Which religion is more ancient - polytheism or monotheism?

Answer 1

A:

Religion can be considered a journey. It started, long ago, with animism, then progressed through polytheism and then, in some cases, to monolatry (the belief that other gods exist but it is only necessary to worship one god) and then monotheism. Bronze Age polytheism generally had numerous gods, but by the start of the Iran Age, the number of gods in any one pantheon was generally small, at least in the Near East. Judaism is the archetype of this progression, reaching monotheism by the sixth-century-BCE Babylonian Exile. Christianity progressed from one form of monotheism (Judaism) to a successor form of monotheism, but with overtones of polytheism in the Trinity and in the veneration of saints (at least in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches). Islam was a further development, taking elements of Judaism and Christianity into a successor monotheistic religion.

The progression was quite early in Israel and Judah, but moved more slowly in other regions. It was also not a system in which there were sudden,clean breaks from one belief system to another, except by conquest. Pagan Rome is noted for the large number of gods and for its willingness to accept new gods from conquered lands. It is also noted for its retention of more ancient shamanistic practices, such as reading entrails. At the same time, some Romans were already beginning to think in terms of monotheism, or at least monolatry.

Generally, the progression can be seen as moving from numerous spirits in animism, to relatively large numbers of gods, few gods, then to monotheism and perhaps finally to atheism. Progression in the reverse direction is uncommon but has occurred.

Answer:

One thing that researchers agree upon is that mankind has always believed in a Higher Power. Archaeology has shown that no ancient society ever existed that did not believe in the supernatural.

Based upon a massive worldwide study of the most ancient inscriptions and the earliest levels of civilization, Dr. Wilhelm Schmidt (in his twelve-volume Der Ursprung Der Gottesidee) concluded that the original belief was monotheistic (see footnote 1). It was a simple belief in the Creator (Sky-Father) with no imagery of any kind. It gave way relatively quickly to polytheism and idolatry, but its traces could still be seen by the careful researcher, just as (for example) Proto-Indo European has left indelible marks within the later languages. Other traditions also are traceable worldwide, such as the religious significance of the number seven, and the immortality of the soul.

The process by which the awareness of One God gave way to a belief in many gods, has been described by Scandinavian researchers (see note 2) as splitting ("Gottespaltung"): the people gradually viewed God's attributes of truth, righteousness, fertility etc., as separate from Him, and afterwards personified and worshiped the attributes themselves, until God was largely forgotten.

Maimonides (see note 3) describes a comparable process (which probably happened alongside the aforementioned one), as follows:

A couple of centuries after the Creation, mankind made a great mistake: They said that since God had created the stars and spheres and placed them on high, accordingly it is fitting for people to praise and glorify them and to treat them with honor. They perceived this to be the will of God, that people should magnify and honor the stars. They began to praise and glorify them with words, and prostrate themselves before them, because by doing so, they would - according to their false conception - be indirectly honoring God too. Notes: 1) Albright, "From the Stone Age," p.170; and J.A. Wilson, "The Culture of ancient Egypt," p.129.

Also Baron, "A Social and Religious History," vol. I, p.44 and 311.

Also James Meek, "Hebrew Origins," p.188, quoting Langdon, Lagrange and John Ross.

Also Martin Nilsson, Handbuch der Altertumswissenschaften, 2nd ed., p.61, 141, 220 and 394.

2) G. W. Anderson, in "The Old Testament and Modern Study," p.287.

Also Friedrich Baethgen, in Beitraege zur Semitischen Religionsgeschichte, p.288.

Also Pallotino, "The Etruscans," p. 158 and 167.

3) Maimonides' Mishneh Torah (Hilchot Avodat Kochavim ch.1).

Answer 2

One thing that researchers agree upon is that mankind has always believed in a Higher Power. Archaeology has shown that no ancient society ever existed that did not believe in the supernatural. (See: Can you show me that God exists?)
Based upon a massive worldwide study of the most ancient inscriptions and the earliest levels of civilization, Dr. Wilhelm Schmidt (in his twelve-volume Der Ursprung Der Gottesidee) concluded that the original belief was monotheistic (see footnote 1, below). It was a simple belief in the Creator (Dyeus Pater; Sky-Father) with no imagery of any kind. It gave way relatively quickly to polytheism and idolatry, but its traces could still be seen by the careful researcher, just as (for example) Proto-Indo European has left indelible marks within the later languages. Other traditions also are traceable worldwide, such as the religious significance of the number seven, and the immortality of the soul.

The process by which the awareness of One God gave way to a belief in many gods, has been described by Scandinavian researchers (see note 2) as splitting ("Gottespaltung"): the people gradually viewed God's attributes of truth, righteousness, fertility etc., as separate from Him, and afterwards personified and worshiped the attributes themselves, until God was largely forgotten.

Maimonides (see note 3) describes a comparable process (which probably happened alongside the aforementioned one), as follows: A couple of centuries after the Creation, mankind made a great mistake. They said that since God had created the stars and spheres and placed them on high, accordingly it is fitting for people to praise and glorify them and to treat them with honor. They perceived this to be the will of God, that people should magnify and honor the stars. They began to praise and glorify them with words, and prostrate themselves before them, because by doing so, they would (according to their false conception) be indirectly honoring God too.

Footnotes:

1) Albright, "From the Stone Age," p.170; and J.A. Wilson, "The Culture of Ancient Egypt," p.129. Also Baron, "A Social and Religious History," vol. I, p.44 and 311. Also James Meek, "Hebrew Origins," p.188, quoting Langdon, Lagrange and John Ross. Also Martin Nilsson, Handbuch der Altertumswissenschaften, 2nd ed., p.61, 141, 220 and 394.

2) G. W. Anderson, in "The Old Testament and Modern Study," p.287. Also Friedrich Baethgen, in Beitraege zur Semitischen Religionsgeschichte, p.288. Also Pallotino, "The Etruscans," p. 158 and 167.

3) See the quote from Maimonides, in: "How did polytheism start?"

Answer 3

The most ancient of all religion is animism, in which primitive peoples believed that spirits dwell in familiar objects in the environment. Animism gradually became more formal, evolving into shamanism, in which a shaman, once referred to as a 'witch doctor' filled the role of an early priest.

The next stage is debated and the answer may vary from region to region. There is some evidence that the earliest religions to worship a god or goddess were monotheistic, at least in the Mediterranean region, with the worship of Mother Earth (Gaia). This was quickly followed by polytheism, dominated by celestial gods. Monotheism made a return in southern Russia in the Zoroastrian religion that took a thousand years to reach Persia. Judaism became monotheistic relatively late, although biblical tradition teaches that Hebrew monotheism dates from around the beginning of the second millennium BCE.