Contemporary Views on Comparative Religion - In Celebration of Tim Jensen’s 65th Birthday - Peter Antes
28. What Is a “God” Actually?: Some Comparative Reflections
Contemporary Views on Comparative Religion - In Celebration of Tim Jensen’s 65th Birthday - Peter Antes
Einar Thomassen
University of Bergen
Description
Though an essential feature of religions, the nature of ‘gods’ has not been a regular topic of systematic elaboration in comparative studies of religion. The contribution will address questions such as: what do ‘culturally postulated superhuman agents’ do when they are perceived as gods? (The answer will focus on agency, reception of worship and ontological status.) Do all such agents qualify as ‘gods’? Are monotheistic gods gods in the same way as polytheistic gods? Do all societies have gods?