Opening

I want to outline a monotheism for our times. Not to found a new religion but rather to help those who have a religious belief to worship better and to have better theological understanding and practice within their existing faith group, but also for those who are not able to sign up to an existing faith and yet who nevertheless have a non-aligned faith, belief or understanding of monotheism in their hearts, and even those who do not but who are open to moral development and who are genuinely interested in truth.

So my task is to describe how monotheism can and should be done in the 21^st century.   

The first step in this unenviable task must be to set out what is meant by monotheism. Of course the idea means different things to different people, both between and also – even more frustratingly within – faith groupings. These differences can sometimes make it seem like there can never be any rapprochement between worldviews, a highly pessimistic and ultimately depressing view. But this book is based on the opposite assumption, which is that there is the possibility of a common theology of monotheism which will allow individual faiths to prosper and flourish within their cherished forms and traditions, staying truie to the doctrines that are hallowed while also allowing them to connect productivey and with prophetic inspiratuion with the wider population – a common theology which allows people of all faiths or even in some cases none to come together with a transcendent understanding and a commitment to individual, social and moral progress.

 It may seem to readers that this kind of approach while well meaning will automatically  constitute a watering down of the faiths distinct practices and beliefs, whereas in fact I am convinced  it will allow everyone to be even more true to the monotheistic essence that originally amimated the founders of their faith, their earliest converts and therefore the beauty and goodness that exists at the heart of each religion’s historical ideal.     

So let us make it clear, what we mean by this, as a first step is the existence of a higher reality than the one we see around us and that we as individuals are not ultimately in charge of either the universe or, more controversially our own selves.  Now while these propositions may seem like ones of faith, and traditionally it is true to say that they have been mades as such, as we shall see they are now supported by a number of different scientific processes and approaches whether from the accepted  traditions of neuroscience and cosmology or from the more contested scientific tradition of what might be called 'comparative contemplative culture'.

But before going into all the theories and ideas that support this statement, let's try and look at this idea of a higher reality from a common or garden point of view - from the perspective of the iundividual human being.       

Made in God's Image

As the saying goes 'as above, so below' it really is the same with us isn't it - we are all different and unique, but also one and the same, and capable of seeing and living that truth, by way of what the Hindus call Moksha, where we are finally/endlessly made in God's image or  made 'equal in the eyes of God.' The fact that in the Abrahamic faiths, the first human's name is the Hebrew word for earth ('adamah') also points towards this truth about our shared, enlightened collective and unified identity.  God is one, boundless, eternal and when we are made to see, when the scales fall from our eyes and hearts we are able to see this truth, indeed in a mystical way, because we have becomes effectively selfless, we are this truth.

One day the Prophet Muhammad asks Gibril to define ihsan or excellence. Gibril replies that excellence is to worship 'as if you see God' And if you can't do that, you should remember him (sometimes translated as fear him) so that your actions are always taken with his existence and knowledge
of your heart and soul in mind.      

India

As with Ancient Greece and its panapoly of Gods, people don't think of monotheism when they think of India. Instead they think of Ganesh, the elephant-headed God and all the other colourful characters of Hinduism pantheon. But contrary to popular understanding there is just one Creator God in Hinduism, and the multiplicity of forms is really just an emphasis on the many attributes of God.

Islam – the most explicitly monotheistic of the world's religions -  does the same with its rendition of the 99 beautiful names, while at the same time emphasising the unity of God with it's central declaration of 'no god but God'. As we shall see, this issue or tension or paradox between God's many (we might even say infinite) attributes and creations in the world(s) and his (or her) ultimate unity, goes to the heart of some of the themes explored in my book, and by extension its relevance to us in the modern world. 

There is a lovely sign at one of my local churches 'in diversity lies the creativity of God' which expresses this high paradox poetically.  If we are to get to the bottom of things alongside diversity vs unity we will also need to look at many others but that is not for here as there is not the space or time to go into them all.

But these intellectual things should not divert us too much.