Names of God

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

classification and organization with religion and alchemy
, to shape an artful and perhaps more conceptual view of God.
The word Allah in thuluth calligraphy

There are various names of God, many of which enumerate the various qualities of a Supreme Being. The English word god (and its equivalent in other languages) is used by multiple religions as a noun to refer to different deities, or specifically to the Supreme Being, as denoted in English by the capitalized and uncapitalized terms God and god.[1] Ancient cognate equivalents for the biblical Hebrew Elohim, one of the most common names of God in the Bible,[2] include proto-Semitic El, biblical Aramaic Elah, and Arabic ilah.[2] The personal or proper name for God in many of these languages may either be distinguished from such attributes, or homonymic. For example, in Judaism the tetragrammaton is sometimes related to the ancient Hebrew ehyeh ("I will be").[2] It is connected to the passage in Exodus 3:14 in which God gives his name as אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh), where the verb may be translated most basically as "I am that I am", "I shall be what I shall be", or "I shall be what I am". In the passage, YHWH,[2] the personal name of God, is revealed directly to Moses.

Correlation between various theories and interpretation of the name of "the one God", used to

ecumenical discourse between Eastern and Western scholars for over two centuries.[3] In Christian theology the word is considered a personal and a proper name of God.[4] On the other hand, the names of God in a different tradition are sometimes referred to by symbols.[5] The question whether divine names used by different religions are equivalent has been raised and analyzed.[6]

Exchange of names held sacred between different religious traditions is typically limited. Other elements of religious practice may be shared, especially when communities of different faiths are living in close proximity (for example, the use of

The attitude as to the transmission of the name in many cultures was surrounded by secrecy. In Judaism, the pronunciation of the name of God has always been guarded with great care. It is believed that, in ancient times, the sages communicated the pronunciation only once every seven years;[10] this system was challenged by more recent movements. The nature of a holy name can be described as either personal or attributive. In many cultures it is often difficult to distinguish between the personal and the attributive names of God, the two divisions necessarily shading into each other.[11]

Judaism

Eloah (אלה) is used in poetry and late prose (e.g., the Book of Job) and ending with the masculine plural suffix -im ים creating a word like ba`alim ('owners') and adonim
('lords', 'masters') that may also indicate a singular identity.

In the

Mosaic
tradition.

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I Am who I Am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I Am has sent me to you.'" God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation".

In Exodus 6:3, when Moses first spoke with God, God said, "I used to appear to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but I did not make myself known to them by my name YHWH."

YHWH (יהוה‎) is the proper name of God in Judaism. Neither vowels nor

vowel points were used in ancient Hebrew writings and the original vocalisation of YHWH has been lost.[12]

Later commentaries additionally suggested that the true pronunciation of this name is composed entirely of vowels, such as the Greek Ιαουε.[13] However, this is put into question by the fact that vowels were only distinguished in the time-period by their very absence due to the lack of explicit vowels in the Hebrew script. The resulting substitute made from semivowels and glottals, known as the tetragrammaton, is not ordinarily permitted to be pronounced aloud, even in prayer. The prohibition on misuse (not use) of this name is the primary subject of the command not to take the name of the Lord in vain.

Instead of pronouncing YHWH during prayer, Jews say "

HaShem (השם), which is Hebrew for 'the Name'; this appears in Leviticus 24:11
.

Almost all

Orthodox Jews avoid using either Yahweh or Jehovah altogether on the basis that the actual pronunciation of the tetragrammaton has been lost in antiquity. Many use the term HaShem as an indirect reference, or they use "God" or "The Lord" instead. Mark Sameth argues that Yahweh was a pseudo name for a dual-gendered deity, the four letters of that name being cryptogram which the priests of ancient Israel read in reverse as huhi, 'he–she', as earlier theorized by Guillaume Postel (16th century) and Michelangelo Lanci [it] (19th century).[14][15][16][17]

Christianity

YHWH
on a Lutheran Christian altar at Fiskebäckskil Church in Sweden
YHWH
, on a stained glass window in of Saint-Fiacre de Dison Catholic Church in Belgium

In Christianity, the Old Testament reveals

YHWH (יהוה‎; often vocalized with vowels as "Yahweh" or "Jehovah") as the personal name of God.[18][19] References, such as The New Encyclopædia Britannica
, affirm the vocalization "Yahweh" by offering additional specifics to its (Christian) reconstruction out of Greek sources:

