The term Supreme Being is often defined simply as "God God is the English name given to the singular omnipotent being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism",[1] and it is used with this meaning by theologians of many religious faiths, including, but not limited to, Christianity Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. Christianity comprises three major branches: Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy (the two split from one another in 1054 A.D.), and Protestantism (which came into existence during the Protestant Reformation of the 16,[2] Islam Islam (Arabic: الإسلام al-’islām, pronounced [ʔislæːm] [note 1]) is a strictly monotheistic religion articulated by the Qur’an, a text considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of God (Arabic: الله, Allāh), and by the Prophet of Islam Muhammad's teachings and normative example (which is called the Sunnah in,[3] Hinduism Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as Sanātana Dharma by its adherents. Generic "types" of Hinduism that attempt to accommodate a variety of complex views span folk and Vedic Hinduism to bhakti tradition, as in Vaishnavism. Hinduism also includes yogic,[4] and Deism Deism is a religious and philosophical belief that a supreme being created the universe, and that this (and religious truth in general) can be determined using reason and observation of the natural world alone, without the need for either faith or organized religion. Many Deists reject the notion that God intervenes in human affairs, for example.[5] However, the term can also refer to more complex or philosophical interpretations of the divine. Many fraternal organisations, especially those which admit members of diverse religious backgrounds (such as Freemasonry Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 in Scotland and Ireland, over a quarter of a million under the Jurisdiction of the United) use the term as a generic description, allowing the candidate to adhere to whichever deity or concept he holds to be appropriate.[6][7]
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Use of the term in religious contexts
Christianity
In Christian Theology, the term Supreme Being can refer to God, the Father.[8] It can also be used to refer to the Christian Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.[9]
Hinduism
Shiva Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and the Destroyer or transformer of the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme God. In the Smarta tradition, he is regarded as one of the five primary forms of God (pronounced /ˈʃiːvə/; Sanskrit: शिव, Śiva, IPA: [ˈɕivə]; Hindi: [ˈʃɪʋə], meaning "Auspicious one"), also known as Rudra (the "Feared One") is a major Hindu god and one aspect of the concept of Trimurti The Hindu scriptures or the Puranas explain that Absolute Satchinanda, or Existence-Bliss-Absolute once had a wish to be seer and player in a unreal world, the world of Maya. So he created the Trimurtis, the Universe, men, Gods, Demons. There many ideas conflicting with each other, but no one can say which one of it is right. The followers of, or divine "Hindu triad". In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme Being.[10] Shiva, who is Parameshwara (The Transcendent Lord), who is Satchitananda, issued Shakti. Shakti is not coexistent with Parameshwara but is that Power of Him that is necessary for creation. Shiva and His Shakti are more than the creation which He/She manifests! Shakti, who is the first desire (Kama) of Shiva, is Herself the Divine Mother of the cosmos. When the diverse cosmos emerged from Shiva’s Shakti, the original desire that is the Primordial Will to be pervaded all manifestation. Microcosmically and macrocosmically, as above so below, all is Shiva/Shakti.[11]
Svayam Bhagavan Svayam Bhagavan , "The Lord" or Lord Himself, is a Sanskrit theological term. The term refers to the concept of absolute representation of the monotheistic God as Bhagavan within Hinduism is a Sanskrit term for the original deity of the Supreme God worshiped across many traditions of the Vaishnavism, the monotheistic absolute deity. This term is often applied to Krishna Krishna is a deity worshipped across many traditions in Hinduism in a variety of perspectives. While many Vaishnava groups recognize Krishna as an avatar of Vishnu, other traditions within Krishnaism consider him to be svayam bhagavan, or the Supreme Being in some branches of Vaishnavism.[12][13][14]Traditions of Gaudiya Vaishnavas, the Nimbarka Sampradaya and followers of Swaminarayan Swaminarayan (2 April 1781 – 1 June 1830), also known as Sahajanand Swami, is the central figure in a modern sect of Hinduism known as the Swaminarayan Faith, a form of Vaishnavism. Within the faith, Swaminarayan is venerated as an incarnation of Narayana from the Nara-Narayana deity pair and is equated with the Supreme Being. Swaminarayan is Vallabha Sri Vallabhacharya was a devotional philosopher, who founded the Pushti sect in India, following the philosophy of Shuddha advaita (Pure Non-dualism). Shri Vallabhacharya accepted the 'Acharya' designation of Vishnuswami Sampraday (Rudra Sampraday) upon request of Bilvamangala Acharya, the last Vishnuswami Sampraday acharya before Shri considers him to be the source of all avataras In Hinduism, Avatar or Avatāra refers to a deliberate descent of a deity from heaven to earth, and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation", but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation",[15] and the source of Vishnu Vishnu is the Supreme God in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God himself, or to be the same as Narayana Narayana or Narayan is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana. In the Kurma Purana he is identified with Brahman and Krishna-Vishnu, but in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana Narayana is. As such, he is therefore regarded as Svayam Bhagavan.[12][13][16]
