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In modern times as well as ancient times, the term "prophet" is always controversial. For instance, [[Joseph Smith, Jr.]] and [[Ellen G. White]], the respective founders of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] and the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]], are considered prophets by members of those churches, but are vilified in some other branches of [[Christianity]].
In modern times as well as ancient times, the term "prophet" is always controversial. For instance, [[Joseph Smith, Jr.]] and [[Ellen G. White]], the respective founders of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] and the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]], are considered prophets by members of those churches, but are vilified in some other branches of [[Christianity]].


== Sociological taxonomy of prophets ==
== Sociological taxonomy ==


The [[sociology|sociologist]] [[Max Weber]] distinguished two types of prophets, the ''emissary'' type and the ''exemplary''. The emissary type believe that they have received an important message that must be communicated to others. The exemplary type base their religious authority on experience that serves as an example to others.
The [[sociology|sociologist]] [[Max Weber]] distinguished two types of prophets, the ''emissary'' type and the ''exemplary''. The emissary type believe that they have received an important message that must be communicated to others. The exemplary type base their religious authority on experience that serves as an example to others.
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== Greek and Roman oracles ==
== Greek and Roman oracles ==


The role of spokesman for the gods is an archaic one in the Hellenic world. However, the word ''prophet'' itself derives from the Greeks, who used the word ''προφήτης'' to refer to an interpreter or spokesperson of a deity, who "utters forth." In [[Greek religion]] the interpreters of [[Zeus]], [[Apollo]], and other [[god]]s were the [[oracle]]s, at numerous ancient sites, where the god or goddess spoke through women, sometimes identified as [[sibyl]]s and the utterances, in classical times, were interpreted by men. In various Greek legends, oracles (particularly Apollo's at [[Delphi]]) spoke cryptically of the future, and their meaning was frequently misunderstood. In ''The Iliad'' the Trojan princess [[Cassandra]] warns of upcoming events, but has been cursed such that no one believes her prophecies. =]
The role of spokesman for the gods is an archaic one in the Hellenic world. However, the word ''prophet'' itself derives from the Greeks, who used the word ''προφήτης'' to refer to an interpreter or spokesperson of a deity, who "utters forth." In [[Greek religion]] the interpreters of [[Zeus]], [[Apollo]], and other [[god]]s were the [[oracle]]s, at numerous ancient sites, where the god or goddess spoke through women, sometimes identified as [[sibyl]]s and the utterances, in classical times, were interpreted by men. In various Greek legends, oracles (particularly Apollo's at [[Delphi]]) spoke cryptically of the future, and their meaning was frequently misunderstood. In ''The Iliad'' the Trojan princess [[Cassandra]] warns of upcoming events, but has been cursed such that no one believes her prophecies.


== Judaism ==
== Prophets in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) ==
{{main | Tanakh}}

In [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], the word traditionally translated as ''prophet'' is נְבִיא (''nevi''), which likely means "proclaimer". The meaning of ''nevi'' is perhaps described in [[Deuteronomy]] 18:18, where [[God]] said, "I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them all that I command him." Thus, the ''navi'' was thought to be the "mouth" of God. The root nun-bet-alef ("navi") is based on the two-letter root nun-bet which denotes hollowness or openness; to receive transcendental wisdom, one must make oneself “open”. Cf. [[Rashbam]]'s comment to [[Genesis]] 20:7.

According to I [[Books of Samuel|Samuel]] 9:9, the old name for navi is ro'eh, ראה, which literally means "[[See]]r". That could document an ancient shift, from viewing prophets as seers for hire to viewing them as moral teachers. Allen (1971) comments that in the First Temple Era, there were essentially seer-priests, who formed a guild, divined, performed rituals and sacrifices, and were scribes, and then there were canonical prophets, who did none of these (and were against divination) and had instead a message to deliver. The seer-priests were usually attached to a local shrine or temple, such as Shiloh, and initiated others as priests in that priesthood: it was a mystical craft-guild with apprentices and recruitment. Canonical prophets were not organised this way. The similar term "ben-navi" ("son of the prophet") means "member of a seer-priest guild".