Early Christian writers, such as Clement of Alexandria in the 2nd century, had used a form like Yahweh, and claim that this pronunciation of the tetragrammaton was never really lost. Other Greek transcriptions also indicated that YHWH should be pronounced Yahweh.[13]

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.[21]

The Hebrew personal name of God YHWH is rendered as "the LORD" in many translations of the Bible, with Elohim being rendered as "God"; certain translations of Scripture render the Tetragrammaton with Yahweh or Jehovah in particular places, with the latter vocalization being used in the King James Version, Tyndale Bible, and other translations of the Bible from that time period and later.[22] Many English translations of the Bible (such as ESV, NIV, KJV, etc.) translate the tetragrammaton as LORD, thus removing any form of YHWH from the written text and going well beyond the Jewish oral practice of substituting Adonai for YHWH when reading aloud.[23][failed verification]

English Bible translations of the Greek New Testament render ho theos (Greek: Ο Θεός) as God and ho kurios (Greek: Ο Κύριος) as "the Lord", with the latter being the "Greek translation of the Hebrew OT name for God, Yahweh."[24]

anointed' in Greek (Χριστός). Khristos is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Messiah
; while in English the old Anglo-Saxon Messiah-rendering hæland ('healer') was practically annihilated by the Latin Christ, some cognates such as heiland in Dutch and Afrikaans survive—also, in German, the word Heiland is sometimes used as reference to Jesus, e.g., in church chorals).

In the Book of Revelation in the Christian New Testament, God, that is, Jesus is quoted as saying "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End". (cf. Rev. 1:8, 21:6, and 22:13)

Some

Abba which is Hebrew, "Most High".[18] Abba ('father' in Hebrew) is a common term used for the creator within Christianity because it was a title Jesus used to refer to God the Father
.

Mormonism

In Mormonism the name of God the Father is Elohim [28] and the name of Jesus in his pre-incarnate state was Jehovah.[29][30] Together, with the Holy Ghost they form the Godhead; God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.[31] Mormons typically refer to God as "Heavenly Father" or "Father in Heaven".[32][non-primary source needed]

Although Mormonism views the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as three distinct beings, they are one in purpose and God the Father (Elohim) is worshipped and given all glory through his Son, Jesus Christ (Jehovah). Despite the Godhead doctrine, which teaches that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three separate, divine beings, many Mormons (mainstream

The Book of Mormon ends with "to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the eternal Judge of both the quick and dead. Amen."[33]

Jehovah's Witnesses

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, the name Jehovah means "He causes to become".[35]

Though scholars prefer the form Yahweh, Jehovah's Witnesses maintain that the name Jehovah is the most well known form in English.[citation needed] Their literature compares the use of the form Jehovah in English to the widespread use of Jesus in English as a translation of Yeshua or Yehoshua.[36]

Islam

99 names of Allah, in Chinese Sini (script).

Ottoman Turkish language as the equivalent of Allah.[38]

He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (Translation of Qur'an: Chapter 59, Verses 22-24)

Sufism

In

verses of the Quran
:

"La ilaha illa Hu"

Baháʼí Faith

The

Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, is the "complete incarnation of the names and attributes of God".[41]

Mandaeism

Mandaeans believe in one God called Hayyi Rabbi ('The Great Life' or 'The Great Living God').[42] Other names for God used include Mare d'Rabuta ('Lord of Greatness'), Mana Rabba ('The Great Mind'), Melka d'Nhura ('King of Light') and Hayyi Qadmaiyi ('The First Life').[43]

Gnosticism

Egypt

A divine name is an official title for any divine being. In Egypt, divine names were indicated with a god's inscription (nṯr, which can be Anglicised as netjer.)[44] In Sumerian cuneiform, the Dingir sign (𒀭) was used.[45]

mgn rbt atrt ym mgz qnyt ilm
Asherah's title in KTU 1.4 mgn rbt is like Jupiter's title optimus maxiumus.

A divine being's name is distinct from an epithet. A divine epithet expresses specific traits, aspects, or domains of a god, or applies a common noun to them.[46] Rahmouni says a locative name is ʔil yṯb bʕṯtrt in KTU 1.108, 2 meaning "The god who sits (enthroned) in ʕAṯtartu.[47]

A name is sometimes double-barreled, like in

Kothar-wa-Hasis
.

ʔṯrt w rḥmy Asherah-wa-Rachmai takes this ("binomial") form but is of slightly unclear categorization.[48] In this case and that of the Lady of Byblos, it is not clear if the appellation is a personal name.

