Primitive Monotheism: A Critique of Evolutionary Theories of the Origin of Religion

Abstract

Monotheism is simply belief in one God, and is contrasted with polytheism, paganism, or polytheism, i.e. belief in multiple gods. The word monotheisme is relatively new, and was invented in the mid-seventeenth century by the British philosopher Henry Moore.It comes from the Greek word monos (lonely) and theos (god) in the Western tradition.This belief in one God refers specifically to the God of the Bible, the God of Judaism,Christianity, and Islam. Monotheism has been a controversial topic, which has been debated by theologians, historians of religions, and anthropologists. The point of disagreement between these scholars is about the priority of monotheism or polytheism and polytheism. In anthropology, all evolutionary theories on the origin of religion go to say the primacy of polytheism and that monotheism emerged from polytheism after a long process of evolution. Monotheism was the end and polytheism was the beginning.But some scholars, led by Wilhelm Schmidt, the diffuse anthropologist, rejected the theories of evolutionists and defended the primacy of monotheism and called it primitive or primal monotheism. See how he prove that?