Man as symbol of God
It is a well-known fact that Judaism and Zoroastrianism, being prophetic religions with a monotheistic character, present many affinities. One point of similarity is a clear tendency towards aniconic representation of the Divine, which, from the beginning, was the mark of Judaism as well as Zoroastr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Donner Institute
1979-01-01
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| Series: | Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67122 |
| _version_ | 1811208911955427328 |
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| author | Anders Hultgård |
| author_facet | Anders Hultgård |
| author_sort | Anders Hultgård |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It is a well-known fact that Judaism and Zoroastrianism, being prophetic religions with a monotheistic character, present many affinities. One point of similarity is a clear tendency towards aniconic representation of the Divine, which, from the beginning, was the mark of Judaism as well as Zoroastrianism, being religions with a nomadic background. As a result of the confrontation with the agricultural and urban civilisations of the ancient Near East, attempts were made to introduce iconic representations of the Divine to be used in the cult. Many groups within Judaism, and most probably also within Zoroastrianism, levelled a vigorous resistance to these attempts. As a consequence, there arose in both religions a strong movement to prohibit cult-images, which in Judaism also tended to develop into a prohibition of figurative art in general. This movement became victorious in the end and its aniconic conception of the Divine has ever since remained the normative attitude of both Jews and Zoroastrians. What were the reasons for these attitudes in Judaism and in Zoroastrianism? And were there theological ideas that could function as a substitute to cult-images of the Divine? |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:29:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-32fb10aa8d184864b447340b960729f3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0582-3226 2343-4937 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:29:46Z |
| publishDate | 1979-01-01 |
| publisher | Donner Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis |
| spelling | doaj.art-32fb10aa8d184864b447340b960729f32022-12-22T03:47:57ZengDonner InstituteScripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis0582-32262343-49371979-01-011010.30674/scripta.67122Man as symbol of GodAnders HultgårdIt is a well-known fact that Judaism and Zoroastrianism, being prophetic religions with a monotheistic character, present many affinities. One point of similarity is a clear tendency towards aniconic representation of the Divine, which, from the beginning, was the mark of Judaism as well as Zoroastrianism, being religions with a nomadic background. As a result of the confrontation with the agricultural and urban civilisations of the ancient Near East, attempts were made to introduce iconic representations of the Divine to be used in the cult. Many groups within Judaism, and most probably also within Zoroastrianism, levelled a vigorous resistance to these attempts. As a consequence, there arose in both religions a strong movement to prohibit cult-images, which in Judaism also tended to develop into a prohibition of figurative art in general. This movement became victorious in the end and its aniconic conception of the Divine has ever since remained the normative attitude of both Jews and Zoroastrians. What were the reasons for these attitudes in Judaism and in Zoroastrianism? And were there theological ideas that could function as a substitute to cult-images of the Divine?https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67122Symbolism, JewishZoroastrianismJudaismImage of GodHuman beings |
| spellingShingle | Anders Hultgård Man as symbol of God Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis Symbolism, Jewish Zoroastrianism Judaism Image of God Human beings |
| title | Man as symbol of God |
| title_full | Man as symbol of God |
| title_fullStr | Man as symbol of God |
| title_full_unstemmed | Man as symbol of God |
| title_short | Man as symbol of God |
| title_sort | man as symbol of god |
| topic | Symbolism, Jewish Zoroastrianism Judaism Image of God Human beings |
| url | https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67122 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andershultgard manassymbolofgod |