Is Christianity monotheistic or polytheistic?

[an anarchist]

I'm sure threads on this topic has been made before, but...

Is Christianity monotheistic or polytheistic?

Genesis 1:26

My former Baptist pastor would say this verse was evidence of the Trinity.

As a Christian, it was hard to wrap my ahead around God being 3 in 1. I never thought to hard on it we a youngster.

Is Christianity polytheistic? Let's see.

They worship Jehovah.
They worship Jesus.
Do they worship the Holy Spirit as well? I'm not sure.

Jesus is the son of god. There is a separation between the father and the son, right?

Saying Jesus is the same as his father reminds me of Advaita Vedanta. We are all one with Brahman in this theology. Is it something similar?

I'm curious what everyone thinks, not just Christians.

 

[Eddi]

Three distinct persons out of one single divine essence/substance

So there is one God being who manifests as three God persons

Therefore Monotheism as there is only one God being

That's my understanding of it anyway

 

[Orbit]

I'm sure threads on this topic has been made before, but...

Is Christianity monotheistic or polytheistic?

Genesis 1:26

My former Baptist pastor would say this verse was evidence of the Trinity.

As a Christian, it was hard to wrap my ahead around God being 3 in 1. I never thought to hard on it we a youngster.

Is Christianity polytheistic? Let's see.

They worship Jehovah.
They worship Jesus.
Do they worship the Holy Spirit as well? I'm not sure.

Jesus is the son of god. There is a separation between the father and the son, right?

Saying Jesus is the same as his father reminds me of Advaita Vedanta. We are all one with Brahman in this theology. Is it something similar?

I'm curious what everyone thinks, not just Christians.

Christianity is, if we are to believe the 10 commandments, henotheistic (there are many gods, but you're only supposed to worship the God of Israel.)

 

[Eddi]

Christianity is, if we are to believe the 10 commandments, henotheistic (there are many gods, but you're only supposed to worship the God of Israel.)

I'd have to disagree

Yes, maybe the ancient Israelis were henotheistic - when they were given the Ten Commandments (as far as I am aware, please someone correct me if I'm wrong)

But as I understand it, by the time Jesus was alive they had developed into Monotheists

And Jesus himself was a Monotheist

 

[an anarchist]

Christianity is, if we are to believe the 10 commandments, henotheistic (there are many gods, but you're only supposed to worship the God of Israel.)

Hmm. I'll add a poll option.

 

[Orbit]

I'd have to disagree

Yes, maybe the ancient Israelis were henotheistic - when they were given the Ten Commandments (as far as I am aware, please someone correct me if I'm wrong)

But as I understand it, by the time Jesus was alive they had developed into Monotheists

And Jesus himself was a Monotheist

Then why the continuing injunctions about "whoring after other gods"?

 

[Eddi]

Then why the continuing injunctions about "whoring after other gods"?

Inherited tradition from Henotheistic times?

Also, "other gods" are false Gods that don't exist but can still be worshipped

 

[an anarchist]

Three distinct persons out of one single divine essence/substance

So there is one God being who manifests as three God persons

Therefore Monotheism as there is only one God being

That's my understanding of it anyway

Does God manifest from Christians? I was taught the blood of Christ unifies Christians with Him.

 

[Orbit]

Inherited tradition from Henotheistic times?

Also, "other gods" are false Gods that don't exist but can still be worshipped

I doubt that other gods were considered to "not exist". If they didn't exist, there wouldn't be an injunction against them, there would be no need.

 

[Eddi]

I doubt that other gods were considered to "not exist". If they didn't exist, there wouldn't be an injunction against them, there would be no need.

If they were thought to exist at one point and then after that point there was an injunction made against worshipping them and then people forgot all about them and stopped believing in them then the original injunction would remain

 

[Eddi]

Does God manifest from Christians? I was taught the blood of Christ unifies Christians with Him.

I'm not certain what you mean here

 

[Viker]

Henotheism, possibly dualism.

Bible Gateway passage: 2 Corinthians 4:4 - King James Version

 

[exchemist]

Christianity is, if we are to believe the 10 commandments, henotheistic (there are many gods, but you're only supposed to worship the God of Israel.)

The ten commandments are Jewish. While descended from Judaism, Christianity formulates its theology from the New Testament, not the Old. In fact, one can see an evolution in the course of the Old Testament from the more primitive idea of the God of Israel being just the most powerful among the various gods of rival tribes, to the later idea that there is only God and everyone else has simply got it all wrong.

The idea of the Trinity relates to different aspects of God, though admittedly it has been so bound up with nitpicking distinctions over the centuries (for which many people have lost their lives for getting it a bit "wrong" and thereby stepping on a mine) that it is almost impossible to reconcile.

 

[King Phenomenon]

One god. Then comes God's son. The holy Spirit is there relationship. God's creation of his son and all things.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I'm sure threads on this topic has been made before, but...

Is Christianity monotheistic or polytheistic?

Genesis 1:26

My former Baptist pastor would say this verse was evidence of the Trinity.

As a Christian, it was hard to wrap my ahead around God being 3 in 1. I never thought to hard on it we a youngster.

Is Christianity polytheistic? Let's see.

They worship Jehovah.
They worship Jesus.
Do they worship the Holy Spirit as well? I'm not sure.

Jesus is the son of god. There is a separation between the father and the son, right?

Saying Jesus is the same as his father reminds me of Advaita Vedanta. We are all one with Brahman in this theology. Is it something similar?

I'm curious what everyone thinks, not just Christians.

The Creed starts with the words "We believe in ONE God." Thus monotheism. Now is it a pure monotheism? It is definitely not. It is muddied. But it still fits in with monotheism better than polytheism or henotheism.

 

[Quintessence]

I'll defer to how the Christians describe their theology, out of respect.

That said, as a Pagan their theology doesn't strike me as hard monotheism, like Judaism or Islam do. It's more of a soft monotheism because of the things mentioned in the OP.

 

[Wildswanderer]

I'm sure threads on this topic has been made before, but...

Is Christianity monotheistic or polytheistic?

Genesis 1:26

My former Baptist pastor would say this verse was evidence of the Trinity.

As a Christian, it was hard to wrap my ahead around God being 3 in 1. I never thought to hard on it we a youngster.

Is Christianity polytheistic? Let's see.

They worship Jehovah.
They worship Jesus.
Do they worship the Holy Spirit as well? I'm not sure.

Jesus is the son of god. There is a separation between the father and the son, right?

Saying Jesus is the same as his father reminds me of Advaita Vedanta. We are all one with Brahman in this theology. Is it something similar?

I'm curious what everyone thinks, not just Christians.

Monotheistic.

There's only one God.

 

[dybmh]

Then why the continuing injunctions about "whoring after other gods"?

Are you open to hearing an answer?

 

[The Hammer]

Christianity is, if we are to believe the 10 commandments, henotheistic (there are many gods, but you're only supposed to worship the God of Israel.)

This is my view on the matter.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Christianity is, if we are to believe the 10 commandments, henotheistic (there are many gods, but you're only supposed to worship the God of Israel.)

The Creed begins with the following words: "We believe in ONE God." Monotheism.