Binomial names can be found in "bound forms" like Bethel's Anat-Bethel, Ashim-Bethel, "and Herem-Bethel from the archives of Elephantine."[49]

In one Egyptian story, the sun god Ra's true name was cunningly uncovered by Isis. Using a secret scheme, Isis gained complete dominion over Ra. This enabled her to elevate her son Horus to the throne, showing the power that a name had over the gods. [50]

Appendages

The maiden goddesses of Canaan and Phoenicia were sometimes called the "name of the lord" (Ba'al) or the "face of the lord." In their less-virginal incarnations as the consort Anat-Bethel or as a mother goddess ʕtr [ʕ-t-r-m = ʕtr-(ʕ)m(y) "ʕtr my mother"] these and "hand of" the deity are added. This might mean hypostasis or intercession.[51]

Indian religions

Hinduism

There are multiple names for God's various manifestations worshiped in Hinduism. Some of the common names for these deities in Hinduism are:

Additionally, most Hindu deities have a collection of 8/12/16/32/100/108/1000/1008 names exclusively dedicated to them known as Namavali.[clarification needed][citation needed]

Tamil Tradition

  • அருமன் (Arumaṉ) - The most giving.
  • உய்யன் (Uyyaṉ) - The most high.
  • இறைவன் (Iṟaivaṉ) - The one above all.
  • இயவுள் (Iyavul) -
    who sets things in motion
    .
  • கடவுள் (Kadavul) - The one who transcend the world and is hidden within)

Arya Samaj

Aum
" as God's personal and natural name.

Jainism

Jainism rejects the idea of a creator deity responsible for the manifestation, creation, or maintenance of this universe. According to Jain doctrine, the universe and its constituents (soul, matter, space, time, and principles of motion) have always existed. All the constituents and actions are governed by universal natural laws and an immaterial entity like God cannot create a material entity like the universe. Jainism offers an elaborate cosmology, including heavenly beings (devas), but these beings are not viewed as creators; they are subject to suffering and change like all other living beings, and must eventually die.

Jains define godliness as the inherent quality of any soul characterizing infinite bliss, infinite power,

moksha
.

If godliness is defined as the state of having freed one's soul from karmas and the attainment of

Rishabhanatha
was god/Tirthankara but he was not the only Tirthankara; there were many other Tirthankara. However, the quality of godliness is one and the same in all of them.

Jainism does not teach the dependency on any supreme being for enlightenment. The Tirthankara is a guide and teacher who points the way to enlightenment, but the struggle for enlightenment is one's own. Moral rewards and sufferings are not the work of a divine being, but a result of an innate moral order in the cosmos; a self-regulating mechanism whereby the individual reaps the fruits of his own actions through the workings of the karmas.

Jains believe that to attain enlightenment and ultimately liberation from all karmic bonding, one must practice the ethical principles not only in thought, but also in words (speech) and action. Such a practice through lifelong work towards oneself is called as observing the

Mahavrata
('Great Vows').

Gods can be thus categorized into embodied gods also known as

Kevalis, and non-embodied formless gods who are called Siddhas
. Jainism considers the devīs and devas to be souls who dwell in heavens owing to meritorious deeds in their past lives. These souls are in heavens for a fixed lifespan and even they have to undergo reincarnation as humans to achieve moksha.

Sikhism

There are multiple names for God in Sikhism. Some of the popular names for God in Sikhism are:

  • Akal Purakh, meaning 'timeless being'.
  • Ik Onkar, 'One Creator', found at the beginning of the Sikh Mul Mantar.
  • Nirankar, meaning 'formless'.
  • Satnam, meaning 'True Name'; some are of the opinion that this is a name for God in itself, others believe that this is an adjective used to describe the Gurmantar, Waheguru.
  • Waheguru, meaning 'Wonderful Teacher bringing light to remove darkness'; this name is considered the greatest among Sikhs, and it is known as Gurmantar, 'the Guru's Word'. Waheguru is the only way to meet God.[citation needed]
  • Dātā or Dātār, meaning 'the Giver'.
  • Kartā or Kartār, meaning 'the Doer'.
  • Diāl, meaning 'compassionate'.
  • Kirpāl, meaning 'benevolent'.

In the Sikh scripture, both Hindu and Muslim names of the Supreme Being are also commonly employed, expressing different aspects of the divine Name. For instance, names like

Karim ('generous'), and Sahib ('lord') are of Muslim origin.[52]

God, according to Guru Nanak, is beyond full comprehension by humans; has an endless number of virtues; takes on innumerable forms, but is formless; and can be called by an infinite number of names thus "Your Names are so many, and Your Forms are endless. No one can tell how many Glorious Virtues You have."[53]

The word Allah (Punjabi: ਅਲਹੁ) is used 12 times in the Guru Granth Sahib (primary religious scripture) by Sheikh Farid. Guru Nanak Dev, Guru Arjan Dev and Bhagat Kabeer used the word 18 times.

