A Storm of Witchcraft by Emerson W. Baker is a comprehensive analysis of the Salem Witch Trials, which took place in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. The book explores the impact of these trials on not just Massachusetts but all of America, highlighting the various events that led to the infamous witch trials.
The Salem Witch Trials were a significant event in American history, with at least 169 people accused and 19 hanged as witches. The Popes played a significant role in the “storm of witchcraft” that broke out in Salem and neighboring towns in 1692. Joseph and Bathsheba, two prominent characters in the trials, were also involved in the trials.
A range of factors in the Bay colony in the 1690s, including a new charter and government, a lethal frontier war, and religious and political conflicts, set the stage for the trials. Salem, also known as “Witch City”, was infamous for its witch trials, where Abigail played a prominent role, accusing 57 people of witchcraft.
Baker’s book provides a detailed account of the Salem Witch Trials, highlighting the tragic tale of how Puritans in seventeenth-century New England betrayed their core values. The resulting Salem Witch Trials, culminating in the execution of 19 villagers, remains one of the most mysterious and fascinating events in American history.
📹 🌵 10 Best Salem Witch Trials Books (Arthur Miller, Stacy Schiff, and More)
… https://www.amazon.com/Salem-Witch-Trials-Day-Day/dp/1589791320/?tag=lm0cf-20 02:08 #2 – A Storm of Witchcraft Emerson …
Why does Tituba name Sarah Good?
The speaker identifies Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn as having been selected by Goody Putnam. This is based on the assertion that they were both midwives to Putnam when her children died. This claim is supported by the assertion that they were already suggested to her.
What happened to Tituba in real life?
Tituba, an enslaved woman accused of witchcraft in Salem, was released after spending over a year in jail. She was the first person to be accused of witchcraft in the town. Tituba’s testimony, which included a witch’s coven, a devil’s book, and evil spirits, sparked the Salem witch hunt. However, her story is as convoluted and potentially fictitious as any other part of the witch trials. Legends and rumors were common during the 1690s witch trials, leading to 20 deaths.
Historians only know about Tituba from her court testimony during the infamous trials, which is the only reliable information about her. The fate of Tituba remains unknown, leaving us to speculate on her true identity.
Are there any descendants of the Salem witch trials?
The trials of accused witches have left many descendants, often with multiple accused witches in their ancestry due to their families’ tendency to intermarry. There are numerous resources available for those descended from those involved in the trials, including the Resources @ the BPL and the Other Resources sections of this guide. For more information on researching your family tree, visit the BPL’s Genealogy research guide.
Who were the 20 witches executed in Salem?
The Salem Witch Trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions in colonial Massachusetts between March 1692 and May 1693, resulting in the executions of twenty people, most of whom were women. The trials resulted in the deaths of several individuals, including Bridget Bishop, Sarah Good, Rebecca Nurse, and Elizabeth Howe.
The names in parentheses preceded by “née” indicate birth family maiden names (if known) of married women who upon marriage generally took their husbands’ surnames. Due to the low population of the Massachusetts North Shore at the time of the trials, a significant percentage of local residents were related to other local residents through descent or by marriage. Many of the witchcraft accusations were driven at least in part by acrimonious relations between the families of the plaintiffs and defendants.
The list includes individuals such as Eleanor Hill-Babson, Joseph Bailey, Elizabeth Phelps/Phillips-Ballard, Sarah Bibber, Hannah Chandler-Bixby/Bigsby, Alice Booth, Elizabeth Booth, Elizabeth Wilkins-Booth, George Booth, William Bragg, Mary Fellows-Brown, Phebe Chandler, Sarah Churchill/Churchwell, John Cole, Sarah Aslebee, John DeRich, Joanna Dodd, Ralph Farnum, Mary Stevens-Coit-Fitch, Hannah Eames, Rose Foster, Mary Fuller Jr., Mary Herrick, Betty Hews, Mary Hill, Deliverance Hobbs, Elizabeth Hubbard, Jane Phillips-Hutchinson, John Indian, Mercy Lewis, Mary Swain, Abigail Martin, Elizabeth “Betty” Parris, Sarah Phelps, Mary Pickworth, Bethshua/Bethsheba Folger-Pope, Ann Carr-Putnam Sr., Ann Putnam Jr., Jemima Rea, Mary Gould-Reddington, Joseph Ring, Mary Duncan-Sargent, Susannah Sheldon, Mercy Short, Martha Sprague, Timothy Swan, Mary Thorne, Mary Walcott, Mary Warren, Mary Watkins, Elizabeth Weston, Bray Wilkins, Daniel Wilkins, Rebecca Wilkins, Samuel Wilkins, Abigail Williams, Elizabeth Woodwell, and Frances Wycomb.
The trials were characterized by acrimonious relations between the families of the plaintiffs and defendants, with many accused of witchcraft being driven by acrimonious relations between the plaintiffs and defendants. The dates provided in this list use Julian-dated month and day but New Style-enumerated year (i. e., years begin on January 1 and end on December 31, in the modern style).
How many people died as a result of the Salem witch trials?
The Salem Witch Trials, which began in 1692, are a significant example of intolerance and injustice in American history. The community lived under a cloud of suspicion, leading to a series of conflicts and tensions that triggered widespread and lethal accusations of witchcraft. Today, the city of Salem attracts over 1 million tourists annually, many of whom seek to learn more about these events. The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) holds one of the world’s most important collections of objects and architecture related to the Salem Witch Trials.
From 1980 to 2023, PEM’s Phillips Library was the temporary repository of the state’s Supreme Judicial Court collection of witch trial documents. These legal records, which were returned to the Judicial Archives after modernization, are available to researchers worldwide through a comprehensive digitization project. PEM is committed to telling the story of the Salem Witch Trials in ways that honor the victims and amplify the teachings of wrongful persecution that remain relevant today.
Who was the youngest girl killed in the Salem witch trials?
Christ-Doane has unearthed a trove of hitherto unknown information about Dorothy Good, the youngest victim of the trials, who was only four years old at the time.
Who was involved in the Salem witch trials?
