Cracking the Monolith: Political Monotheism, Territorial Exceptionalism, and the Divine Feminine

Political Monotheism, Territorial Exceptionalism, and the Divine Feminine

Abstract

This article examines the evolution of political monotheism by analyzing three frameworks: 1) “settler monotheism,” which weaponizes theological sovereignty to justify territorial exceptionalism and oppression; 2) “wild ass monotheism,” representing a decentralized, non-territorial Islamic approach, and; 3) the apotheosis of the feminine through the veneration of the Theotókos. It contrasts these to explore how the concept of a singular deity has been utilized for power, expanded across geographies, or transformed to include the divine feminine. Drawing on the work of Peter Schäfer, the research explores how these theological “cracks” led to diverging paths: Judaism’s reinforced strict monotheism and the Christian development of the Trinity through Christology. Finally, it considers how the elevation of Mary as Theotókos introduces a feminine dimension to monotheistic structures, suggesting a shift toward a more inclusive theological perspective.