Some examples of prophets in the [[Tanakh]] (Hebrew Bible) include [[Abraham]], [[Sarah]], [[Isaiah]], [[Samuel (biblical figure)|Samuel]], [[Ezekiel]], [[Malachi]], and [[Job (Biblical figure)|Job]]. In Jewish tradition, [[Daniel]] is not counted in the list of prophets. The Tanakh states that prophecy is not limited to Jews, and is remarkable for the many accounts of prophets it contains. It specifically mentions the prophecy of [[Balaam|Bilam]], a gentile. The accounts include details of man, woman and even animals receiving prophecy in various ways.

A Jewish tradition holds that there were 600,000 male and 600,000 female prophets. Judaism recognizes the existence of 48 male prophets who bequeathed permanent messages to mankind.[http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/12-11.html] According to the [[Talmud]] there were also seven women who are counted as prophets whose message bears relevance for all generations: [[Sarah]], [[Miriam]], [[Devorah]], [[Hannah (given name)|Hannah]] (mother of the ''prophet'' [[Samuel (Bible)|Samuel]]), [[Abigail]] (a wife of [[King David]]), [[Huldah]] (from the time of [[Jeremiah (prophet)|Jeremiah]]), and [[Esther]]. There were, of course, other women who functioned as prophets, and the last prophet mentioned in the Bible, [[Noahdiah]] ([[Nehemiah]] 6:14) was a woman.

== Prophets in Jewish thought ==


Classical Jewish texts teach that the most direct forms of prophecy ended shortly after the destruction of the [[First Temple]] in [[586]] BCE and the codification of the [[Tanakh]] (Hebrew Bible) by the [[Great Assembly|Men of the Great Assembly]] (''Anshei Knessset HaGedolah''). However, various rabbinic Jewish works, including the [[midrash]], state that other less direct forms of communication between man and God still exist, and have never ended.
Classical Jewish texts teach that the most direct forms of prophecy ended shortly after the destruction of the [[First Temple]] in [[586]] BCE and the codification of the [[Tanakh]] (Hebrew Bible) by the [[Great Assembly|Men of the Great Assembly]] (''Anshei Knessset HaGedolah''). However, various rabbinic Jewish works, including the [[midrash]], state that other less direct forms of communication between man and God still exist, and have never ended.
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*''[[False Prophet]]'' for detailed definition of prophet and false prophet in Judaism.
*''[[False Prophet]]'' for detailed definition of prophet and false prophet in Judaism.
*''[[Shouters]]'', a type of Jewish Prophet
*''[[Shouters]]'', a type of Jewish Prophet

=== Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) ===
{{main | Tanakh}}

In [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], the word traditionally translated as ''prophet'' is נְבִיא (''nevi''), which likely means "proclaimer". The meaning of ''nevi'' is perhaps described in [[Deuteronomy]] 18:18, where [[God]] said, "I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them all that I command him." Thus, the ''navi'' was thought to be the "mouth" of God. The root nun-bet-alef ("navi") is based on the two-letter root nun-bet which denotes hollowness or openness; to receive transcendental wisdom, one must make oneself “open”. Cf. [[Rashbam]]'s comment to [[Genesis]] 20:7.

According to I [[Books of Samuel|Samuel]] 9:9, the old name for navi is ro'eh, ראה, which literally means "[[See]]r". That could document an ancient shift, from viewing prophets as seers for hire to viewing them as moral teachers. Allen (1971) comments that in the First Temple Era, there were essentially seer-priests, who formed a guild, divined, performed rituals and sacrifices, and were scribes, and then there were canonical prophets, who did none of these (and were against divination) and had instead a message to deliver. The seer-priests were usually attached to a local shrine or temple, such as Shiloh, and initiated others as priests in that priesthood: it was a mystical craft-guild with apprentices and recruitment. Canonical prophets were not organised this way. The similar term "ben-navi" ("son of the prophet") means "member of a seer-priest guild".

