Posted on 04/05/2004 8:52:20 PM PDT by restornu
Although monotheism is usually associated with Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, there have, in fact, been a number of other monotheistic religions in world history. Iran, in particular, was a center for monotheistic thought, being home to both Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism.
At first glance, ancient Egypt, with its hundreds of exotic gods, would seem the last place for a monotheistic revelation. Yet one of the earliest monotheists known to history was Akhenaten, pharaoh of Egypt from 1352-1336 BC, who perhaps lived in the generation before Moses. Akhenaten was born of royal parents, raised and trained in the religious traditions of Egypt that focused on the worship of the high-god Amun at his great temple of Karnak in the capital city, Thebes (modern-day Luxor).
However, Akhenaten appears to have been personally devoted to the worship of Aten, the supreme Creator manifest as the sun-disk in the heavens. In the fifth year of his reign (1348 BC), Akhenaten made a formal break with the ancient traditional religion of Egypt, changing his name from his former throne-name, Amenhotep IV, to his new religious title Akhen-aten, the glory of the [sun] disk. He also decreased the resources devoted to the worship of Amun, and moved the capital of Egypt from Thebes to his newly established city Akhet-aten (horizon of the [sun] disk), which is better known by the modern name Amarna. His attempts to establish the supremacy of Aten included the suppression of the worship of other gods, and the excising of the name Amun from the walls of the great temples.
The twelve years of Akhenatens reign at his new capital are often called the Amarna period, due to their revolutionary transformation of Egypt. Although still recognizably Egyptian, the art of the Amarna period is characterized by experimental freedom and less stylized portraiture. The most famous work of art of the period is the realistic, life-like bust of Nefertiti, Akhenatens beautiful wife. On another famous bas-relief, Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and two of their daughters offer flowers and fruits to the sun-disk Aten, whose rays, stretching down, end in hands bearing the ankhthe Egyptian symbol of eternal life. The Great Temple of Aten at Amarna was surrounded by a vast open-air courtyard, measuring approximately 800x300 yards, which contained 365 altars for sacrifices to the glorious sun-disk.
Akhenatens personal religious and mystical feelings are remarkably preserved in his famous "Hymn to Aten," with its extraordinary parallels to biblical Psalm 104. "How manifold are thy works!" writes Akhenaten. "They are hidden from the sight of men, O Sole God, like unto whom there is no other!"
Akhenatens obsession with religion caused him to neglect foreign affairs, undermining Egyptian domination of Canaan, which his ancestors had conquered at great cost. The military decay of the empire abroad is remarkably documented in the Amarna Tablets, a collection of royal correspondence from the vassal kings of Canaan to Akhenaten. Among these Egyptian vassals was Abdi-Khiba, king of Jerusalem, who wrote a letter to Akhenaten somewhat dubiously proclaiming his loyalty to the pharaoh.
Upon his death, Akhenaten was succeeded briefly by his brother Smenkhare, and then by the famous Tutankhamun. (It is uncertain if Tutankhamun was Akhenatens son, grandson, or closest male relative.) Shortly after ascending the throne, Tutankhamun abandoned Amarna, returning to the former capital at Thebes and to the traditional worship of Amun. The revenge of the priests of Amun for Akhenatens blasphemy was swift. His name was excised from the king-lists and his tomb was left unused. Perhaps the priests, seeking to deny him eternal life, refused to carry out the proper burial rituals. Thus, Akhenatens attempted religious revolution was quickly overturned by the renewed triumph of Amun. His very name was forgotten until the excavations of Amarna in the nineteenth century. The ultimate success of monotheism in Egypt would have to wait fourteen hundred years, until the coming of Christianity.
Further Reading: C. Aldred, Akhenaten: King of Egypt (Thames and Hudson, 1988).
Hey unspun, is the Judson College you refer to the one in Elgin, IL???? I was just in Elgin today, visiting Elgin Community College on some personal business...
How 'bout it -- that's the one! A fine little liberal arts college supported by mostly Baptist churches and folk. Very pretty campus (for Illinois, especially). I live in the western Chicago 'burbs now.
Enjoy your visit to the town famous for clocks, street sweepers, and caskets?
I always have a pleasent visit to the "Bluff City!" I live up in McHenry County, and often have to drive in or through Elgin on my way to other places. It's amazing how the city has changed since the gambling boat has been there. The downtown area is really quite pleasent, and even trendy. Lot's of neat old churches and turn-of-the-century architecture. It's the city that time forgot. (Much like it's southern neighbor, Aurora...)
Every once in a while I even stop by the 'International Teams' HQ just a block or two from the Judson campus for a teaching or seminar. Otherwise, much of my travels in and through Elgin are on it's western border, as I go up & down Randall Road visiting my freinds & family in the far western burbs!
I myself went to NIU and DePaul, and have also made some pitstops at Northwestern, Purdue Calumet (Hammond), the Illinois Institute of Art (Schaumburg) and the Moody Bible Institute.
Since you are into speculation, here is a site. The Aten - The Sun Disc
Akhenaten is said to have written the very beautiful Great Hymn to the Aten, which has been compared to Psalm 104. It was found inscribed in the tomb of an important court figure, Aye. The beauty of the art and writing devoted to the Aten, and Akhenaten's own charisma, stirs the hearts of many. Since Akhenaten tried to move his kingdom toward apparent monotheism, much speculation has led some to believe Moses met Akhenaten or even that Moses is Akhenaten. Also, the Rosicrucian Order and many other cults and religions trace their roots to the cult of the Aten. Even more wild speculation has taken place: for instance, that Tutankhamun is Jesus!
Revelation 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Amen seems to be more than just the closing for a prayer. Who is the Amen? I've even seen speculation that Ra, Amen and Aten were the trinity and that Osiris, Isis and Horus the 'holy family'. (Mary, Joseph and Jesus)
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
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Note: this topic is from 4/05/2004. One of *those* topics.
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