The Salem witchcraft trials in 1692 involved two primary accusations: one from Abigail Hobbs, who named Giles and Martha Corey as fellow witches, and another from Exekiell Chevers and John Putnam, Jr., who filed an accusation on behalf of Ann Putnam, Marcy Lewis, Abigail Williams, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard. Bridget Bishop was the first person to be executed during the trials, portrayed as a feisty, fun-loving, and lusty innkeeper. However, historians have painted a different picture due to confusion with Sarah Bishop, who also appears in court records.
George Burroughs, the only Puritan minister indicted and executed in Salem, served as minister of Salem Village from 1680 until he left in 1683. He became involved in the Village’s social conflicts and borrowed money from the Putnam family, leading to conflict with the Putnams. After repaying his loan, he was charged, arrested, and brought back to Salem from Wells, Maine. Many members of the Salem Village and Andover testified against him, calling him the “ring leader” of the witches. Cotton Mather, who attended the trial, urged the sympathetic crowd against him.
Martha Carrier, accused by Reverend Cotton Mather of being a witch, was found guilty and executed on August 19, 1692. The Salem documents reveal that her crime was not witchcraft but an independence of mind and unsubmissive character. Historians have blamed her accusation on causes ranging from a conspiracy against Andover’s proprietary families to reaction against threats to patriarchal inheritance, but her contentious spirit and earlier charge of witchcraft seem the most plausible explanation.
What celebrities are related to the Salem witches?
The trials of accused witches have left numerous descendants, including Benedict Cumberbatch, John Alden, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Ray Bradbury, Alan Shepard, Christopher Reeve, Linda Hamilton, and Walt Disney. Many descendants have multiple accused witches in their ancestry due to the tendency of their families to intermarry. For those descended from those involved, resources such as the BPL’s Genealogy Research Guide and the Resources @ the BPL sections are available. For more information on researching your family tree, visit the BPL’s Genealogy research guide.
Who was the youngest person jailed for witchcraft?
Dorothy Good, the youngest person to be arrested and jailed in 1692, was accused of practicing witchcraft at the age of four. She was confined to a dungeon-like prison for nearly eight months, initially with her mother and infant sister. However, her comforts were later removed when her sister perished in the prison conditions and her mother was convicted of practicing witchcraft and taken away for execution. Dorothy’s father described her as “chargeable having little or no reason to govern herself”.
Historical accounts of the Salem witch trials often reference Dorothy’s status as the youngest person to be imprisoned and her story with reference to the reparation payment awarded to her father in 1712. Recent research by the Director of Education has revealed more information about Dorothy’s adult life, including her straying and rambling life, and her birth of two children without a husband to claim them as his own.
Why was Sarah Good accused of witchcraft?
On March 6, 1692, Sarah Good was accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Parris, who claimed to have been bewitched under her hand. The girls claimed they had been bitten, pinched, and otherwise abused, with fits appearing involuntarily convulsing their bodies. They eventually shouted out the names of three townspeople: Tituba, Sarah Osborne, and Sarah Good.
Good was of a lower economic status, reduced to poverty due to inheritance customs and the debt of her first husband, Daniel Poole. Accusers at the trials often cited jealousy and envy as explanations for witches’ discontent and anger. Her dependency on neighbors and others perpetuated suspicions of Good, and other dependent women like her were practicing witchcraft. Another theory behind the accusations was explained by her relationship with her husband and neighbors. William Good claimed he feared that his wife was a witch due to “her bad carriage to him”, indicating he disliked her demeanor or how well she met his expectations for a wife.
On March 25, 1692, Good was tried for witchcraft, accused of rejecting puritanical expectations of self-control and discipline when she chose to torment and “scorn” children instead of leading them towards the path of salvation. When she was brought in, the accusers began to rock back and forth and moan, seemingly in response to Good’s presence. Later in the trial, a young townsman told the court that the piece had broken off his own knife the day before, and the girl had witnessed it. Judge William Stoughton scolded the girl for exaggerating what he believed to be the truth.
Who were the girls involved in the Salem witch trials?
Betty and Abigail’s friends, including Ann Putnam Jr., Elizabeth Booth, Elizabeth Hubbard, Mary Warren, and Mercy Lewis, experienced similar symptoms and claimed to be bewitched. They became the main accusers during the Salem witch trials, leading to the execution of nineteen people. After being pressured to name the witches, Betty and Abigail revealed three: Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne. Magistrates traveled to Salem Village to question and examine the accused. Tituba’s ethnicity is debated, with some suggesting she was a South American or Native American.
📹 Who is Yahweh – How a Warrior-Storm God became the God of the Israelites and World Monotheism
How did a warrior-storm god become Yahweh, the god of world Abrahamic monotheism? By tracing the earliest history of Yahweh …
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The simultaneous outpouring of academic and religious integrity alongside personal honesty and incredibly entertaining content across your livestreams, articles and interviews is truly the most precious gift YouTube has received since its very inception. I hope that content like yours, Dr. Angela’s, Seekers of Unity’s, Religion for Breakfast’s, Let’s Talk Religion’s and the Modern Hermeticist’s will inspire many others as much as it has inspired me. This little corner of YouTube stands as a rock amongst tempestuous waters, and though scholarship and historical research is as fluid and evolving as it always has been, the recognition of that fact is what separates the grain from the chaff. My most sincere and joyous gratitude goes out to you.
I’m an early career RE teacher with a background in philosophy, and this article is one of the most interesting things I have come across in any of my studies. It is absolutely fascinating and so insightful. Your comment at the start; “if we allow faith to dictate our history, we betray both.” Absolutely electrifying.
“When we allow our faith to dictate our history, we really just betrayed both” Well spoken Sir. I like how well versed you are about a myriad of different cultures and theologies, and how you are able to take a step back and outline connections between those without taking a dogmatic tone. This approach makes it much more palatable to those that are less anchored in a particular faith.
