The Globalisation of God

Summary

Today there is a diversity crisis. Biodiversity loss is at the level of mass extinction. Cultural diversity is also being lost, with migration, modernisation, and language loss.

The roots of this crisis lie in the 4th century CE. In this century, the Roman Church set its sights on creating a universal church. With the god of Judaism at its centre, it aimed to spread to all nations.

The central commandment of this faith passed on by Moses is that there can only be one god. No other gods can be tolerated. When Judaism was a small tribe, in the midst of many polytheist cultures, diversity was maintained. However, as monotheism began to expand throughout the world via Christianity, and then via Islam and other monotheist religions, this diversity was slowly eaten away.

We now live in a world where over 50% of the world's population claims to be monotheist.

Being monotheist is a human perspective on our world and our lives in it. It shapes the world we create. That perspective is defined by the god in which one believes. The god of monotheism lives in heaven, is male, single, and a father-figure. He issues commandments and judgements, and expects respect even from those who do not believe in him.

When that perspective is projected onto our lives and our world, it creates an intolerance for diversity, it authenticates male dominance and authoritarianism, and, perhaps most significantly, it presents nature as an object without a sacred presence.

This book traces the history of the globalisation of this god up to the present day. In its path, it first rooted out diversity within Christianity itself. Being on the fringes of Europe, and outside the Roman Empire, Celtic Christianity survived longer than most. It eventually succumbed in the 12th century. The story of Celtic Christianity's suppression is told in this book as an illustration of the effects of globalisation. Diversity cannot be tolerated.