Monotheism

• religious belief in early israel moved from polytheism to monotheism
• how does the shema prayer reflect the change from monotheism to polytheism?


  deuteronomy 6:4: ‘hear, O israel: the lord our god is one’
• biblical monotheism is ’ethical’ monotheism
• monotheism in the old testament

  the covenant agreement between god and israel is based on god’s moral commands: the law of moses, centred on the ten commandments
• monotheism in the new testament

  jesus quote from the shema to say that love of god and love of one’s neighbour as oneself are the greatest commandments.
• moral obedience is at the heart of salvation to gods kingdom
• shema


  ‘to hear’, in the context of the shema prayer in deuteronomy 6:4: ‘hear, o israel, the lord our god is one’
• monotheism


  the belief that there is one one god (which usually entails the belief that god possesses complete power and knowledge).