Supreme Being

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God

Theistic approaches
Deism · Henotheism
Monotheism · Panentheism
Pantheism · Monolatrism

Specific conceptions
Names · "God" · Existence · Gender
Creator · Architect · Demiurge · Sustainer
Lord · Father · Monad · Oneness
Supreme Being · The All · Personal
Unitarianism · Ditheism · Trinity
Omniscience · Omnipotence
Omnipresence · Omnibenevolence
in Bahá'í · in Buddhism · in Christianity
in Hinduism · in Islam · in Judaism
in Sikhism

Experience and practices
Faith · Prayer · Belief · Revelation
Fideism · Gnosis · Metaphysics
Mysticism · Hermeticism · Esotericism

Related topics
Philosophy · Religion · Ontology
God complex · Neurotheology
Euthyphro dilemma · Problem of evil (Theodicy)

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The term Supreme Being is often defined simply as "God",[1] and it is used with this meaning by theologians of many religious faiths, including, but not limited to, Christianity,[2] Islam,[3] Hinduism,[4] and Deism.[5] However, the term can also refer to more complex or philosophical interpretations of the divine. Many fraternal organizations, especially those which admit members of diverse religious backgrounds (such as Freemasonry) use the term as a generic description, allowing the candidate to adhere to whichever deity or concept he holds to be appropriate.[6][7]

Contents

[edit] Usage in Christian Theology

In Christian Theology, the term Supreme Being can refer to God, the Father almighty.[8] It can also be used to refer to the Christian Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.[9]

[edit] Usage in Judaism

Since according to Jewish tradition the explicit name of God cannot be verbally uttered, some common names exist to metion or address God. While some can be as simple as "Adonay" (My Lord), some can clearly diffentiate God from the rest of the world, names such as "Hakadosh Baruch Hu" (The Blessed Holy One) or "Melech Malchey Hamelachim" (The King who reigns over kings who reign over kings).

[edit] Usage in Hinduism

Lord Krishna is considered to be the Supreme Being as the main force, power or energy, and all other forms of divinity are considered to be merely His diverse manifestations.

[edit] Usage in Islam

Islamic scholars use the term to refer to God.[10]

[edit] Usage in Freemasonry

Candidates for regular freemasonry are required to declare a belief in a Supreme Being.[6]

Most Freemasons would take the view that the Supreme Being equates to God; others hold a more complex or philosophical interpretation of the term. However, the candidate is not asked to expand on, or explain, his or her interpretation of Supreme Being. The discussion of politics and religion is forbidden within a Masonic Lodge so a candidate or Mason should not be placed in the situation of having to justify the interpretation.[11]

In Masonic ritual the Supreme Being is referred to as Great Architect of the Universe, which alludes to the use of architectural symbolism within Freemasonry.[12][13]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ definition according to Miriam-Webster on line dictionary.
  2. ^ http://www.actsweb.org/articles/article.php?i=1431&d=2&c=2 and http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/dogmatics/baroudy_god_supreme_being.htm
  3. ^ Revelation - Sacred Theology
  4. ^ The Hindu Online edition of India's National Newspaper, Monday, Sep 22, 2003
  5. ^ website showing usage by Deists during the French Revolution.
  6. ^ a b Is Freemasonry a religion?. United Grand Lodge of England. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
  7. ^ MQ MAGAZINE Issue 13 - God and the Craft
  8. ^ God - the Supreme Being
  9. ^ The Sense of a Supreme Being
  10. ^ Allah, al-llah
  11. ^ Becoming a Mason - To become one, ask one: What is Freemasonry? accessed 10 June 2007
  12. ^ William K. Bissey. "G.A.O.T.U.", The Indiana Freemason, Spring 1997. 
  13. ^ S. Brent Morris. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Freemasonry. Alpha/Penguin Books, 212. ISBN 1-59257-490-4.