Some examples of prophets in the [[Tanakh]] (Hebrew Bible) include [[Abraham]], [[Sarah]], [[Isaiah]], [[Samuel (biblical figure)|Samuel]], [[Ezekiel]], [[Malachi]], and [[Job (Biblical figure)|Job]]. In Jewish tradition, [[Daniel]] is not counted in the list of prophets. The Tanakh states that prophecy is not limited to Jews, and is remarkable for the many accounts of prophets it contains. It specifically mentions the prophecy of [[Balaam|Bilam]], a gentile. The accounts include details of man, woman and even animals receiving prophecy in various ways.

A Jewish tradition holds that there were 600,000 male and 600,000 female prophets. Judaism recognizes the existence of 48 male prophets who bequeathed permanent messages to mankind.[http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/12-11.html] According to the [[Talmud]] there were also seven women who are counted as prophets whose message bears relevance for all generations: [[Sarah]], [[Miriam]], [[Devorah]], [[Hannah (given name)|Hannah]] (mother of the ''prophet'' [[Samuel (Bible)|Samuel]]), [[Abigail]] (a wife of [[King David]]), [[Huldah]] (from the time of [[Jeremiah (prophet)|Jeremiah]]), and [[Esther]]. There were, of course, other women who functioned as prophets, and the last prophet mentioned in the Bible, [[Noahdiah]] ([[Nehemiah]] 6:14) was a woman.


=== Divine Pathos ===
=== Divine Pathos ===
In his book ''The Prophets'', [[Abraham Joshua Heschel]] describes the unique aspect of the Jewish prophets as compared to other similar figures. Whereas other nations have soothsayers and diviners who attempt to discover G-d's will, according to Heschel the Hebrew prophets are characterized by their experience of what he calls theotropism — G-d turning towards humanity. Heschel argues for the view of Hebrew prophets as receivers of the "Divine Pathos," of the wrath and sorrow of G-d over his nation that has forsaken him.
In his book ''The Prophets'', [[Abraham Joshua Heschel]] describes the unique aspect of the Jewish prophets as compared to other similar figures. Whereas other nations have soothsayers and diviners who attempt to discover G-d's will, according to Heschel the Hebrew prophets are characterized by their experience of what he calls theotropism G-d turning towards humanity. Heschel argues for the view of Hebrew prophets as receivers of the "Divine Pathos," of the wrath and sorrow of G-d over his nation that has forsaken him.


He writes:
He writes:
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<blockquote>Prophecy is the voice that G-d has lent to the silent agony, a voice to the plundered poor, to the profane riches of the world. It is a form of living, a crossing point of G-d and man. G-d is raging in the prophet's words. (The Prophets Ch. 1)</blockquote>
<blockquote>Prophecy is the voice that G-d has lent to the silent agony, a voice to the plundered poor, to the profane riches of the world. It is a form of living, a crossing point of G-d and man. G-d is raging in the prophet's words. (The Prophets Ch. 1)</blockquote>


