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Supreme Being
{{broad-concept article A supreme deity, supreme god or supreme being is the conception of the sole deity of monotheistic religions or, in polytheistic or henotheistic religions, the paramount deity or supernatural entity which is above all others. General *Creator deity, often also the supreme deity in many religions * King of the gods, the lead god of a polytheistic pantheon *Supreme god, the god exclusively worshipped by henotheists *God, the singular deity of monotheistic religions Abrahamic religions *God in Abrahamic religions **God in Judaism **God in Christianity ***The Trinity in most Christian traditions ***Jesus in some Christian traditions **Yahweh **Allah in Muslim belief: see God in Islam **Bahá in Bahá'í belief: see God in the Baháʼí Faith African religions * Amun-Ra in Ancient Egyptian mythology * Aten in Ancient Egyptian mythology * Chukwu in Igbo religion * Mwari in Shona religion * Nyambe in Bantu religion * Nzambi in Bakongo religion ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monotheistic
Monotheism is the belief that one God is the only, or at least the dominant deity.F. L. Cross, Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974). "Monotheism". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. A distinction may be made between exclusive monotheism, in which the one God is a singular existence, and both inclusive and pluriform monotheism, in which multiple gods or godly forms are recognized, but each are postulated as extensions of the same God. Monotheism is distinguished from henotheism, a religious system in which the believer worships one god without denying that others may worship different gods with equal validity, and monolatry, monolatrism, the recognition of the existence of many gods but with the consistent worship of only one deity. The term ''monolatry'' was perhaps first used by Julius Wellhausen. Monotheism characterizes the traditions of Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic religions such as Judaism, Samaritanism, Christi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aten
Aten, also Aton, Atonu, or Itn (, reconstructed ) was the focus of Atenism, the religious system formally established in ancient Egypt by the late Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh Akhenaten. Exact dating for the Eighteenth Dynasty is contested, though a general date range places the dynasty in the years 1550 to 1292 BCE. The worship of Aten and the coinciding rule of Akhenaten are major identifying characteristics of a period within the Eighteenth Dynasty referred to as the Amarna Period (1336 BCE). Atenism and the worship of the Aten as the sole god of ancient Egypt state worship did not persist beyond Akhenaten's death. Not long after his death, one of Akhenaten's Eighteenth Dynasty successors, Tutankhamun, reopened the state temples to other Egyptian gods and re-positioned Amun as the pre-eminent solar deity. Aten is depicted as a solar disc emitting rays terminating in human hands. Etymology The word ''Aten'' appears in the Old Kingdom as a noun meaning "disc" w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Para Brahman
''Para Brahman'' or ''Param Brahman'' () in Hindu philosophy is the "Supreme Brahman" that which is beyond all descriptions and conceptualisations. It is described as beyond the form or the formlessness (in the sense that it is devoid of Maya) that eternally pervades everything, everywhere in the universe and whatever is beyond. Para Brahman is conceptualised in diverse ways. In the Advaita Vedanta tradition, the Para Brahman is a synonym of ''nirguna brahman'', i.e., the attribute-less Absolute. Conversely, in Dvaita Vedanta and Vishistadvaita Vedanta traditions, the Para Brahman is defined as ''saguna brahman'', i.e., the Absolute with attributes. In Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Shaktism, Vishnu, Shiva, and Adi Shakti respectively are Para Brahman. Mahaganapati is held to be Para Brahman by the Ganapatya sect, Kartikeya by the Kaumaram. Etymology ''Para'' is a Sanskrit word that means "higher" in some contexts, and "highest or supreme" in others. ''Brahman'' in Hindui ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rutara People