I am so impressed you even tackled this topic let alone did such a good and thorough job. Speaking of your frequent jokes during the article of ” why isn’t this a heavy metal song ? ” that totally reminds me of an obscure game people can play online ( not released in full. More like doing rock paper scissors in that anyone can play it and everyone owns it ) called ” Bible Verse or Heavy Metal lyrics ” where you just say either a bible verse or heavy metal lyrics and everyone else guesses which of the 2 things it is :3
Very erudite, scholarly and accurate summary of our current understanding of the subject. Very impressive. Haven’t seen any of this website’s articles before, so I was skeptical at first – too many uninformed articles out there.. So this was a pleasant surprise. Very nice introduction on how honest it is to make faith the handmaiden of reason once again – even if we find the results uncomfortable or troubling.
It’s important not to underestimate the influence of Zoroastrianism post exile in the conception of Yahweh. The tension you speak of between a universal god and a porochial god is the tension between henotheism yahwehism snd monotheistic Zoroastrianism post exposure to the Persian empire. Between Yahweh and ahura Mazda
YouTube recommended this article and I’m so glad I watched it! It’s the first I’ve seen on this website and I’m very impressed. I’ve been interested in how Christianity evolved into what it is today, and this was my first introduction to Yahweh history. It took over 5 hours to get through the article, with all the pauses I needed to look up something named or discussed (yes, it definitely could be a semester course and where do I sign up?!) or to rewind and listen to a piece several times. Overall, it was fascinating. Very well done, thank you!
This is, without a doubt, the most amazing content I’ve ever seen. I have always wanted to see a well researched, documented series on esoteric/occult beliefs and theology, since the early 2000s, and finding this website is like scratching an itch that’s been just out of reach for 30 years. Thank you so much for making this so accessible and engaging. 🙂
I appreciate your work. As a Christian, I view God as capable of working His will through mundane ends – he can create the entire universe by setting everything up the way He wants it to be. He doesn’t need to just say “let there be light”, He is fully capable of creating a universe in which gasses will accumulate and begin the fusion reactions that power stars. Likewise, He is capable of guiding mankind through these periods into a better understanding of Him. He isn’t just Yaweh of Storms, or El, or any of the other gods worshipped by humanity, but he speaks to us in these terms so that people come to accept Him.
I so appreciate this article! There was A LOT of dense information, but it answered some questions I’ve had for decades. See, I was “that kid” in Sunday school that asked the awkward questions, labeled a “doubting Thomas” from about 2nd or 3rd grade. When I was 12 or 13 I asked, ” What happened to change God from a God of War to a God of love and peace? It sounds like multiple personality disorder to me.” And was promptly kicked out for “being disruptive.” Finally! I found a scholarly article that provides a reasonable and nearly scientific explanation. Thank you, so very much!
This was an incredibly educative article. I’ve studied various mythos my entire life and Yahweh and Ba’al have never been on my reading list. Likely because I am Christian and would often get beaten for daring to question the origins of the stories as a child. Regardless, if you can’t study the history and origins of these religions and find a good reason to stay devout you were never truly devout to begin with. There are many reasons to stay faithful, none of which relys on fear or peer pressure. These stories represent some of the greatest minds to have ever exist through thousands of years studying and explaining the human condition and how to both prevent and overcome every destructive state of mind you could possibly have. These writings are instruction manuals on how to lead a good life and how to keep your society prosperous. The human mind is complex and because it can contemplate any and all concepts, it needs a God to help it stay sane and true. No one individual can get through life alone. No human is perfect. It’s not enough to rely on an imperfect creature beside you. You need a concept of perfection to keep moving in the right direction.
This is so fascinating. Your teaser yesterday sent me off down the history of Yahweh rabbit hole. As an… em… rather agnostic person, I’ve for close to 30 years been interested in origins, and specifically how did all these Abrahamic based religions come to be? I’ve always held the notion that there was some connection between the Bronze Age collapse and the birth of “Israel”. It makes so much sense that divergent nomadic groups/tribes would have banded together afterwards, and in time a melding of cultures/gods would take place. We see much the same happen after the Romans left Britain, and the Germanic Angles/Saxons/ etal moved in. In Britain, the native Britons and Angles/Saxons etal eventually melding – many of my own families customs have their roots in both. Needless to say, thank you muchly, I just found the titles of my next few e-books.
As soon as El assimilation came up, I was just waiting for that Psalm 82 shout-out, and on the edge of my seat when you mentioned El’s divine council. You made my day! Thank you! And I am deeply impressed how well you can summarize in just over forty minutes here, what I’d consider the most memorable and significant chunk of my undergraduate studies. And I still learned a thing or two! I found your website maybe two or three weeks ago, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. The depth and breadth of your knowledge on this scholarship blows me away.
As someone recovering from religious trauma, I have given in to the (previously forbidden) desire to learn more about the historical origins of Christianity, arcane practices, and the occult in general. I appreciate this website very much! This article has been especially helpful, as it covers scholarly information related to a lot of the “why’s” I have been trying to research in a concise and digestible way. Thanks for your hard work!
i’m non-religious, but theology fascinates me as an academic specializing in psychology and with strong interest in anthropology. i have a lot of respect for religion, and i also respect and appreciate your foreword regarding religious implications. honesty, acceptance of the truths we have, and adapting when we learn new information are the only way we have forward.
Just want to say, I’m Christian and love this article. My faith is strong as ever, but I love learning about this. You would think it would shake my belief system, but quite the opposite. I love how you basically say the same thing. I’m studying Biblical Hebrew, and I love the tongue-in-cheek references to the Baal Cycle in the Bible and all that. Thanks for your article. We also recently dissected the Hebrew in Judges 5 and debated whether it was indeed older or “mimicked” older poetry like how someone today may use “thou” or “mine eyes.” Still, we noted that this passage and Exodus 15 both display warrior and weather god qualities. It’s been a fun ride so far. I also chuckled when you mentioned Hiph’il verbs. And yes, I realize the meaning of my name. I think it’s special, this “merging.” And THANK YOU for mentioning Zaphon versus Zion. That was awesome.