== Christianity ==
== Christian concepts of a prophet ==
{{unreferenced|date=October 2006}}
{{unreferenced|date=October 2006}}
Christians believe a prophet is a person who speaks for God, in the name of God, and who carries God's message to others. Some Christian [[religious denomination|denominations]] teach that a person who receives a personal message not intended for the body of believers (where such an event is credited at all) should not be termed a prophet. The reception of a message is termed [[revelation]]; the delivery of the message is termed [[prophecy]]. For Christians the authenticity of a prophet is judged by their fruits as Jesus said that one should judge a prophet by his fruits, ([[Sermon on the Mount|Gospel of Matthew 7]]) and by checking whether his predictions come true. [[Deuteronomy]] 18:21-22 contains several warnings about false prophets and is very specific about the test of whether a prophet is true or false. A false prophet is considered to be someone who is purposely trying to deceive, or is delusional, or is under the influence of Satan (for detail, see main article ''[[False prophet]]'').
Christians believe a prophet is a person who speaks for God, in the name of God, and who carries God's message to others. Some Christian [[religious denomination|denominations]] teach that a person who receives a personal message not intended for the body of believers (where such an event is credited at all) should not be termed a prophet. The reception of a message is termed [[revelation]]; the delivery of the message is termed [[prophecy]]. For Christians the authenticity of a prophet is judged by their fruits as Jesus said that one should judge a prophet by his fruits, ([[Sermon on the Mount|Gospel of Matthew 7]]) and by checking whether his predictions come true. [[Deuteronomy]] 18:21-22 contains several warnings about false prophets and is very specific about the test of whether a prophet is true or false. A false prophet is considered to be someone who is purposely trying to deceive, or is delusional, or is under the influence of Satan (for detail, see main article ''[[False prophet]]'').
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[[New Testament]] passages that explicitly discuss prophets existing after the death and resurrection of Christ include Revelation 11:10, {{bibleref|Matthew|10:40-41}} & 23:34, John 13:20 & 15:20, and Acts 11:25-30, 13:1 & 15:32. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit leads people to faith in Jesus and gives them the ability to lead a [[Christianity#Worship and practices|Christian life]] and to give gifts (i.e. abilities) to Christians. These may include the [[charism]]atic gifts such as [[prophecy]], [[gift of tongues|tongues]], healing, and knowledge. Christians holding a view known as [[cessationism]] believe these gifts were given only in New Testament times and ceased after the last apostle died. Historical records, however, contradict this theory. Christians almost universally agree that certain more mundane "[[spiritual gifts]]" are still in effect today, including the gifts of ministry, teaching, giving, leadership, and mercy (see, e.g. {{nkjv|Romans|12:6-8|Romans 12:6-8}}).
[[New Testament]] passages that explicitly discuss prophets existing after the death and resurrection of Christ include Revelation 11:10, {{bibleref|Matthew|10:40-41}} & 23:34, John 13:20 & 15:20, and Acts 11:25-30, 13:1 & 15:32. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit leads people to faith in Jesus and gives them the ability to lead a [[Christianity#Worship and practices|Christian life]] and to give gifts (i.e. abilities) to Christians. These may include the [[charism]]atic gifts such as [[prophecy]], [[gift of tongues|tongues]], healing, and knowledge. Christians holding a view known as [[cessationism]] believe these gifts were given only in New Testament times and ceased after the last apostle died. Historical records, however, contradict this theory. Christians almost universally agree that certain more mundane "[[spiritual gifts]]" are still in effect today, including the gifts of ministry, teaching, giving, leadership, and mercy (see, e.g. {{nkjv|Romans|12:6-8|Romans 12:6-8}}).


=== Latter-day Saint concept of prophets ===
=== Latter-day Saints ===
{{See also|Prophet, seer, and revelator}}
{{See also|Prophet, seer, and revelator}}

====The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints====
[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ("LDS Church", see also [[Mormons]]) and other churches from the [[Latter Day Saint movement]] believes that God continues to communicate with his children. While anyone may receive [[Revelation (Latter Day Saints)|revelation]] for themselves or their own families, Mormons believe certain individuals have been called as prophets throughout history to proclaim God's message to the church and to the world. These prophets (including LDS [[Apostle (Latter Day Saints)|Apostles]]) are regarded as "special witnesses" of Jesus Christ, and are believed to have been foreordained as such as a part of God's [[Plan of salvation]] --to lead and guide His children on earth. The message of the gospel of Christ, since the time of [[Adam and Eve (Mormonism)|Adam and Eve]], has consistently been a call for people to repent and exercise faith in God and in Jesus' [[Atonement]]. A form of [[Dispensationalism]] exists where periods of time are introduced by a ''major prophet''. The [[Book of Mormon]] describes the ministries of many of these prophets among the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, and alludes to other prophets who would be chosen in nations other than in the Americas and [[Bible]] lands.
[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ("LDS Church", see also [[Mormons]]) and other churches from the [[Latter Day Saint movement]] believes that God continues to communicate with his children. While anyone may receive [[Revelation (Latter Day Saints)|revelation]] for themselves or their own families, Mormons believe certain individuals have been called as prophets throughout history to proclaim God's message to the church and to the world. These prophets (including LDS [[Apostle (Latter Day Saints)|Apostles]]) are regarded as "special witnesses" of Jesus Christ, and are believed to have been foreordained as such as a part of God's [[Plan of salvation]] --to lead and guide His children on earth. The message of the gospel of Christ, since the time of [[Adam and Eve (Mormonism)|Adam and Eve]], has consistently been a call for people to repent and exercise faith in God and in Jesus' [[Atonement]]. A form of [[Dispensationalism]] exists where periods of time are introduced by a ''major prophet''. The [[Book of Mormon]] describes the ministries of many of these prophets among the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, and alludes to other prophets who would be chosen in nations other than in the Americas and [[Bible]] lands.