Iranian religions

Yazidism

Yazidism knows only one eternal God, often named Xwedê.[54] According to some Yazidi hymns (known as Qewls), God has 1001 names.[55]

Zoroastrianism

In

Parsi tradition expanded this to a list of 101 names of God.[56]

African religions

!Kung

The supreme being in

!Kung mythology
is known as Khu, Xu, Xuba, or Huwa.

Odinani

omnipresent supreme deity that encompasses everything in space
and time itself. Igbo Christians also refer to the Abrahamic God as Chukwu.

West African Vodun

Lisa, and all of the universe. After giving birth to these, she retired and left the matters of the world to Mawu-Lisa. She is the primary creator, Mawu-Lisa the secondary creator, and the theology based on these is called Vodun, Voodoo or Vodoun.[57]

Yoruba religion

The supreme creator in the

Olodumare. The Yoruba believe that Olodumare is omnipotent and is the source of all.[58] Olodumare is aloof; he is not directly involved in earthly matters and lets other Yoruba deities (orisha), who are his sons and daughters, answer human concerns through divination, possession, sacrifice and more.[59] However, everything is in the hands of Olodumare when they are going to bed at night.[58]
Yoruba Muslims and Christians also refer to the Abrahamic God as Olorun.

Zulu traditional religion

Unkulunkulu is the supreme creator in Zulu traditional religion. Unkulunkulu brought human beings and cattle from an area of reeds. He created everything, from land and water, to man and the animals. He is considered the first man as well as the parent of all Zulu. He taught the Zulu how to hunt, how to make fire, and how to grow food.[60] Zulu Christians also refer to the Abrahamic God as Unkulunkulu.

Native American religions

Anishinaabe

Gitche Manitou, also known as Gitchi Manitou, Kitchi Manitou, means "

Christian missionaries have translated God
as Gitche Manitou in scriptures and prayers in the Algonquian languages.

East Asian religions

In Japan

In Japan, many Japanese new religions can be considered to be monotheistic.[61] Some names for God as a supreme deity (rather than as a local kami) in various Japanese religions are:[62]

  • Tenrikyo: God the Parent (Japanese: Oyagami 親神), Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto (天理王命) (lit.'absolute ruler of divine reason'), Tsukihi (月日) (lit.'Moon-Sun'), God of Origin (元の神), God in Truth (実の神)
  • Oomoto: Oomoto-sume-oomikami (大天主太神)
  • PL Kyodan: Daigenrei (大元霊) (lit.'Great Original Spirit') or Mioya Ōkami (大元霊) (lit.'Great Parent God'), both of which are different readings of the same characters
  • Ennokyo: Ōmioya (大御親)[63]
  • Seicho-no-Ie: Referred to as "God" or Kami, using the character
  • Mahikari: Su-god (ス神, su-kami)

