One God. Many world religions. Can that be?

One God. Many world religions. Can that be?

Commentary by Pete Haug | FāVS News

This year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, convened by Emperor Constantine to resolve disputes within the entire Christian church over the nature of Jesus Christ. During its first 325 years, Christianity had splintered into at least three branches that differed in theological traditions.

A foundational doctrine established at Nicaea incorporated the non-scriptural word homoousios (“of one substance”) into a creed signifying absolute equality among Son (Jesus), Father (God) and the Holy Spirit. This belief was enshrined in the Nicene Creed, still used by many churches. Other denominations later simplified it into the “Apostles’ Creed.”

One “apostle” who balked

From age eight I recited the Apostles’ Creed at Sunday School, never questioning, nor even thinking about, what I was saying. I simply joined those around me in repeating the creed congregationally. By age 17, I’d begun to consider and question what I was saying.

Suddenly I couldn’t get past the beginning, the “I believe in God …” part. Who was I kidding? I didn’t believe. If God existed, he knew what was in my heart; it wouldn’t do to lie. Thus began my 12 years of agnosticism.

Multiple belief systems

I never became an atheist. Science suggests we can’t “prove” the nonexistence of something. I didn’t disbelieve; I simply didn’t know. We can, however, use rational thought to question. “Proofs” of God are myriad, but, like miracles, they’re useful only for those who already believe. Forcing belief on others, whether through miracles or coercion, disenfranchises their uniquely human endowment of free will.

Belief can be a slippery slope. Belief in, and understanding of, God are unlikely to be identical in any two persons. Constantine convened that first Council to unite the early church. Christianity had already fragmented. With scant literacy among rank-and-file followers, Christians relied on clergy to read and interpret scripture for them.

Many still do. Scriptural interpretation, and guidance derived from it, differs widely. The Bible itself wasn’t canonized until decades after Nicaea. As Christian denominations proliferated, the Bible has assumed many forms. 

Similarly, many faiths have arisen throughout the world over millennia. These include Indigenous religions as well as those in the mainstream, all arising at different times and in different places. Even Islam, with Muhammad’s utterances recorded directly in the Quran, fragmented into branches. Denominations of Christianity are hard to enumerate, but one AI-generated estimate suggest there are about 45,000. 

Proliferation of knowledge

As human understanding increases, spiritual guidance becomes more sophisticated. Knowledge is cumulative. A child can’t learn calculus without a good grasp of basic math. Humanity moves forward as it better understands natural and social phenomena.

Instant communication and intercontinental transportation weren’t available to disciples of Jesus. Modern communication provides infinite information at the touch of a screen. As human mastery of the material world burgeons, it’s increasingly necessary for humans to exercise self-restraint in using available technology. Where is spiritual guidance for such self-restraint?

If there is only one God, why so many versions of his teachings? The devil is in the details. A Jewish friend once commented, “You can reduce the Ten Commandments to two: Love God and follow the golden rule.” Variations on that rule are found throughout religious teachings. 

A Simple explanation

As knowledge grows with changing times, God’s teachings are updated. This is why there have been so many messengers from God throughout ages. Baha’u’llah explains these are all from the same Source — God — an unknowable Essence. Baha’is call these messengers “Manifestations of God,” human beings endowed with God’s message for a particular time and place. The worldwide proliferation of apparently differing religions results from these periodic “updates,” which are intended to lead humanity to new levels of spiritual understanding and behavior.

Despite the Council of Nicaea conclusions, these manifestations are not God; they are spokespersons for God. In John (8:40) Jesus explains he is “a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God.” This distinction is also clear at Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39): Jesus prays to his Father, “ … if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Other New Testament passages, similarly worded, reinforce this distinction.

Baha’u’llah explains the distinction between the Holy Spirit imbuing a manifestation and the human characteristics that define a manifestation during his lifetime. Baha’u’llah’s teachings provide a basis for uniting humankind within a global civilization, embracing the richness of diverse cultures and being guided by spiritual motivation that recognizes the oneness of our diverse humanity. 

Check it out.

Baha’u’llah’s teachings and authoritative guidance are online at Baha’i Reference library. It’s my constant source of information on the faith I embraced 60 years ago. After my early years of agnosticism, I’ve spent the last six decades embracing a system of beliefs transcending those I once rejected. I now believe.

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.