Adjective

monotheistic (not comparable)

Positive monotheistic

Comparative not comparable

Superlative none (absolute)

1. (religion) Believing in a single god, deity, spirit, etc., especially for an organized religion, faith, or creed.

Related terms

• monotheism
• theistic
• monotheistically

Antonyms

• atheistic
• polytheistic

In theology, monotheism (from Greek μόνος "only" and θεός "God") is the belief that only one god exists. The concept of "monotheism" tends to be dominated by the concept of God in the Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Platonic concept of God as put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. Some forms of Hinduism also use this form of religion.

The concept of monotheism has largely been defined in contrast with polytheistic and pantheistic religions, and monotheism tends to overlap with other Unitary concepts, such as monism.

Whereas monotheism is a self-description of religions subsumed under this term, there is no equivalent self-description for polytheist religions: monotheism asserts itself by opposing polytheism, while polytheism does not use the same argumentative device, as it includes a concept of divine unity despite worshipping a plethora of gods.

Ostensibly monotheistic religions may still include concepts of a plurality of the divine, for example the Trinity, in which God is one being in three personal dimensions (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). Additionally, most Christians believe Jesus to be in two natures (divine and human), each possessing the full attributes of that nature, without mixture or intermingling of those attributes, although this view is not shared by all Christians, notably the Oriental Orthodox (miaphysite) churches. Although Christian theology reserves worship for the Divine, the distinction between worshipping the divine nature of Jesus but not the human nature of Jesus can be difficult for non-Christians (and even Christian laity) to follow. Christians of the Roman Catholic tradition venerate the Saints (among them Mary) as human beings who had remarkable qualities, have lived their faith in God to the extreme and continue to assist in the process of salvation for others. The concept of Monotheism in Islam and Judaism however, is far more direct where God's oneness is unquestionable and there is no room for the plurality of God.