The story of Yahweh from his humble beginnings as a minor storm god to become the God is so interesting it would make an amazing plot for books or movies in a Clash of Titans / God of War style. A good plot would be Yahwehs being the real cause for the Bronze Age Collapse and the demise of the Cannanite gods before overthrowing his father “El” and exiling his brother “Bal” while encouraging humans to fight each other in order to become the hegemonic power in the region and then turning himself into a “benevolent” god to keep up with his plan of becoming the God. Now that’s a movie I would definitely watch. There is a lot of material to look into in order to make such a masterpiece.
I recall a section of reading from “Sefer Shoshan Yesod Olam” where the Tetragrammaton is mentioned as being seven letters when pronounced without the niqqud. This was supposedly the original pronunciation used by the high priests. I love how so much mystery can surround one single name. Thanks for the awesome content!!
Incredible work here. Never too boring, always upbeat and funny. But still very insightful and forthright, as well as impartial. I’ve wondered how this work might affect your standings in your personal faith, as when I was in a church, most hated the idea that I even considered other religions to have the same extensive lore and literature as Christianity.
This was a great episode. Yahweh scholarship is always fascinating given the vast number of voices on the subject. I just picked up Dr. Josh Bowen’s the Atheist Guide to the Old Testament (vols. 1 & 2) and Dr. Francesca Stavrokopoulou’s God: An Anatomy. This article is the perfect prelude to starting those books!
As a devout Muslim, I’ve always frequently had these arguments in my head to challenge my beliefs, because I am convinced that any faith that cannot withstand all possible scrutiny is not worth believing in. I’ve questioned myself about the problem of evil, of whether I’d have still been a Muslim if I’d have been born in a household with a different religion, and how Abrahamic monotheism fits into the framework of a clockwork universe, and despite that, I could still produce satisfactory answers to all of these questions, leaving myself even more confident and ingrained in my faith. But the one thing that has always shook me to the core was the history of how Abraham’s God was originally part of a pantheon that the Israelites eventually came to dominate and destroy, assimilating El, the chief god, with Yahweh. The argument that one can make to cope with this is that the ends is more important than the means, meaning that the end product, the true form of God as the almighty and sole creator of the universe and everything, was reached after heretical and blasphemous thoughts prior, basically light from darkness, and that this was necessary seeing as enlightenment can only come after ignorance. This happened thanks to Prophets like Abraham (SAW) who led the Israelites from tolerating polytheism to actively opposing it. Absolute monotheism is ultimately the basis and foundation of both Islam and modern Judaism, how we reached this point is not as important as how things turned out to be.
It’s funny. This guy used to be my god, The God, and I hardly knew him. Didn’t know much about his childhood or about his awkward teen phase and his edge lord years. Didn’t know he was married. It feels like he’s an uncle that I’ve admired, who’s no longer here, but I’m just now hearing more stories about him and learning who he was as a person.
I enjoy the fact that you’re demonstrating that there’s still much to learn. Also, to the points on whiplash between a violent GOD and loving GOD…You’re making more room for tolerance and understanding. I say this because you’ve provided a logical reason for the evolution of a GOD and a society. Further, it could be argued that an evolved deity is less focused on punishment, violence, and dominance as reward. In a way…I can imagine the argument for the want of a more peaceful deity to align with a culture’s/society’s function. Up until that group disintegrates. Just random thoughts in my head that are full of holes in reasoning. Thank you!
Very interesting topic, and a little disappointing to the deist that still lives somewhere in me. Growing up with the Bible it always seemed that God was just more active back in the day while Judaism was being established, then everyone passed down those stories/myths and did with them what they would. I was not expecting this type of origin story for Yahweh himself.
Loving your content. I am fascinated by all of the historical mythos. You make the connections much easier to understand than a lot of the dry texts I’ve read over the years. I knew a little bit about El & Yahweh but this gave me a broader foundation. Do you have a book published in addition to your articles?
The ancients appeared to make use of symbols of the Zodiac to date when certain events occurred. The Bull of the early El cult and whose idol was destroyed by Moses was for events that took place in the cycle of Taurus. When the siege of Jericho took place, the horn of a ram was blown, indicating that they are in the procession of Aeries. The time of Jesus was the precession of Pisces and the fish was a symbol of early Christianity. The next age after that is Aquarius, there are some passages mentioning him for example: “”A man will meet you carrying an earthen pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he goes in”
Knowing that Yahweh is an amalgamation of a variety of deities largely for political cohesion, how do you understand your own religious commitment to monotheism? I’d love to hear you speak to how your historical understanding of these texts has impacted your religious perspective. Love the articles – thanks Dr Sledge
I usually have no patience for articles in which one guy just stares into the camera and delivers his monologue, but Dr Justin Sledge actually captured all my attention because what he was saying was so deep and evocative. I found myself replaying short segments over again to make sure I was following what he was saying. I almost never do that with anyone else’s articles.
Thank you so much for your honesty. I escaped a southern Baptist extremist cult the day after I turned eighteen, but spent the next five years desperately trying to hold onto the theologies I’d grown up believing so completely, and rectifying them with the real world I’d suddenly found myself in. Learning much of what you’ve discussed put that to bed and gave me peace, finally, and I took the first name El as a reminder of the very same truth you’ve explained so well here. Thank you
I just love, love, LOVE this guy! He’s beautiful, wonderful, and somehow taps into our universal, inquisitive mind. I admire how he deftly balances between the casual and intellectual without pulling any punches or “dumbing it down.” But as he is a professor, I imagine he’s quite well practiced at that. I’m grateful for his generosity to a plebeian like myself. The Socrates of our time. Thanks for believing in your audience. Bravo!
I’ve watched a lot of your articles and don’t always comment (always hit the “like” button, though). However, this one was especially captivating. It’s a behemoth of a topic to take on in one article, to be sure, so thank you for the effort and time you put into this. I would definitely be interested to see more on Canaanite religion/mythology, etc. I do love me some Bronze Age. Please do keep them coming, Good Sir!
