In the Beginning God: A Fresh Look at the Case for Original Monotheism by Corduan Winfried

Author:Corduan, Winfried [Corduan, Winfried]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christian Theology, General
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Published: 2013-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Wilhelm Schmidt: The Results

In the previous chapter we attempted to clarify Wilhelm Schmidt’s use of the culture-historical method of ethnology, which led him to the recognition of a number of culture circles around the globe. These integrated complexes of cultures were due to the migrations of people groups as well as other means of diffusion of cultural forms such as trade or imitation. The most common pattern was that when a later culture arrived in an area occupied by an earlier culture, it would either absorb or displace the older culture, oftentimes including the people who held it. By a careful analysis of the forms of culture manifested by different groups in different areas, Schmidt constructed chronological sequences, with the least sophisticated cultures (those whom Schmidt called “Primitive”1) as the ones most likely to resemble the original culture of human beings. His conclusion was that the people in the lowest position with regard to their material culture occupied the highest level of spiritual culture if one were to apply an evolutionist’s hierarchy. They were monotheists. In this chapter we shall look more closely at some of the cultures whom Schmidt included in this group so as to get a better understanding of what he actually meant by “original monotheism.”

Some Clarifications on Monotheism

I have refrained (so far) from the unnecessary waste of the reader’s time by making a show of wrestling with a definition of monotheism. The concept seems to be, and actually is, clear: the recognition of a single supreme being and worship of him alone. In conjunction with Andrew Lang’s theory, we listed among the attributes of the supreme being as found among, say, Australian indigenous people, that he is not just a highly developed spirit arising out of animism, nor just the presiding deity in a council of gods, nor a glorified ancestor, chief, or culture hero. He is the good creator of the world, omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal, the author of moral obligations, who expects human beings to live by them.2

God and Other Spirits

However, some issues need to be clarified. For one thing, we should not think that monotheism must exclude recognizing the reality of other spiritual beings. If the meaning of monotheism were the belief that God is the only spiritual being in the universe, that would be a seriously wrong definition out of keeping with normal usage of the word. There would be no actual monotheistic religions either in the past or present, which would definitely be out of harmony with common usage of the term, assuming we correctly identify at least Judaism, Christianity, Islam, as well as some phases of Zoroastrianism as monotheistic. In all of these religions, the spiritual world is populated by angels as well as evil spirits under various descriptions. We even find an evil being (Satan) more powerful than most of the other spirits. So, if the total absence of all spiritual beings were a requirement for true monotheism, the historical existence of monotheism as a belief would be in serious doubt, and the entire discussion would be about nothing.

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