Question

what is monothesism

Answer 1

You probably mean “monotheism.”

Definition
- Monotheism is the belief that there is only one God — a single, supreme, ultimate deity.

Etymology
- From Greek: monos (one) + theos (god).

Key features
- Exclusive belief in one divine being (as opposed to many gods).
- Often includes attributes assigned to that one God such as omnipotence (all-powerful), omniscience (all-knowing), and moral perfection.
- Typically involves worship directed to that single God and doctrines about creation, providence, and moral law coming from that God.

Major examples
- Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are the world’s best-known monotheistic religions. Sikhism and some forms of Zoroastrianism are also commonly described as monotheistic.

Related terms and distinctions
- Polytheism: belief in many gods (opposite).
- Henotheism/Monolatry: worship of one god without denying the existence of others.
- Deism: belief in one creator God who doesn’t intervene in the world.
- Pantheism: identifies God with the universe itself (different from classical theistic monotheism).
- Monism: philosophical view that reality is ultimately one substance (not the same as monotheism, though sometimes related in religious interpretations).

Brief historical note
- Some early religious movements showed monotheistic tendencies (for example, Atenism in ancient Egypt). The clear, lasting monotheistic traditions developed in the ancient Near East and grew into the major monotheistic faiths today.

If you want, I can expand on the history, theological differences between the major monotheistic religions, or how monotheism affects ethics and worship.