See also

References

  1. .
  2. ^
    Kopelman Foundation
    . Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  3. ^ (PDF) Sacraments of the Incarnate Word: The Christological Form of the Summa theologiae C. Wells, Etd.nd.edu
  4. ^ Aiyadurai Jesudasen Appasamy, G. S. S. Sreenivasa Rao, Inter-faith dialogue and world community. Christian Literature Society for India (1991) "All these names of God are, of course, symbols. ... All names of the one God or the Absolute are symbols." p. 9
  5. ^ Peter C. Phan (2004). Being religious interreligiously: Asian perspectives on interfaith dialogue p. 102.
  6. ^ James Orr The International Standard Bible encyclopaedia Edition: —Item notes: v. 1—1959 1915 p. 1267
  7. ^ John S. Mbiti. Concepts of God in Africa. p. 217, 1970
  8. ISBN 0807400556.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  9. ^ a b The New Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol. 12, 1998, Chicago, IL, article "Yahweh", p. 804.
  10. .
  11. .
  12. .
  13. .
  14. ^ .
  15. ^ "The Name of God in the Liturgy". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. 2008.
  16. ^ .
  17. .
  18. ISBN 0807400556.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  19. ^ NASB (1995). "Preface to the New American Standard Bible". New American Standard Bible (Updated Edition). Anaheim, California: Foundation Publications (for the Lockman Foundation). Archived from the original on 2006-12-07. There is yet another name which is particularly assigned to God as His special or proper name, that is, the four letters YHWH (Exodus 3:14 and Isaiah 42:8). This name has not been pronounced by the Jews because of reverence for the great sacredness of the divine name. Therefore, it has been consistently translated as LORD. The only exception to this translation of YHWH is when it occurs in immediate proximity to the word Lord, that is, Adonai. In that case it is regularly translated GOD in order to avoid confusion.
  20. . Many of the uses of kyrios for God are in citations of the OT and in expressions derived from the OT (e.g., "angel of the Lord"), and in these passages the term functions as the Greek translation of the Hebrew OT name for God, Yahweh. For example, twenty-five of the uses of kyrios for God in Luke are in the first two chapters, where the phrasing is so heavily influenced by the OT. The third frequently used term for God is "Father" (patēr), doubtless the most familiar term for God in Christian tradition and also perhaps the most theologically significant title for God in the NT. Unlike the other terms for God already mentioned--without exception in the Synoptics, and with only a few exceptions in John--"Father" as a title for God appears only in the sayings attributed to Jesus (the Johannine exceptions are in editorial remarks by the Evangelist in 1:14, 18, a saying of Philip in 14:8 and the crowd's claim in 8:41).
  21. ^ Yeshua (ישוע, with vowel pointing יֵשׁוּעַ yēšūă‘ in Hebrew) Strong's Yeshuwa
  22. ^ Ilan, Tal (2002). Lexicon of Jewish Names in Late Antiquity Part I: Palestine 330 BCE-200 CE (Texte und Studien zum Antiken Judentum 91). Tübingen, Germany: J. C. B. Mohr. p. 129.
  23. ^ Stern, David (1992). Jewish New Testament Commentary. Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications. pp. 4–5.
  24. ^ First Presidency and Council of the Twelve, 1916, "God the Father", compiled by Gordon Allred, p. 150
  25. ^ Moroni 10:34
  26. ^ Old Testament Institute Manual:Genesis to 2 Samuel—"Who is the God of the Old Testament?"
  27. ^ "Doctrine and Covenants 76:12-24". churchofjesuschrist.org.
  28. ^ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. "How can we come to know our Father in Heaven?". Mormon.org.
  29. ^ "Moroni 10:34". churchofjesuschrist.org.
  30. ^ Holden, A. (2002). Cavorting With the Devil: Jehovah's Witnesses Who Abandon Their Faith (PDF). Department of Sociology, Lancaster University. Endnote [i]. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
  31. ^ "Appendix A4". New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. p. 1735.
  32. ^ What Does the Bible Really Teach?. Watch Tower Society. 2005. p. 195.
  33. ^ "Allah." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica
  34. ^ Eliot, Charles Norton Edgcumbe (1911). "Turks" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 472.
  35. .
  36. .
  37. .
  38. ^ Nashmi, Yuhana (24 April 2013), "Contemporary Issues for the Mandaean Faith", Mandaean Associations Union, retrieved 31 October 2021
  39. ^ Rudolf, K. (1978). Mandaeism. Leiden: Brill.
  40. .
  41. .
  42. . Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  43. ^ Locative epithet 10 in Rahmouni, p 33. Tell Ashtara or Ashteroth karnaim. Parallel with "The god who judges / rules in Hidra`yu.
  44. ^ Rahmoui Pg xxvi
  45. ^ "A New Analysis of YHWH's asherah". Religion and Literature of Ancient Palestine. 2015-12-13. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  46. .
  47. , page 228
  48. ^ Guru Granth Sahib p. 358
  49. .
  50. .
  51. ^ Antonio Panaino, The lists of names of Ahura Mazdā (Yašt I) and Vayu (Yašt XV), 2002, p. 20.
  52. .
  53. ^ a b DAYO, CHIEF (February 14, 2016). "YORUBA BELIEVE IN ONLY ONE GOD CALLED OLODUMARE".
  54. ^ Bewaji, John (1998). "Olodumare: God in Yoruba Belief and the Theistic Problem of Evil" (PDF). African Studies Quarterly.
  55. ^ Leeming & Leeming 2009 - entry "Zulu Creation". Retrieved 2010-04-30.
  56. ^ Amis, Joel (2015). The Japanese new religion Oomoto : reconciliation of nativist and internationalist trends (Master's thesis). Université du Québec à Montréal.
  57. .
  58. ^ Pokorny, Lukas (2011). "Neue religiöse Bewegungen in Japan heute: Ein Überblick" (PDF).

Sources