Torah – Creative Reading

X: The subject I would like to look further into is the Torah concerning the characterization of God. While looking back it seemed as though I should stick to just one character or book of the story that seems to be too limiting.

There is a gradual realization of God as a deity/character over the course of the Torah. The book of Genesis begins the writings of God and has an early conception of his identity. This development began with the idea of monotheism from a world that was filled with polytheistic cultures. Judaism had its beginnings with Egyptian and Canaanite Gods before leading into times with Babylonian and Assyrian Gods as opposition. These other cultures had an influence over the eventual monotheistic culture that spans Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Y: The Question I want to ask is how did the Textual Scripture show this transition from polytheistic cultures into a monotheistic culture? How is the Bible itself able to make slowly more distinct images and rules of God being a singular being that isn’t supported by a cast of other deities?

Z: This Question would help to answer the early characterizations of God. It would help to explain why there is a distinct difference in God in his early scripture as being mistake at times for one of many or having different personalities assigned to him. This can also be easily seen in God’s early actions being much more violent than his later actions.

One source I would like to use aside from the King James Bible is a book called False Gods; or the Idol Worship of the World by Frank Stockton Dubbins. The book discusses idolatry or the worship of other Gods which makes for a great point to be made about God’s characterization in Biblical scripture. One of the first establishing parts of God being a singular God is when he is confronted with his people worshipping God’s other than himself. This subject should make for a bulk of the transition but not all of the idea needed.

Dobbins, Frank S. False Gods; or The Idol Worship of the World. A Complete History of Idolatrous Worship throughout the World, Ancient and Modern. Describing the Strange Beliefs, Practices, Superstitions, Temples, Idols, Shrines, Sacrifices, Domestic Peculiarities Etc., Etc., Connected Therewith. Blackall.

X: The subject I would like to look further into is the Torah or more specifically the story of Moses. This would be across all books that tell his story rather than limiting myself to any specific book as they would be an incomplete section of a larger story. The subject within the Torah I would like to explore is God’s characteristics as a deity. There is often the pointed-out difference between God in the Torah and God as depicted in later Christian texts. The two almost seem to be entirely different Gods based on their temperament toward humans and even those they claim as their people. The God of the Torah has many violent tendencies, not only toward enemies of his people but on many occasions toward his own people. He is often known for smiting and punishing those who have done wrong and constantly reminds the Israelites of his power to perform such violence. The later Christian depiction of God in comparison is far more forgiving and known less for his violent deeds on humanity. He is often considered a symbol of peace even when religion can be taken to extremes.

Y: The question about this subject is “How was the early depiction of God in the Torah influenced by characteristics of Gods from other neighboring religions, especially those of Egypt, in the transition from polytheism to monotheism.

Z: This would help to explain the wide range of characteristics God takes on throughout the Bible as a whole and show the progression of his traits. This question would help to show the transition from Gods with more human-like qualities and faults to the often angelic or heavenly depictions that are present in modern day. This would over course be looking at religion in a strictly literary sense and not taking into account the beliefs behind such texts.

Work Cited

Coogan, Michael David, et al., editors. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha. Fifth ed., Oxford University Press, 2018.