When Krishna Krishna is a deity worshipped across many traditions in Hinduism in a variety of perspectives. While many Vaishnava groups recognize Krishna as an avatar of Vishnu, other traditions within Krishnaism consider him to be svayam bhagavan, or the Supreme Being is recognized to be Svayam Bhagavan, it can be understood that this is the belief of Gaudiya Vaishnavism Gaudiya Vaishnavism is a Vaishnava religious movement founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) in India in the 16th century. "Gaudiya" refers to Gauḍadeśa (present day Bengal/Bangladesh) with Vaishnavism meaning the worship of Vishnu. Its philosophical basis is primarily that of the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata Purana, as well as,[17] the Vallabha Sampradaya Sri Vallabhacharya was a devotional philosopher, who founded the Pushti sect in India, following the philosophy of Shuddha advaita (Pure Non-dualism),[18] and the Nimbarka Sampradaya, where Krishna is accepted to be the source of all other avatars, and the source of Vishnu Vishnu is the Supreme God in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God himself. This belief is drawn primarily "from the famous statement of the Bhagavatam"[19](1.3.28).[20] A different viewpoint differing from this theological concept is the concept of Krishna Krishna is a deity worshipped across many traditions in Hinduism in a variety of perspectives. While many Vaishnava groups recognize Krishna as an avatar of Vishnu, other traditions within Krishnaism consider him to be svayam bhagavan, or the Supreme Being as an avatara In Hinduism, Avatar or Avatāra refers to a deliberate descent of a deity from heaven to earth, and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation", but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation" of Narayana Narayana or Narayan is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana. In the Kurma Purana he is identified with Brahman and Krishna-Vishnu, but in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana Narayana is or Vishnu Vishnu is the Supreme God in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God. It should be however noted that although it is usual to speak of Vishnu as the source of the avataras, this is only one of the names of the God of Vaishnavism Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or his associated avatars, principally as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God. This worship in different perspectives or historical traditions addresses God under the names of Narayana, Krishna, Vāsudeva or more often "Vishnu",, who is also known as Narayana Narayana or Narayan is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana. In the Kurma Purana he is identified with Brahman and Krishna-Vishnu, but in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana Narayana is, Vasudeva In Hindu mythology, Vasudeva is the father of Krishna, the son of Shoorsen, of the Yadu and Vrishni dynasties. His sister Kunti was married to Pandu. He was a partial incarnation of Rishi Kashyap. The patronymic Vāsudeva (with long ā) is a popular name of Krishna and Krishna and behind each of those names there is a divine figure with attributed supremacy in Vaishnavism Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or his associated avatars, principally as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God. This worship in different perspectives or historical traditions addresses God under the names of Narayana, Krishna, Vāsudeva or more often "Vishnu",.[21] Para Brahman Para Brahman (the Highest Brahman; not to be confused with brahmin, an Indic social class designation) - is a term often used by Vedantic philosophers as to the "attainment of the ultimate goal". Srimadi Shankarabhagavathpadacharya has said that there is only one Supreme Para-Brahman and all the other dieties are the forms and expansions and Para-Vasudeva also sometimes referred to as the Supreme Being, as the main force, power or energy, and all forms of divinity are considered to be merely His diverse divine descents, expansions, aspects, or manifestations.
Islam
Islamic scholars have used the term Supreme Being to refer to 'Allah Allah (Arabic: الله Allāh, IPA: [ʔalˤːɑːh] ) is the standard Arabic word for God. While the term is best known in the West for its use by Muslims as a reference to God, it is used by Arabs of all Abrahamic faiths, including Mizrahi Jews, Baha'is and Eastern Orthodox Christians, in reference to God. The term was also used by pagan', an Arabic name for God.[22]
Sikhism
The holy scripture of the Sikhs, Sri Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is the holy scripture and the final Guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs (parts), compiled and composed during the period of Sikh Gurus, from 1469 to 1708. It is a collection of hymns or shabad, which describe what God is like and the right way to live, states there is only one Supreme Being and that different people use different names but He is still only One. Sikhs personally use Waheguru Waheguru is the distinctive representation of God's name in the Sikh dispensation. In Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, the term does not figure in the compositions of the Gurus, though it occurs therein, both as Vahiguru and Vahguru, in the hymns of Bhatt Gayand, the bard contemporary with Guru Arjan, Nanak V , and also in the Varan of Bhai, or the term Ek Onkar, meaning One God.
Deism
Deists use the term Supreme Being to refer to the Divine (although the Divine is not defined).
