从迦南神话管窥圣经一神论——宗教观嬗变下古以色列身份认同的形塑

Biblical Monotheism Viewed from Canaanite Myths:The Shape of Ancient Israeli Identity under a Changing Religious Outlook

古以色列族群性与宗教性高度同构,对其族群建构的探源事实上也即是对其宗教生态的把握。迦南三大主神厄勒、亚舍拉、巴力在不同方面成为亚卫一神崇拜的源泉。伴随着农业革命而来的神王迭代叙事,显示出早期希伯来人由逐水草而居向定居耕作演进的历史信息。历时空变换,因应不同支派之需,亚卫合和众神,逐渐成为独一至高神,但直至巴比伦之囚,其周身仍遍及迦南众神的印记。追根溯源,如同亚卫崇拜会消失在厄勒崇拜、巴力崇拜之中,以色列人也会消失到迦南人、埃及人之中。巴力与亚卫缠斗及后者的最终胜出,折射出族群依托宗教重塑其身份认同的诉求。

Ethnicity and religion were closely linked in Ancient Israel:to explore the formation of Israelite ethnicity requires grasping its religious ecology.The three main gods in Canaanite myths,EL,Ashera and Baal,are all in different ways sources for the monotheistic worship of Yahweh.The reworked narratives of god-kings which came in the wake of agricultural revolution provide historical information on how the early Hebrews gave up a nomadic life for settled farming.Over time and space,and in response to the needs of the different tribes,YHWH and the various gods gradually became the one,most high God,but up until the Babylonian captivity,the image of YHWH retained characteristics of the Canaanite pantheon.If we trace backwards,the Israelites disappear into the Canaanites or Egyptian peoples just as YHWH disappears into the worship of EL or Baal.The struggle between YHWH and Baal and the latter’s eventual victory reflects the demand for ethnic groups to rebuild their identity through religion.