The Rutara peoples (endonym: ''Banyakitara'', ''Abanyakitara'') are a group of closely related Bantu ethnic groups native to the African Great Lakes region. They speak mutually intelligible dialects and include groups such as the Banyoro, Banyankore, and Bahaya. History Proto-Rutara people originated in the Kagera Region of Tanzania near Bukoba in the year 500AD. They adopted pastoralism in the grasslands of Kagera with influence from the now extinct Tale southern Cushites and Sog Eastern Sudanic peoples who were their neighbors. They adopted the word for cow (''ente'') between 100-500AD from the Sog Eastern Sahelians, and the practice of cattle breeding from the Tale southern Cushites. After 1200AD they split into two groups, with one group (the Proto-North Rutara) expanding north-westwards, spreading the Rutara language and culture (and assimilating many of the previous Central Sudanic peoples like the Madi in the process) into the Grasslands of western Uganda and easter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ruhanga
Ruhanga () features in Bantu spirituality as the remote creator and sky-God, recognized among the Rutara people ( Banyoro, Banyankore, Batooro, Bahaya, Bakiga, Bahema and all other groups referred to in general as Banyakitara). The Bahima further recognise him as the arbiter of life, sickness, and death. However, unlike creator figures in other religious systems, Ruhanga is generally not a focus of worship. According to Bahaya and Banyankore belief, humans originally came back to life on earth after dying, but Ruhanga took away this ability after a woman refused to properly celebrate the return of a human after the death of her pet dog. Etymology The name Ruhanga means “Creator” in the Rutara languages. The name reflects Ruhanga’s role as the supreme creator of everything in the universe, including the other gods, spirits, humans, animals, and plants. The word comes from the Proto-Bantu verb "Panga", which meant 'to haft'. By regular processes of phonetic change ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yoruba Religion
The Yorùbá religion (Yoruba language, Yoruba: Ìṣẹ̀ṣe), West African Orisa (Òrìṣà), or Isese (Ìṣẹ̀ṣe), comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practice of the Yoruba people. Its homeland is in present-day Southwestern Nigeria and Southern Benin, which comprises the majority of the States of Nigeria, states of; Oyo State, Oyo, Ogun State, Ogun, Osun State, Osun, Ondo State, Ondo, Ekiti State, Ekiti, Kwara State, Kwara, Lagos State, Lagos and parts of Kogi State, Kogi in Nigeria, the Departments of Benin, Departments of; Collines Department, Collines, Ouémé Department, Oueme, Plateau Department, Plateau in Benin, and the adjoining parts of central Togo, commonly known as Yorubaland (). It has become the largest indigenous African tradition / belief system in the world with several million adherents worldwide. It shares some parallels with the Vodun practised by the neighbouring Fon people, Fon and Ewe people, Ewe peoples to its west ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ọlọrun
Olorun (Yoruba alphabet: ''Ọlọrun'') (Ede language: ''ɔlɔrun'') is the ruler of (or in) the Heavens creator of the Yoruba. The Supreme Deity or Supreme Being in the Yoruba pantheon, Olorun is also called Olodumare (Yoruba alphabet: ''Olódùmarè''), Eledumare and Eleduwa/Eledua. In Yoruba culture, Ọlọrun is credited with creating the universe and all living things. Ọlọrun is frequently perceived as a compassionate entity who protects its creations and is thought to be omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. People do not worship Olorun directly; there are no sacred areas of worship, no iconography. Ọlọrun's ordained are known to be Obatalá of which is appointed a divine sun OlúwaṢówjon. Olorun is outlying, distant, and does not partake in human rituals. There are no shrines or sacrifices dedicated directly to them, although followers can send prayers in their direction. Olorun has no gender in the Ifá Literary Corpus, and is always referred to as an ent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kongo Religion
Kongo religion (Kongo language, Kikongo: Bukongo or Bakongo) encompasses the traditional beliefs of the Kongo people, Bakongo people. Due to the highly centralized position of the Kingdom of Kongo, its leaders were able to influence much of the traditional religious practices across the Congo Basin. As a result, many other ethnic groups and kingdoms in Central Africa, West-Central Africa, like the Chokwe people, Chokwe and Ambundu, Mbundu, adopted elements of Bakongo spirituality. The spirituality is based on a complex Animism, animistic system and a Pantheon (religion), pantheon of spirits. The principle Creator God of the world is Nzambi a Mpungu, Nzambi Mpungu, the sovereign master, and his female counterpart, Nzambici. While Nzambi Mpungu, who gave birth to the universe and the spirits who inhabit it, is vital to the spirituality, Veneration of the dead, ancestor veneration is the core principle. The Bakongo cosmos is split between two worlds: the top half representing the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nzambi A Mpungu