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Abinadi, Alma the Younger, King Benjamin, Jacob, the Brother of Jared, Lehi, Mormon, Moroni, Nephi, & Samuel the Lamanite, who, like many other figures in the Book of Mormon account, "presented a revelation which was intended to be presented to the church as a whole" even though he was not "called by God to be the prophet of the Church." [http://www.meridianmagazine.com/images/friberg/big/FribergSamuelLamanite.jpg]. In addition, four prophets of the Old World, not known to exist outside the Book of Mormon, are also mentioned (and occasionally quoted): Ezias, Neum, Zenock and Zenos (the latter was quoted at great length in reference to a prophesy concerning the final fate of the House of Israel).
Abinadi, Alma the Younger, King Benjamin, Jacob, the Brother of Jared, Lehi, Mormon, Moroni, Nephi, & Samuel the Lamanite, who, like many other figures in the Book of Mormon account, "presented a revelation which was intended to be presented to the church as a whole" even though he was not "called by God to be the prophet of the Church." [http://www.meridianmagazine.com/images/friberg/big/FribergSamuelLamanite.jpg]. In addition, four prophets of the Old World, not known to exist outside the Book of Mormon, are also mentioned (and occasionally quoted): Ezias, Neum, Zenock and Zenos (the latter was quoted at great length in reference to a prophesy concerning the final fate of the House of Israel).


===Jehovah's Witnesses concepts of a prophet===
===Jehovah's Witnesses===


[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] do not consider any single person in their modern-day organization to be [http://www.bibletopics.com/biblestudy/images/88f.gif a prophet]. Their literature has referred to their organization collectively as God's "prophet" on earth; this is understood however in the sense of declaring their interpretation of God's judgments from the Bible along with God's guidance of His Holy Spirit. One issue of [[The Watchtower]] their magazine, said: "Ever since 'The Watchtower' began to be published in July of 1879 it has looked ahead into the future... No, 'The Watchtower' is no inspired prophet, but it follows and explains a Book of prophecy the predictions in which have proved to be unerring and unfailing till now. 'The Watchtower' is therefore under safe guidance. It may be read with confidence, for its statements may be checked against that prophetic Book."<ref>''The Watchtower 1 Jan 1969'' </ref> They also claim that they are God's one and only true channel to mankind on earth, and used by God for this purpose. They have made [[Jehovah's Witnesses#Jehovah.27s Witnesses and eschatology|many eschatological predictions]] and as a result have acknowledged they "have made mistakes in their understanding of what would occur".<ref>''Reasoning From the Scriptures'' p.136 </ref>
[[Jehovah's Witnesses]] do not consider any single person in their modern-day organization to be [http://www.bibletopics.com/biblestudy/images/88f.gif a prophet]. Their literature has referred to their organization collectively as God's "prophet" on earth; this is understood however in the sense of declaring their interpretation of God's judgments from the Bible along with God's guidance of His Holy Spirit. One issue of [[The Watchtower]] their magazine, said: "Ever since 'The Watchtower' began to be published in July of 1879 it has looked ahead into the future... No, 'The Watchtower' is no inspired prophet, but it follows and explains a Book of prophecy the predictions in which have proved to be unerring and unfailing till now. 'The Watchtower' is therefore under safe guidance. It may be read with confidence, for its statements may be checked against that prophetic Book."<ref>''The Watchtower 1 Jan 1969'' </ref> They also claim that they are God's one and only true channel to mankind on earth, and used by God for this purpose. They have made [[Jehovah's Witnesses#Jehovah.27s Witnesses and eschatology|many eschatological predictions]] and as a result have acknowledged they "have made mistakes in their understanding of what would occur".<ref>''Reasoning From the Scriptures'' p.136 </ref>


===Seventh-day Adventist conception of a prophet===
===Seventh-day Adventist===
{{main|prophetic gift of Ellen White}}
{{main|prophetic gift of Ellen White}}
The [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]] believes [[Ellen White]], a cofounder of the church, possessed the gift of prophecy.
The [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]] believes [[Ellen White]], a cofounder of the church, possessed the gift of prophecy.


