Female monotheistic deities?

[Riothamus12]

Firstly, do you know of any other traditional (AKA; not constructed in the 18th, 19th, or 20th century) belief systems with a singular, female, monotheistic Goddess.

Secondly, why do you think popular culture and academia tend to associate monotheism with patriarchy? There are plenty of patriarchal polytheistic systems, and as stated above, there are monotheistic systems where the God(ess) figure is female.

Discuss, debate, tell me what you think.

If I recall correctly there's one obscure traditional religion from somewhere in the region commonly referred to as Oceania that has a singular Deity who is a Goddess in the country of Nauru, but I don't know much about her. There's not much written about Nauruan traditional religion that I can find.

[Donal2018]

In both popular perception and in academia, particularly feminist academia, Monotheism is often associated with patriarchy. There is an implicit assumption, in the modern western mind, that if God is singular, he is also male.

I am aware that a few Modern Pagan religious systems have a central Goddess figure as the main deity. Some of them even have true, hard monotheism where the Goddess is the *only* deity. However, there remains the perception that this is a novel, modern, feminist response to the traditional monotheistic male God.

That's not, however, necessarily the case. I know for certain of at least on example of a traditional, non-modern, non-pagan, non-feminist monotheistic where the only "true" God is female (there are lesser spirits, of both sexes). That example is the indigenous religion of the island of Nauru, where the Goddess Eijebong is the only actual deity in the religion. She is served my minor spirits, much like the angels of Abrahamic faiths, who are created beings with finite power.

So, I have two points of discussion in mind for this thread:

Firstly, do you know of any other traditional (AKA; not constructed in the 18th, 19th, or 20th century) belief systems with a singular, female, monotheistic Goddess.

Secondly, why do you think popular culture and academia tend to associate monotheism with patriarchy? There are plenty of patriarchal polytheistic systems, and as stated above, there are monotheistic systems where the God(ess) figure is female.

Discuss, debate, tell me what you think.

Well, it is not a monotheistic system, but in Gnosticism there is Sophia, a feminine aspect of God. As someone raised and educated by Catholic Nuns and Lay Teachers (Vatican 2), I have always been interested in feminine aspects of the Divine, in Christianity and outside of it. I have always been interested in Mary as the Queen of Heaven, and later found out about the Shekinah and Sophia (Wisdom).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_(Gnosticism)

[ehbowen]

Well, it is not a monotheistic system, but in Gnosticism there is Sophia, a feminine aspect of God. As someone raised and educated by Catholic Nuns and Lay Teachers (Vatican 2), I have always been interested in feminine aspects of the Divine, in Christianity and outside of it. I have always been interested in Mary as the Queen of Heaven, and later found out about the Shekinah and Sophia (Wisdom).

Believe me, she's cute. And she has six sisters.

[Donal2018]

Believe me, she's cute. And she has six sisters.

I'd be interested to hear more about it. I once met a woman with unusual Christian ideas who took elements of what seemed to be Judaism and ideas of a female Messiah and fashioned her own views. I don't know too much about such stuff, but would like to know more.

[Hariti]

I'd be interested to hear more about it.

If you read through Eric's past posts and threads, you'll find he has already written many, many words about his personal beliefs. If you really are interested, you should do so; I personally find his ideas to be quite engaging and thought provoking.

[Donal2018]

If you read through Eric's past posts and threads, you'll find he has already written many, many words about his personal beliefs. If you really are interested, you should do so; I personally find his ideas to be quite engaging and thought provoking.

Yes thanks for the suggestion, will do. I have only recently started to look through past posts in a deeper manner. There is a lot of material, so I have just been dipping into it a bit randomly. I hope to read such stuff more thoroughly as I spend more time here.

[Donal2018]

In both popular perception and in academia, particularly feminist academia, Monotheism is often associated with patriarchy. There is an implicit assumption, in the modern western mind, that if God is singular, he is also male.

I am aware that a few Modern Pagan religious systems have a central Goddess figure as the main deity. Some of them even have true, hard monotheism where the Goddess is the *only* deity. However, there remains the perception that this is a novel, modern, feminist response to the traditional monotheistic male God.

That's not, however, necessarily the case. I know for certain of at least on example of a traditional, non-modern, non-pagan, non-feminist monotheistic where the only "true" God is female (there are lesser spirits, of both sexes). That example is the indigenous religion of the island of Nauru, where the Goddess Eijebong is the only actual deity in the religion. She is served my minor spirits, much like the angels of Abrahamic faiths, who are created beings with finite power.

So, I have two points of discussion in mind for this thread:

Firstly, do you know of any other traditional (AKA; not constructed in the 18th, 19th, or 20th century) belief systems with a singular, female, monotheistic Goddess.

Secondly, why do you think popular culture and academia tend to associate monotheism with patriarchy? There are plenty of patriarchal polytheistic systems, and as stated above, there are monotheistic systems where the God(ess) figure is female.

Discuss, debate, tell me what you think.

Yes sorry back to your original post...I would maybe consider Cybele who later became Magna Mater in Rome. I think somebody just posted a thread about her. Before the Romans incorporated her into their beliefs, I think she was worshipped monotheistically in Asia Minor.

I also think that she has been associated with the "Mother Goddess" statues like the Venus of Willendorf (spl?). These ancient fertility goddess statues have been associated with the idea of a matriarchal pre-historic goddess cult.

[ehbowen]

Yes thanks for the suggestion, will do. I have only recently started to look through past posts in a deeper manner. There is a lot of material, so I have just been dipping into it a bit randomly. I hope to read such stuff more thoroughly as I spend more time here.

If you read through Eric's past posts and threads, you'll find he has already written many, many words about his personal beliefs. If you really are interested, you should do so; I personally find his ideas to be quite engaging and thought provoking.

Well, if you want to save some time digging through 1200+ posts spread over two boards....

The God I Worship.
Two Hours With a Goddess.
Wisdom, Solomon, and Godspousery.
My First Meetings With Jessica.
The Divine Family.
Quick on Creation.
Satan As I Know Them.
My experience of the Christian God.
A Phone Call (from Sean Hannity) to Jessica.
Life, Death, and Resurrection.
God and His Biggest Mistake.
Time and the structure of Reality.
Nodes and Singularities.
Free Will.
On the Malleability of Events.
On Hell.
The Problem of Evil.
On Omniscience and the Basis of Knowledge.
Prophecy and Revelation.
Earlier Discussion on Omniscience.
"Thor Partners, LLC [Funny]"

[Donal2018]

Well, if you want to save some time digging through 1200+ posts spread over two boards....

The God I Worship.
Two Hours With a Goddess.
Wisdom, Solomon, and Godspousery.
My First Meetings With Jessica.
The Divine Family.
Quick on Creation.
Satan As I Know Them.
My experience of the Christian God.
A Phone Call (from Sean Hannity) to Jessica.
Life, Death, and Resurrection.
God and His Biggest Mistake.
Time and the structure of Reality.
Nodes and Singularities.
Free Will.
On the Malleability of Events.
On Hell.
The Problem of Evil.
On Omniscience and the Basis of Knowledge.
Prophecy and Revelation.
Earlier Discussion on Omniscience.
"Thor Partners, LLC [Funny]"

Yes, thanks for the lists and the links. I will look at them over time.