BrianW
676

The point is there concepts of God are not identical. Similar perhaps, but not identical. Elijah and Isaiah each wrote and thought about Jehovah differently. — YuZhonglu


Could it mean there are different Gods in the Bible? — BrianW

The notion that there is but one god in the Bible...is absurd.

The notion that the Abrahamic "religion" was monotheistic...is absurd.

Neither of those things is so. At least, that is not what the Bible says.

doesn't that mean each Pope is thinking of a different concept of God?

I understand what your saying, if two people write different things about God are they the same God.
This is were the story of the green and red Hat comes to play, just because two people see something different doses mean only one or the other is true. They both might be.

Here is the fact the Nicene Creed in its word described the God of the christians including the Catholic Church. as long as there is no deviations from it, it is the same God. That is how the theology works.

Could it mean there are different Gods in the Bible? — BrianW

It's been demonstrated through scholarship and archaeology, with use of the bible as a reference, that the bible came from a polytheistic culture that clung to relics of Canaanite gods for some time prior to its monotheism.

The bible implies numerous times that God is different for each person and that it's between each person and God to define the relationship, which seems to be a large part of its appeal. It's intended to be the same God throughout though.

that the bible came from a polytheistic culture that clung to relics of Canaanite gods for some time prior to its monotheism. — whollyrolling

So, is the God referred to in the Bible a distinct deity or a montage of multiple deities?

Personally, I don't think there's any God at all. I think the so-called men of God are just highly sensitive and responsive humans who're trying to reconcile forces of nature with their dawning intelligence and recognition of the large-scale human nature. I think metaphysics, superstition and supernatural representations are just a consequence of the language of those times.
I think if there was an actual deific entity, there would be some consistency beyond what is perceived in the Bible. The only consistency I see is human development and evolution in terms of ideas, practices, society, etc. The deific energy (God) seems dependent upon human activities instead of it being vice versa. It's like God wants what's best for humans but only if humans realise what is good for them. So, ultimately, everything unfolds at the human speed of life.

So, is the God referred to in the Bible a distinct deity or a montage of multiple deities? — BrianW

It's intended to be one God, but each writer of course explains things in a way that is relevant to him, reflecting changes in culture and style, which results in sometimes drastic variation of the facets of God that are focused on. The book was written over quite a span--several hundred years, many changes in scholarship and leadership.

The Christian bible is limited in comparison to the Jewish texts and the translation is a source of some controversy. Also, there's the trinity, which adds further dynamics.