Nzambi a Mpungu (also Nzambi and Nzambi Mpungu) is the Supreme God, eternal Sky Father and God of the Sun (fire) in traditional Kongo spirituality. His female counterpart is Nzambici, the Sky Mother and Goddess of the Moon. Among other Central African Bantu peoples, such as the Chokwe, and in the Kingdom of Ndongo, Nzambi Mpungu was also called ''Kalunga'', the god of fire and change. This may have a connection to an element of Bakongo cosmology called ''Kalûnga''. It was seen as the spark of fire that begot all life in the universe. After Portuguese colonization, Nzambi Mpungu became synonymous with the Christian God and existed chiefly as the Creator God. History Nzambi Mpungu was recorded as the name of the God of the Kongo people as early as the early 16th century by Portuguese who visited the Kingdom of Kongo. European missionaries along with Kongo intellectuals (including King Afonso I of Kongo) set out to render European Christian religious concepts into Kikongo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bantu Mythology
Bantu religion is a system of various spiritual beliefs and practices that relate to the Bantu people of Central Africa, Central, East Africa, East, and Southern Africa, Southern Africa. Although Bantu peoples account for several hundred different ethnic groups, there is a high degree of homogeneity in Bantu cultures and customs, just as in Bantu languages. Many Bantu cultures traditionally believed in a supreme god whose name is a variation of Nyambe, Nyambe/Nzambe and ancestral veneration. The phrase "Bantu tradition" usually refers to the common, recurring themes that are found in all, or most, Bantu cultures on the continent. Traditional beliefs The traditional beliefs and practices of African people are highly diverse beliefs that include various ethnic religions. Generally, these traditions are Oral tradition, oral rather than Religious text, scriptural and passed down from one generation to another through folk tales, songs, and festivals, include belief in an amount of h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nyambe
Nyambe is the name used in various Bantu-speaking cultures to refer to the Supreme Being, the Creator of the universe, and the source of all life. He is often described as all-powerful, all-knowing, and above all. While different African cultures use various names for the Creator—such as ''Njambe, Njambi, Nyame, Nyambi, Nyembi, Nzambi, Nzambe, Nzemi''—the concept remains largely the same: a single, supreme God who watches over creation like a loving father. Central Africa Bakongo people The Bakongo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, and the Republic of the Congo believe in the Supreme God Nzambi a Mpungu, along with a female counterpart, Nzambici. Nzambi a Mpungu symbolises the sun, while Nzambici represents the moon and earth. Bassa people The Bassa of Cameroon refer to the Supreme Being as Ngambi or Nyombe. After the Bible was translated into Bassa in 1922, Ngambi became associated with the Christian Creator. Because of their deep respect for elder ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shona People
The Shona people () also/formerly known as the Karanga are a Bantu peoples, Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa, primarily living in Zimbabwe where they form the majority of the population, as well as Mozambique, South Africa, and worldwide diaspora. There are five major Shona language/dialect clusters: Manyika, Karanga, Zezuru, Korekore, Kalanga, and Ndau. Classification The Shona people are grouped according to the dialect of the language they speak. Their estimated population is 22.6 million: * Korekore people, Korekore (northern region of Zimbabwe) * Zezuru people, Zezuru (central Zimbabwe) * Manyika tribe, Manyika (eastern Zimbabwe around Mutare, Buhera, Nyanga, Zimbabwe, Nyanga and into Mozambique) * Ndau people, Ndau (southeast Zimbabwe around Mutare, Chimanimani, Chipinge and into Mozambique) * Karanga people, Karanga (south-central Zimbabwe around Masvingo) * Kalanga people, Kalanga (southwest Zimbabwe, interspersed with the Northern Ndebele people, Ndebele ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
