessable divinity. The chapter also relates the category of moral atheism to early modern ways of thinking about religion, irreligion, and atheism. It introduces the main interpretive thesis of the book: the claim that Hume is a strong moral atheist. It also addresses a preliminary objection from the lack of explicit textual evidence.Less
This chapter defines and introduces the conceptual category of ‘moral atheism’ — i.e. the denial of the existence of a deity with moral attributes — and distinguishes between two main versions of the position. A ‘weak moral atheist’ rejects the existence of a morally praiseworthy divinity; while a ‘strong moral atheist’ rejects the existence of a morally assessable divinity. The chapter also relates the category of moral atheism to early modern ways of thinking about religion, irreligion, and atheism. It introduces the main interpretive thesis of the book: the claim that Hume is a strong moral atheist. It also addresses a preliminary objection from the lack of explicit textual evidence.