I literally just yesterday started looking into the Canaanite religion and putting the pieces together that YHVH was likely viewed as synonymous with the Canaanite El. What serendipity that this gets not only uploaded, but recommended to me the day after! Thanks for the article, gives me some insight! Also, what I particularly have found fascinating about my research: the fact that El, as well as his son Ba’al, were commonly represented as bulls. The “golden calf” that’s given literally no explanation in Exodus, probably represented one of these 2 gods. Potentially even El himself, which was how many at that time probably viewed their patron god. But then there’s also Moloch, which many today believe was not the name of a god, but the name of the ceremony of child sacrifice; and the bull-headed idol was likely meant to be a representation of how those particular Israelites viewed El/YHVH. So it might’ve not been that they were adopting a pagan god that demanded child sacrifices, but rather that they perceived El/YHVH as demanding such a worship.
First time perusal any of your articles and I’ve immediately subbed your website. Wow. I appreciated you sharing your vast amount of knowledge. Kudos. I’ll be perusal all of your articles and again, I appreciate the knowledge because at 56 yrs old I can never get too much knowledge in life and I love what you’re doing. Kudos.
I gotta say, seeing the title, seeing you and then hearing a 99% objective re-telling. Was not expectiny that my man. Donated some of my money because of that 🙂 Always fun hearing this from a religious person (I am to, but as you said, history is history) but seeing history for what it is. Does not take away the divinity of God. Even though we probably won’t ever agree on what or who God is lmao. 🙂
Your intellectual rigor and accurate historical analysis of these ‘cultural/historical’ topics is done expertly and the articles are very interesting. I will be recommending Esoterica to my friends who are able to think about these topics with some objectivity, which is difficult for some folks for their own faith or emotional reasons. Thanks!
As an atheist this seems like one those moments that would surely pull me away from any abrahamic religion’s faith. Surely finding that your unique and only god is an amalgamation of several other gods from politeistic religions would “shake the faith” of any man. Religion is so strange to me. Amazing vídeo as always, love tge website.
Forgive me, i am an atheist. I mean no offence. But i am very curious. How does the average believer accept a changing nature of a deity, if at all? Or perhaps, how would a theologian do this? Would (at least, the Christian) god not be considered eternal, ever present and unchanging? Would a dynamic cultural interpretation of a god not diminish these aspects? I could not imagine that every serious scholar would simply think historical interpretations/forms of worship are wrong, right? Or might people think along the lines of: God has not changed, but our understanding of ”him” has? Your presentation seems to suggest otherwise. Thank you.
Aristotle “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain an idea without accepting it” You said “I check my religious commitments at the door” but that in no way violates them. I take the same attitude. I’m a Christian but I will explore and be entertained by any and all intellectual rabbit holes without feeling my faith threatened in the slightest. There are many many doors and if you’re able to ‘check your baggage’ you will get the keys to worlds of intrigue
Thank you for your extremely scholarly and informative article! I truly appreciate your views, and approach. I have enjoyed every one of your presentations, and while I’m disabled, and not able to continue my higher education, perusal your lectures have given my rational and historical mind much needed solace. I look forward to perusal even more, as well as getting some of your merchandise to show my support of your fine work.
You are a treasure, sir. Your work has been an essential piece of inspiration in the book I’m writing, and I just wanted to say you’re in it, like all the treasures I’ve found so far, and I’m so glad that you do what you do. Keep singing your song. It’s resonating, at least with me. Also, maybe if you ever come up on this message, something something you like dnd and I think that’s cool. (I cut out some weird shit here that would probably be best for asylum paperwork, but Hashem is a beautiful name.)
Thank you for this wonderful article. I too have been wondering how did Yahweh become the God of the Israelites and later the Christians and Muslims as well. It’s a truly fascinating topic of study to see how this particular god out of a pantheon of gods became the main monotheistic focus of the Israelites.
An excellent episode. It makes sense that the worship of YHWH began to go from henotheism to monolatry in the southern parts of the region, since he was likely adopted from a local ‘guild’ god of metal workers in the trans-Jordan area. The whole idea of YHWH being a volcano god likely came from the use of the forge by metal workers in this area, and I think the idea of him being a warrior god also sprang from the fact that metal workers likely made the weapons of war, so naturally, their local deity would also be a warrior god.
Dr. Sledge, your research is immensely appreciated. I really believe this is how people should study religion in general. By looking at it from the very begining and from all points of view. By not letting your findings offend you or your audience. But rather by keeping one’s head clear and being impartial.
as always, i need to thank you for a beutiful work, playful and shcolary in a perfect balance, and more important, inviting for further studies in the subject. But, mayble (myself) lacking in taste, i ended up feeling an urge to understand your experience as both a scholar and a religious person in this deconstruccion of the yahweh aparatus. i am, myself, a person of jewish descent, deeply interested in the cultural articulation of a coherent “people” (avoiding nation for evident resons), but lacking the interest and vocation for a religious performance, and way too biographical and culturaly removed for a political one. cutting it short, i understand it would demand a diferent setting, but i would love to hear a little of your process in this subject
Easily the most comprehensive article on the subject of the evolution of YHWH I’ve ever seen. Liked, subbed, and notifications enabled. I’ve taken a very particular interest in the subject of the ancient Hebrew scriptures, and this is the only website I’ve ever seen come close to approaching the topic in the way I’m trying to study it. Edit: I know this will probably get lost in the ether but I figured I’d leave the question here since I don’t think it’s worth putting in an actual email. But after Reading Beyond Good And Evil I couldn’t help but noticed one of the main ideas of the book (That the renunciation of false opinions would be a renunciation of life.) and that the title of the book also shares the title of one of the trees in the garden of Eden (The tree of the knowledge of good and evil.) Maybe I’ve been listening to too much Jordan Peterson; I’m just curious how much significance I should put in this coincidence.
I would call this article a tour-de-force! And excellent synopsis of an (endlessly) complex subject. I have learned a good deal about the complexities of ancient Caanan, spent months (or maybe years) pouring over seeminly endless books an articles…and yes, I feel like I just scratched enough of the surface to follow most (maybe 70%) of what you covered here. An excellent job!
I very much like the way you present the material, setting aside any biases, religious or otherwise. Outstanding. And the one line, “When we allow our faith to dictate history, we betray both,” is truly profound. I’ll never forget that. I cannot thank you enough for giving your thoughts to the people of our world.