== Islam ==
== The Islamic concept of prophet ==
{{Prophets, salaf and caliphs}}
{{Prophets, salaf and caliphs}}
{{main|Prophet of Islam}}
{{main|Prophet of Islam}}
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Muslims believe that evidence for the prophethood of Muhammad is as good as, if not stronger than, the evidence for previous prophets. A common argument is to ask why the Jew or Christian believe in Moses or Jesus, and to use the same answer to prove Muhammad's prophethood. They also maintain that all accusations levied on their prophet can be used against persons such as Abraham, Israel, Moses and Jesus. Thus they hold that the Jews or Christians are not consistent. If they believe in Moses or Jesus for their miracles, the same should apply to Muhammad. If Muhammad is accused of fighting, is not the same said about Abraham, Moses and David? They also argue that [http://www.al-sunnah.com/muhammad_in_the_bible.htm prophecies] about Muhammad are still in the Old and New Testaments.
Muslims believe that evidence for the prophethood of Muhammad is as good as, if not stronger than, the evidence for previous prophets. A common argument is to ask why the Jew or Christian believe in Moses or Jesus, and to use the same answer to prove Muhammad's prophethood. They also maintain that all accusations levied on their prophet can be used against persons such as Abraham, Israel, Moses and Jesus. Thus they hold that the Jews or Christians are not consistent. If they believe in Moses or Jesus for their miracles, the same should apply to Muhammad. If Muhammad is accused of fighting, is not the same said about Abraham, Moses and David? They also argue that [http://www.al-sunnah.com/muhammad_in_the_bible.htm prophecies] about Muhammad are still in the Old and New Testaments.


== The Bahá'í concept of prophet ==
== Bahá'í ==
{{main|Manifestation of God}}
{{main|Manifestation of God}}
The [[Bahá'í Faith]] refers to what are commonly called prophets as ''Manifestations of God'', or simply ''Manifestations'' (''mazhar'') who are directly linked with the concept of [[Progressive revelation]]. Bahá'ís believe that God expresses this will at all times and in many ways, including through a series of divine messengers referred to as ''Manifestations of God'' or sometimes ''divine educators''.<ref name="eor">{{cite encyclopedia | last = Hutter | first = Manfred | editor = Ed. Lindsay Jones | encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of Religion | title = Bahā'īs | edition = 2nd ed. | year = 2005 | publisher = Macmillan Reference USA | volume = 2 | location = Detroit | id = ISBN 0-02-865733-0 | pages = p737-740}}</ref> In expressing God's intent, these Manifestations are seen to establish religion in the world. Thus they are seen as an intermediary between God and humanity.<ref name="manifestation">{{cite journal | first = Juan | last = Cole | title = | year = 1982 | title = The Concept of Manifestation in the Bahá'í Writings | journal = Bahá'í Studies | volume = monograph 9 | pages = pp. 1-38 | url = http://bahai-library.org/articles/manifestation.html}}</ref>
The [[Bahá'í Faith]] refers to what are commonly called prophets as ''Manifestations of God'', or simply ''Manifestations'' (''mazhar'') who are directly linked with the concept of [[Progressive revelation]]. Bahá'ís believe that God expresses this will at all times and in many ways, including through a series of divine messengers referred to as ''Manifestations of God'' or sometimes ''divine educators''.<ref name="eor">{{cite encyclopedia | last = Hutter | first = Manfred | editor = Ed. Lindsay Jones | encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of Religion | title = Bahā'īs | edition = 2nd ed. | year = 2005 | publisher = Macmillan Reference USA | volume = 2 | location = Detroit | id = ISBN 0-02-865733-0 | pages = p737-740}}</ref> In expressing God's intent, these Manifestations are seen to establish religion in the world. Thus they are seen as an intermediary between God and humanity.<ref name="manifestation">{{cite journal | first = Juan | last = Cole | title = | year = 1982 | title = The Concept of Manifestation in the Bahá'í Writings | journal = Bahá'í Studies | volume = monograph 9 | pages = pp. 1-38 | url = http://bahai-library.org/articles/manifestation.html}}</ref>
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In addition to the Manifestations of God, in the Bahá'í view, there are also minor prophets. While the Manifestations of Gods, or major Prophets, are compared to the sun, which produces its own heat and light. The minor prophets, on the other hand, are likened to the moon, which receive their light from the sun. [[Moses]], for example, is taught as having been a Manifestation of God and his brother [[Aaron]] a minor prophet. Moses spoke on behalf of God, and Aaron spoke on behalf of Moses ([[Exodus]] 4:14-17). Other Jewish prophets are considered minor prophets, in the Bahá'í view, as they are considered to have come in the shadow of the dispensation of Moses to develop and consolidate the process he set in motion.
In addition to the Manifestations of God, in the Bahá'í view, there are also minor prophets. While the Manifestations of Gods, or major Prophets, are compared to the sun, which produces its own heat and light. The minor prophets, on the other hand, are likened to the moon, which receive their light from the sun. [[Moses]], for example, is taught as having been a Manifestation of God and his brother [[Aaron]] a minor prophet. Moses spoke on behalf of God, and Aaron spoke on behalf of Moses ([[Exodus]] 4:14-17). Other Jewish prophets are considered minor prophets, in the Bahá'í view, as they are considered to have come in the shadow of the dispensation of Moses to develop and consolidate the process he set in motion.


