WH1c Monotheism

While aspects of monotheism emerged in a variety of places and times:

• Egypt under the Pharaoh Amenhotep IV in the mid-1300s BCE; Atenism/ Akhenaten religion

• Persia after growth of Zoroastrianism in the 600s BCE

• Both spread monotheism

Monotheism (Judaism) reached its most complete and enduring form among the Hebrews starting around 1250 BCE. ​

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• ​These beliefs, recorded in the Hebrew Bible-established Judaism

• Hebrew people (led by Moses [on Mount Sinai]

• Covenant-God promises to protect His “chosen people” in exchange for their exclusive obedience to Him. 

• One God considered to be eternal & omnipotent (unlimited power)

• The basic tenants and Judaism, including monotheism, were established in this period as the Ten Commandments, which all Christians should follow

​1st five books of the Hebrew bible

​​Jewish teachings

​​Abraham "Father of the Hebrew

people"

The Hebrew people established a kingdom on the eastern Mediterranean in about 1020 BCE which split into two kingdoms in 920 BCE because Rome conquered this area:

• Kingdom of Israel (north)

• Kingdom of Judah/ Judea (south)

Rome allowed Jewish leaders to continue their rule in the south​

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• ​The concept of monotheism became more formalized during this period 

• Spread to other areas by the Jewish diaspora (scatter/ spread) that began with the conquest/ invasion of the northern Kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians in 721/722 BCE 

• Jewish believed that Canaan (Israel) was promised to them as explained in the Hebrew Bible book of Deuteronomy

• Nebuchadnezzar ordered the deportation of many Jewish leaders to Babylonia in 587 BCE. 

​While in Babylonia, the institution of the Synagogue was established and in about 450 BCE Judaism as a monotheistic faith was fully developed in Israel with the completion of the Hebrew Bible.