This article has answered questions I’ve had about old testament God since I was an edgy atheist teen in my high school religious studies class. Squaring certain attributes like wisdom and fatherliness with bloodlust and vengefulness becomes so much more possible when reading the God of the old testament as a syncretic God that has inherited the former attributes from El and the latter from Yahweh.
I used to be perplexed by how ancient Egyptians would merge gods, like Amun-Ra or Ra-Horakty . . . how could they just smoosh two different gods together and pretend that they didn’t just invent something completely new? And then I realized that the Israelites had done the same with YHWH, El, with maybe a little Ba’al mixed in, and that became the God that I grew up learning about . . . and it was never mentioned at all. No one ever realized that it had happened.
Fascinating! Very well done! I greatly enjoyed this for two reasons: I am an aficionado of history, Jewish, and Christian, and have studied the bible and pondered on it’s mysteries my entire life. And, (Regardless of the content,) I am amazed and in awe at the well articulated breadth and depth of knowledge that our dear curator obviously embodies as well as the surgically succinct and fined-tuned scientific methodology that he utilizes in this very well documented treatise. Very impressive and very well appreciated content here! What I am mostly liking about this is the manner in which the author goes about his thinking. Bravo
This was great! I wonder how much Yahweh’s ascension had to do with the material success his followers enjoyed over the centuries, rather than any specific traits he embodied. The assimilation of other traits over time definitely seems to reflect changing material concerns and the assimilation of more diverse groups of worshippers. I also wonder how unique monotheism as it came to be really was, as it seems many cults during this period seemed to worship one god as supreme. Even in the Torah, there seems to be an acknowledgment of the existence of other gods, albeit while dismissing their power or relevance.
Hi, I began to watch your articles some times ago and it’s very interesting, I’ve always been interested in theology, sadly, as a none historian, it was hard to find none biased sources and trusted articles, your website is a golden mine, thank you for your work 🙏 Also, as you said in the beginning of your article, no historian/researcher shouldn’t allow their faith and beliefs to dictate their study, so I was curious, as a Jewish, how do you handle the two very different points of view of your faith and your field of study ? Like did you ever questioned your faith, or any religious texts because of them ? Or did it strengthen it ? I ask you that because I was raised christian, and I quickly abandoned this faith and considered it « fairy tales » as I learned more about history, and found it hard to live with two « contradictions » like this, with the Bible saying some things (especially the Old Testament) and history denying it. This is legitimate curiosity, absolutely no harm intended
Actually, Yahweh and Anath were a couple, at least in the Jewish temple at Elephantine in Egypt, which is, of course, pre-exilic. Anath shared this role as Yahweh’s consort with a Goddess called Ashima, and both were given the title “Bethel”, house of God. This was in similarity with the two wives of El, which were Asherah and goddess called Rahmaya, “the merciful”. The cult of Anath was far more widespread in Egypt than that of Asherah, who was called in Egypt “Quodesh”, meaning “holy”. On that note the Christian concept of the Holy Spirit emerges from the figure of Asherah, who was called in Hebrew “Ruach ha-Kadesh”, meaning “the Holy Spirit. This is why the holy spirit is depicted in dove form, as the dove was one of Asherah’s major totem animals. It is also why the Holy Spirit is associated with the Virgin Mary in Catholicism and Orthodoxy, as Mary assimilated most of Asherah’s features, right down to her name, as she was often also called “Mary”-the watery one.
Kind of surreal to think of Yahweh “leveling up” especially during humanity’s short existence, when we are told to think of him as eternal. Hebrew and Christian scriptures seem to be equally critical of humans creating their own gods and then worshiping them, but the big guy himself is a man made amalgamation?
The fact that monotheism ‘evolved’ from polytheism and is in fact a god that originally existed alongside others makes the absolutism of religious zealots even more absurd. I had more or less forgotten to take this story into account when placing religion in context. Thanks for the article. Since extremist religion is now more and more a threat to individual freedom in the West, there is good reason to fight back against it with more argumentation to show the absurdity of believing in something that is so clearly steeped in human narrative/story telling and the circumstances that were there at its inception. If only the Yahweh followers were the Sea peoples themselves. Nice to make the comparison that they are coming to destroy civilization again but now definitive. Anyway, new munition to be used in debates with theists.
“Historicizing such a being can easily be taken as an assault on the very core of those religions ” And this is why each individual has to choose between taking one of these religions seriously on the one hand, or taking history seriously on the other hand. Any philosophy (religious or otherwise) that treats facts as a threat is by its nature at war with analytical thought. Thank you for saying as much yourself.
Simply amazing! Thank you Dr. Sledge for taking the time to make such difficult material accessible to non-specialists. I would love to see a part II for this article where you go into more detail into some of the scholarly controversies you mentioned: I was able to understand from your discussion that certain controversies deal with interpretations of scribal choices of prefixes and suffixes, but since I have no knowledge of hebrew, egiptian, etc., I could only glimpse into what you meant.
I enjoy listening to you talk of your history, We Inuit First Nations have a rich oral history on the creation of the universe and world. I believe that religion arises from a traumatic challenge to humanities self identity. We once had a Civilization that dwarves the one here today, and we lost it, and most of the population at the time, leaving only scared traumatized pockets of survivors scattered about the globe.
I love what you said about “checking your religious commitments at the door.” I have my own personal religious beliefs that are very important to me but I love your website and learning about a number of topics that don’t necessarily align with my own faith. You take such an unbiased and scholarly educational approach though and it keeps me coming back to your website for more. Thank you 🙏
Absolutely brilliant! Many many thanks for producing this episode, fills in some of the many gaps I have around this subject. I’m new to the website, and I found your style of presentation and your pragmatism fits the subject very well – well done if I may say so! I had never thought about the bronze age collapse in relationship to the Caananites and their independance, as of course they were so insignifacant in relation to the regional superpowers. A thought occurred to me – could it be that the 10 plagues of Egypt are related to events of the Bronze age collapse resulting in the freedom of the Caananites from the Egyptians. Real events that became myths that supported the birth of an independant people? Just an idea that popped into my head as you spoke, maybe a ridiculous one I don’t know LOL.