Bahai'i
The Bahá'í writings describe a single, personal, inaccessible, omniscient, omnipresent, imperishable, and almighty God who is the creator of all things in the universe. The existence of God and the universe is thought to be eternal, without a beginning or end.[23]
Use in non-religious contexts
Freemasonry
In Masonic ritual the Supreme Being is referred to as Great Architect of the Universe The Great Architect of the Universe is a conception of God discussed by many Christian theologians and apologists. As a designation it is used within Freemasonry to neutrally represent whatever Supreme Being to which each member individually holds in adherence. It is also a Rosicrucian conception of God, as expressed by Max Heindel. The concept of, which alludes to the use of architectural symbolism within Freemasonry.[24][25]
Candidates for regular Regularity is the process by which individual Grand Lodges recognise one another for the purposes of allowing formal interaction at the Grand Lodge level and visitation by members of other jurisdictions freemasonry Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 in Scotland and Ireland, over a quarter of a million under the Jurisdiction of the United are required to declare a belief in a Supreme Being.[6] However, the candidate is not asked to expand on, or explain, his interpretation of Supreme Being. The discussion of politics Politics , is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to behavior within civil governments, but politics has been observed in other group interactions, including corporate, academic, and religious institutions. It consists of "social relations involving authority or power" and refers and religion Religion is the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or a set of beliefs concerning the origin and purpose of the universe. It is commonly regarded as consisting of a person’s relation to God or to gods or spirits. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories associated with their deity or deities, that are is forbidden within a Masonic Lodge Freemasonry · Grand Lodge · Masonic Lodge · Masonic Lodge Officers · Grand Master · Prince Hall Freemasonry · Regular Masonic jurisdictions, in part so a candidate or Mason will not be placed in the situation of having to justify his personal interpretation.[26] Thus, reference to the Supreme Being will mean the Christian Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity teaches the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. The doctrine states that God is the Triune God, existing as three persons, or in the Greek hypostases, but one being. Since the beginning of the third century the doctrine of the Trinity has been stated as "the one God to a Christian Mason, Allah Allah (Arabic: الله Allāh, IPA: [ʔalˤːɑːh] ) is the standard Arabic word for God. While the term is best known in the West for its use by Muslims as a reference to God, it is used by Arabs of all Abrahamic faiths, including Mizrahi Jews, Baha'is and Eastern Orthodox Christians, in reference to God. The term was also used by pagan to a Muslim Mason, Para Brahman Para Brahman (the Highest Brahman; not to be confused with brahmin, an Indic social class designation) - is a term often used by Vedantic philosophers as to the "attainment of the ultimate goal". Srimadi Shankarabhagavathpadacharya has said that there is only one Supreme Para-Brahman and all the other dieties are the forms and expansions to a Hindu Mason, etc. While most Freemasons would take the view that the term Supreme Being equates to God God is the English name given to the singular omnipotent being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism, others may hold a more complex or philosophical interpretation of the term.
See also
- Absolute (philosophy) The Absolute is the concept of an unconditional reality which transcends limited, conditional, everyday existence. It is often used as an alternate term for a "God" or "the Divine", especially, but by no means exclusively, by those who feel that the term "God" lends itself too easily to anthropomorphic presumptions
- Demiurge The demiurge is a concept from the Platonic, Middle Platonic, and Neoplatonic schools of philosophy for an artisan-like figure responsible for the fashioning and maintenance of the physical universe. The term was subsequently adopted by the Gnostics. Although a fashioner, the demiurge is not quite the creator figure in the familiar monotheistic
- God God is the English name given to the singular omnipotent being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism
- Names of God In the Hebrew scriptures the Jewish name of God is considered sacred and, out of deep respect for the name, Jews do not say the name of God and do not erase it if it is written. The tetragrammaton (Hebrew: יהוה, English: YHVH or YHWH) is the name for the group of four Hebrew letters which represent the name of God. The Tetragrammaton occurs 6,8
- Conceptions of God The God of monotheism, pantheism or panentheism, or the supreme deity of henotheistic religions, may be conceived of in various degrees of abstraction:
- Existence of God Arguments for and against the existence of God have been proposed by philosophers, theologians, scientists, and others. In philosophical terminology, "existence-of-God" arguments concern schools of thought on the epistemology of the ontology of God
- Cult of the Supreme Being The Cult of the Supreme Being was a form of deism devised by Maximilien Robespierre, intended to become the state religion after the French Revolution. The cult represents an innovation in the "de-Catholicization" of French society during the Revolution, in that Robespierre sought to move beyond simple deism (often described as
- God the Father God the Father is the title and attribution given to God in many monotheist religions. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, law-giver, and protector. In Christianity, God is called Father because of the mystery of the Father-Son relationship revealed by Jesus Christ and because of the reasons mentioned above
- Great Mother
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Belief in Allah (God): Allah is the Arabic word for the Supreme Being , just as God is the English word for the Supreme Being . So if one person says "God ...
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Being. that the . Supreme. Court's litmus test for probable cause has historically required the element of a crime to be associate with reasonable cause for a seizure, how then is it possible that a traffic stop (seizure) for a non criminal ...
