Rio Gunawan's Key Ideas from A History of God
by Karen Armstrong

God has been understood in different ways throughout history. Pagan tribes in Mesopotamia worshipped multiple gods to counter chaos.

The Israelites, however, believed in a single God, merging two pagan gods to form their own. In return for their loyalty, this God, known as Yahweh, promised to protect them. These beliefs emerged in the related histories of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths.

The Israelites initially perceived Yahweh as their god of war before developing a more universal vision of him. Unlike pagan gods, Yahweh revealed himself through personal encounters and had prophets like Isaiah.

He was more remote and separate from humans, unlike pagan gods who believed in a shared divinity. Yahweh demanded loyalty and rejection of other gods, introducing the sin of idolatry. Over time, Yahweh's concept changed to being seen as a creator god and later as a wise god influenced by Greek philosophy.

These ideas contributed to the establishment of the Jewish concept of God.

Jesus, seen as the Messiah by some, challenged the idea of a single God. His death caused a redefinition of God, with Paul presenting Jesus as the "Son of God" who died for our sins. This laid the foundation for Christianity, viewing Jesus as God's main revelation.

A major rift developed between those who saw Jesus as the Messiah and those who didn't. By the 80s AD, Christianity had separated from Judaism, with a benevolent and kind understanding of God. The two religions had diverged in their views of God.

Christianity started as a cult in the Roman Empire, but quickly spread and became the state religion. The idea of creation from nothing and the concept of the Holy Trinity were difficult for new converts to understand.

The Council of Nicaea in 325 officially accepted the doctrine of creation ex nihilo. Early theologians like Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianzus sought to explain the dual existence of a single God and the divine trinity. They believed that the terms Father, Son, and Spirit referred to God's essence.

Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was born in Mecca in 570. He received a revelation from God and spread the idea of monotheism throughout his tribe.

Islam teaches fairness, charity, and the avoidance of excessive wealth. The Koran, its holy text, is not only a guide but also a beautifully written work.

The scripture was transcribed by literate followers as Muhammad couldn't read or write, and it is known as the Qur'an, meaning "recitation." The beauty of its language convinced many that it was a divine message.

The Arab world's expansion led to a blossoming of culture and education in the ninth century. Islamic intellectuals known as the Faylasufs sought to prove the existence of God through rationalism, like the Greek philosophers did with their conception of God.

However, they realized this was futile and turned to studying observable phenomena instead. This Arab scientific boom had a profound impact, inspiring Jewish and Christian thinkers to embrace reason and logic in their study of God. Furthermore, the translations of Plato and Aristotle from Arabic into Latin influenced European Christians.

Monotheistic religions have traditionally seen God as a person-like figure, which can lead to judgment and exclusion. To balance this, mystical traditions like Sufism, Kabbalah, and Christian mysticism emerged.

These practices seek to connect with God on a deeper level and interpret divine qualities symbolically. European mystics, like Meister Eckhart, embraced a more abstract view of God, using terms such as "desert" and "nothing" to represent the absence of human characteristics.

In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, major changes occurred in all three monotheistic religions. The Jewish community in Spain faced persecution from crusading Christians, leading to exile and the development of a new concept of God called Safed Kabbalism.

The Catholic Church underwent the Protestant Reformation, with reformers seeking to overturn strict doctrines. Islam experienced a deepening divide between Shia and Sunni Islam, with Shah Ismail of the Safavid dynasty forcing Shia Islam on his subjects to eradicate Sunnism.

In the sixteenth century, significant scientific and technological advancements led to a shift in people's belief in God. The Enlightenment brought about a new spirit of independence and a belief in progress. Influenced by philosophers like Immanuel Kant, some intellectuals attempted to prove God's existence through reason and mathematics.

René Descartes and Isaac Newton approached the issue from different angles but shared a scientific spirit and rejected religious mythology. Their new religious creed, called Deism, replaced traditional religious elements with an impersonal God.

Atheism is not a complete rejection of God but rather a rejection of the current understanding of God. Technological advancements and changes in society made the traditional figure of God seem irrelevant and incompatible with modern life.

This feeling was shared not only by Christians, but also by Muslims and Jews who felt that God had failed them in the face of European colonial expansion, anti-Semitism, and persecution. As a result, atheism gained popularity in the 19th century as people felt that God had been abandoned.

The history of God is long and diverse, and it continues to be written today. However, old ideas of God no longer fit the current times. People are becoming atheists and churches are emptying in Europe. The concept of God restricts human freedom, according to philosophers like Sartre.

The Holocaust also made standard ideas of an all-powerful God seem absurd. Despite these challenges, the idea of God remains universal. New conceptions of God, such as process theology and a more inclusive portrayal, have emerged. To survive, the concept of God must adapt to the demands of the present.

Throughout the histories of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the understanding of God has continuously evolved. These three monotheistic religions have sought to find meaning through philosophical ideas, rational thought, and revelations.

God has been a central figure for centuries and will continue to be in the future.