I have read “The Invention of God” by Thomas Römer, which delves into this topic and is, as far as I’m concerned, an excellent book which I highly recommend. This article was great, and I think you did a terrific job of explaining such complex history in a article of remarkable brevity. I am, however, fascinated by how you (and other scholars) are able to separate history and faith in your lives. For me, once you start to understand religious history, religions just fall apart. They cease to exist. I love reading about the history and particulars of all sorts of religions and cults, and I love your website, but I am now an atheist for that exact reason – and I just can’t fathom how someone could be both a dutiful religious historian (which is a huge part of sociology) and also be religious? That’s not an attack or jab, I respect it, I just don’t understand it! Anyway, thanks again for the content. I was very excited when I saw the title of this one, and I was not disappointed.
This is my second time visiting this article, after reading more literature on the topic, and just like the first time, I am in wonder and my curiosity is only enhanced. I will try and read all of the books you recommended at the end, and I can’t thank you enough for providing such an impressively educational content here on YouTube, for free.
I don’t think many people realize that evolution takes many forms. Understanding the history of humanity and what we once were greatly improves our understanding of what we are now. You don’t just create something from nothing, and humanity has spent a great deal of time trying to solve the mysteries of the universe Thank you! This was quite informative. The very comments here just shows the diversity of the human spirit and how important human history is! I always find it fascinating how many storm gods became important figures in human relation. I will definitely check out more of your articles 😊
Coming from a Christian, while this article did give me a lot to think about, I’m ultimately glad that I watched it. I think it’s important for us to know the history behind our faith, so that maybe we can have newer and better understandings of our beliefs. I personally find this as a good explanation as to why God is interpreted so differently from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Also, based on my own philosophy, maybe this evolution of many gods to one god is some inevitable process for humanity, a kind of journey where our ideas of the divine are refined until we have a true understanding of who or what God is. Maybe we’re already at the end of that journey or still in the middle of it, could depend on what you believe. This is just my Idea though.
Brother, I am very grateful for this concise and informative exploration of the Pre/Proto-Abrahamic pantheon. I saw several already established/confirmed similarities with numerous Jungian archetypes of several sky/storm chieftain deities: Odin, Thor, Indra, Tlaloc, Zeus, Jupiter, Dyauspitr, etc. This article provided me with assurance that omnitheistic conclusions I have been arriving at about divine symbolism are on the precise path.
16:44 the actual verses are found in Deuteronomy 32:8-9 in case anyone wanted to explore this individually. If you read NIV, this concept will be lost as there has been an emendation somewhere in history. However, we can look to the Greek Septuagint and texts from Qumra to see what was being conveyed originally, which was something to the effect of “Elyon organized the sons of Adam into distinct nations… according to the number of the divine sons (sons of the god El).. Yahweh was given Jacob..” In the modern translation, post-emendation, “ἀγγέλων θεοῦ”, divine sons, or sons of El, becomes “Sons of Israel”. This is an intense revision and any notion of Elyon being separate from Yahweh, or the suggestion of a monolatrous model where other gods do exist alongside Yahweh (but are not peers, ergo not worthy of devotion) is lost. The rest of the chapter is heavily emendated too.
Great article, thanks! You might have come down a bit hard on Israelite prophets who resisted syncretism. I’m a Catholic priest, and in seminary we were taught syncretism tends to be very destructive, although obviously there is a level of assimilation (as you pointed out) that does happen especially in prayer formulation and such. Again, GJ! 👍🏻
Christian perspective here, recently reconnected with my faith, hence my curiosity perusal articles like this to get as much historical knowledge on the subject. As a history buff I find this stuff awesome, and its mainly through that lense, learning about ancient cultures, religions, civilisations and historical figures, that I came to my own conclusion that JC was my kinda guy, and the perfect example for humanity bar non. I came to that decision on a secular basis, before doing more biblical/religeous study and deciding to take it more seriously, hence now I call myself a true faithful Christian. Putting Christ to one side however, it is undoubtably clear to me, that human beings are ever seeking spiritual understanding of the ‘higher realm’ and that there of those of us that are gifted in connecting with it (not talking about myself here) XD. The word that pops in my head when thinking about different spiritual beliefs is ‘interpretation’, what is (imo) God trying to communicate to us, and when reading scripture how credible are their (lets call them Prophets, abrahamic or otherwise) interperatations of these ‘visions/dreams or even direct contact from The Divine. I believe that Prophesy and the fullfillment of them is what gives me confidence in their legitimacy, BUT its not so simple, as I have discovered, through my religeous (self) educating, you have to be careful when reading scripture and have to separate the wheat from the chaff. There are several factors to consider.
Just stubled across this. Ex-Christian/religious person (now atheist) with a liking of Hebrew and history here. I found this a great presentation. Many thanks for takign the time to do this. I can understand why the two tribal areas would want to merge their deities into one, and it seems to happen a lot in other contexts. Such as Artemis being equated with Diana, various other Roman deities equated with other Greek deities that were similar, or held similar positions etc. So I get the thought process of, “Your god is king of the world, and so is ours, so they must be the same being.”.
An excellent sojourn through the wilderness fraught with the dangerous tribes of biblical archaeologists, theologians, rabbis, priests, pastors, and mullahs as well as everyone wandering around with a KJV Bible tucked under their arm. As one scholar to another I salute you, sir, from the peak of Mt Ararat.
I think that the Israelites were onto something… they saw characteristics of the singular God of their own personal experiences in both “El” and “YahWeh.” So they began to call this Being by both titles. They saw their neighbors deifying other gods which seemed foreign to the God Who had been making Godself known to them so they rejected those ideas.
You achieved what you wanted with this episode, for me at least. Taking what information you gave and putting into both context and a pithy content was fantastic and a perfect setting for me to learn something interesting and useful about a topic I would never have delved into otherwise. Thank you so very much.
