University of Virginia Library

Search this document 

expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
collapse section
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HIGH GODS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section

HIGH GODS:

many scholars argue that a PRIMITIVE MONOTHEISM lies behind most religious movements even though the people concerned appear, at first sight, to WORSHIP many GODS. The idea is that behind the lesser Gods of everyday life lies a more remote High God who is the true God and source of their religious ideas. This CONCEPT originated as a FORM of CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS and is particularly associated with the work of Father Wilhelm SCHMIDT whose ideas are generally rejected by modern scholars.