The idea of a single, allpowerful deity was revolutionary from "summary" of A History of God by Karen Armstrong
The concept of a single, all-powerful deity was a radical departure from the polytheistic traditions that dominated the ancient world. In societies where people worshipped a multitude of gods and goddesses, each responsible for a specific aspect of life, the idea of a single, overarching deity was revolutionary. This monotheistic belief system represented a fundamental shift in the way people thought about the divine and their relationship to it. The concept of a single, all-powerful deity was not only a theological innovation but also a political one. In polytheistic societies, the gods were often seen as capricious and unpredictable, subject to human manipulation and control. By contrast, the idea of a single, all-powerful deity implied a more stable and orderly universe, governed by a divine being who was both transcendent and immanent. This new understanding of the divine had profound implications for the way people organized their societies and understood their place in the world. The emergence of monotheism was not a sudden or linear process, but rather a complex and multifaceted development that unfolded over centuries. In the ancient Near East, for example, the idea of a single, all-powerful deity emerged in the context of ...
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