I have become religious through studying anthropology and archeology, and I as a result of my passion for the past, I find your articles very interesting, and I appreciate the separation of your personal religious beliefs, (as a Christian, I find it insulting how hard it is to have legitimate discourse with mainstream Christians, the ones brainwashed by the Roman Catholic Church)
Although I am a ‘Godless heathen’ I am absolutely fascinated with the origins and history of religious beliefs. I feel that the development of these faith systems echoes some of our most human traits and instincts, combining our unyielding, urgent desire to understand the world around us, with the higher mental functions of creativity, poetry and artistry. We saw nature as an all powerful force, both benign and malevolent, it makes absolute sense that primitive minds, without the benefit of logic and reason, would attribute personality, consciousness and agency to these forces. These religious systems really were our first efforts of explaining our universe. But unfortunately, like most first efforts, they are also our worst attempts.
I loved this episode! As always a fan of your works, I personally am hoping for maybe follow ups to Asherah, maybe some first temple history theology (was Asherah present in the temple?!?), maybe an episode on the Qemant people? (notice a theme?) but my goodness, loved this episode! Thank you for the work and effort you put in and share with us.
Thanks for this! I’m an atheist (grew up evangelical) but since girlhood I loved learning about mythology. I was never allowed to learn about the ancient origins of Judaism and Christianity but since deconverting a few years ago I am eating it up 😂 I love understanding how we got where we are now, and seeing how Judeo-Christian mythology fits in with the rest of it – and what shaped it to what it is now (it’s almost like it has evolved so far that it’s a completely different religion now).
I’m proud of such a profound task undertaken, by a man who evidently faces an intrinsic, honest and deeply heartfelt digital treatise gifted free here on YouTube. Sir, wow. Opening with the straight and breathtakingly refreshing “journalism?” or fearless relaying of facts, despite the landmine strewn schism filled clout-sphere. Dr J, you are a true sage. 🙂
To those commenting on the similarities below – Deus, Zeus and Jupiter literally come from the same root words – they’re different descendants of the same PIE god – Dyeus Phtr. As in Dyeus (Deus), Dyeus (Zeus) and Dyeu(s)-Phtr (Jupiter). Of the three, only the latter preserved both words – you can even hear this if you say Dyeus Phtr quickly and omit the s (you’ll hear Jupiter). This PIE god is likely the origin of the bearded wise patriarch Sky Father. It was later combined with storm god iconography to create a more specific Sky Father Storm god archetype which all of these follow.
I’m a former Jehovah’s witness and I am so thankful that I broke free from the chains of thinking believing we and I had the one and only true religion. Life is a constant journey into the unknown, we want all the answers now and people go to religion. I like the point you brought out about Yahweh it’s also interesting how and a lot of places were Jehovah is or Yahweh is in the Old testament is for the word Elohim;which is actually plural !
I hear your trepidation in doing this episode, but thank you so much for making it. I learned so much I was totally unaware of. It was like drinking from a pure, cold spring when being utterly parched. I especially got a lot from your exploration of the Yahweh vs Baal cult relations. Somethings the Bible hints at, but your fleshing out of the social history involved lends a new, deeper layer of understanding for me. Thank you again for your scholarly dedication and courage for tackling the subject. I certainly hope, no, look forward to, your revisiting it once again in the not too distant future. Oh god, I sound like such a fanboy. I guess I am. There, I said it! 🤩
I’ve replayed this article three times and I still don’t feel like I’ve retained a quarter of the information presented. My mind is too blown. And YEAH! Where are the article games and metal bands?! I’ve said before, I’ll say it again; to the pastors wondering why the teens today aren’t interested in your Bible studies, it’s too milk toast! Lean IN to how metal the Abrahamic faiths really are! 🤘❤
As someone without great deal of theological knowledge, I felt this article was very informative as to the history and development of the most popular god in modern times. It’s wild how a warrior storm god was transformed and amalgamated with gods from other cultures until it developed into the Christian and Islamic monotheistic dieties that dominate today. This was my favorite episode of yours so far. Thanks for endowing me with your wisdom on the matter. How much further do our records of religion reach? Is there a article you have on the earliest evidence of religion/theism?
Thank you for your neutral analysis. It’s very rare to see religious people debating their own religion unbiasedly and empirically. With that being said the meneptah Steele has been mistranslated extensively by different religious sects, the same as the ones in Berlin museum. No one knows for sure the origins of the ancient Israelites. While biblical narrative attributes them to the Hebrews of southern Iraq, archeological evidence points out to a contradictory theory of nomadic migration from the Arabian peninsula into the lands of cannan aka Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, southern Syria and Iraq.
One thing I’m noticing is how similar the story of Ba’al’s defeat of death is to the Harrowing of Hell within the Christian expanded mythological universe. I wonder if there is a real connection there or if it’s just that human tendency to see patterns in data, but it would be interesting to see that myth pop back up again after so much time had passed.
Reminds me of the early vedic age god of the Hindus named Indra, who is still a part of the Hindu pantheon currently but as a minor god. He was the chief deity of the Hindus in the early vedic times (~1500 BCE) and known as the god of rains and storms, wielder of the lightning bolt and the king of gods who led his forces against the non aryans who were the enemies of early hindus and earlier settlers of ancient india. He is supposed to have stormed and destroyed the enemy’s forts and deprived them of their cattle( the most valuble thing to the aryan pastoral nomads ( early hindus).) Interestingly two of his 14 names mentioned in the religious literature are ‘Yajna’ and ‘Bali’.
May I ask, how, and not to sound ignorant, or hateful, cause I’m certainly not, I was raised catholic, now I tend towards atheism. But how knowing all this history about yahweh, God, Allah, whatever you call him. How knowing all this, do you still continue ue you’re belief in him being the one truth. Also thanks for all the information, I’ve already watched this twice haha, trying to just absorb everything.
Very interesting, having studied a lot of this topic myself I can also confirm you’ve researched it very well and thoroughly, being able to create both accurate and funny memes about the topic is a good sign of that, hah! The only thing I would question is whether the name of יהוה (YHWH) really has a meaning like “The One Exists” or something even similar to that, as far as I know the etymology of יהוה is unfortunately pretty much unknown, but feel free to provide an etymological source.