Godhead (Christianity)
Godhead is a Middle English variant of the word godhood, and denotes the divine character of the Christian God. In later English texts "Godhead" is also a title for God, particular for the Trinity. In modern times godhead can be found denoting each of the three distinct persons of the christian trinitarian God: God the father, God the son named Jesus Christ and God the holy spirit.
The ending "-head", is not connected with the word "head". John Wycliffe introduced the term godhede into English Bible versions in two places, and, though somewhat archaic, the term survives in modern English because of its use in three places of the Tyndale New Testament (1525) and into the Authorized King James Version of the Bible (1611). In that translation, the word was used to translate three different Greek words:
| Verse | Greek | Romanization | Type | Translation | Reference | Vulgate 405 | Wycliffe 1395 | Tyndale 1525 | ESV 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 17:29 | θεῖον | theion | adjective | "divinity, deity" | [1] | divinum (adjective) | that godli thing | godhed | the divine being |
| Romans 1:20 | θειότης | theiotēs | noun | "divinity, divine nature" | [2] | divinitas | godhed | godhed | divine nature |
| Colossians 2:9 | θεότης | theotēs | noun | "deity" | [3] | divinitas | the Godhed | the godheed | deity |
[edit] Christianity
In the later Neoplatonic mystical tradition (in Pseudo-Dionysius, for example), the term θεαρχία thearchia is used.[4]
In Mormon theology, the term is used in place of Trinity to refer to God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The substitution reflects the fact that though Mormonism is nontrinitarian, in that the three persons of the Trinity are not considered to have one substance, yet they are considered "one God" in the sense of their united purpose, will, and attributes. See Godhead (Latter Day Saints). In Trinitarian Christianity, the term "Godhead" does not denote the Trinity usually, but the Divine Nature shared by the hypostases of the Triune God.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Strong's G2304 - theios". Blue Letter bible. http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/strongs.pl?strongs=2304&language=G.
- ^ "Strong's G2305 - theiotēs". Blue Letter Bible. http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/strongs.pl?strongs=2305&language=G.
- ^ "Strong's G2320 - theotēs". Blue Letter Bible. http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/strongs.pl?strongs=2320&language=G.
- ^ "The Catholic Primer's Reference Series: Divine Names and Mystical Theology of Pseudo-Dionysius" (PDF). Catholic Primer. http://www.catholicprimer.org/early_theologians/dionysius_areopagite_divine_names_mystical_theology.pdf.