== Tenrikyo concept of prophet ==
== Tenrikyo ==


[[Tenrikyo]]'s prophet, [[Nakayama Miki]] or [[Oyasama]] [http://www.tenrikyo.or.jp/en/teaching/teachings/oyasama.html], is believed by Tenrikyoans to have been a kind of microphone of God, as God spoke through Oyasama, directly, to whomever was in the vicinity. She had three aspects: the Shrine of Tsukihi (the body of the woman was occupied by the mind of God), The Parent of the Divine Model (Oyasama taught the people by instructions and examples), and The Truth of the Everliving Oyasama (she continues to watch humanity develop, even after shedding her body).
[[Tenrikyo]]'s prophet, [[Nakayama Miki]] or [[Oyasama]] [http://www.tenrikyo.or.jp/en/teaching/teachings/oyasama.html], is believed by Tenrikyoans to have been a kind of microphone of God, as God spoke through Oyasama, directly, to whomever was in the vicinity. She had three aspects: the Shrine of Tsukihi (the body of the woman was occupied by the mind of God), The Parent of the Divine Model (Oyasama taught the people by instructions and examples), and The Truth of the Everliving Oyasama (she continues to watch humanity develop, even after shedding her body).


== Other prophets (in sense of religion) ==
== Other religions ==


Of more or less 8000 persons is known that they said that they brought a divine message. <!-- If only this sentence made sense. -->
* [[Lou de Palingboer]],founder and figurehead of a new religious movement in the Netherlands.
* [[Lou de Palingboer]],founder and figurehead of a new religious movement in the Netherlands.
* [[David Koresh]], leader of the [[Branch Davidians]] religious sect
* [[David Koresh]], leader of the [[Branch Davidians]] religious sect
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* [[Bobby Henderson]], founder and prophet of the [[flying spaghetti monster|Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster]]
* [[Bobby Henderson]], founder and prophet of the [[flying spaghetti monster|Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster]]


== Other prophets (in sense of foretelling the future) ==
== Other individuals ==


Other people throughout history have been described as prophets in the sense of foretelling the future (as opposed to forthtelling the message of the Deity). Examples of such prophets include:
Other people throughout history have been described as prophets in the sense of foretelling the future (as opposed to forthtelling the message of the Deity). Examples of such prophets include:
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* [[Alex Madrid Ybarra]] Paducah, TX
* [[Alex Madrid Ybarra]] Paducah, TX


== Prophets in science-fiction and fantasy ==
== Science-fiction and fantasy ==
* The seers and [[Shannara Druids|Druids]] of [[Shannara]]
* The seers and [[Shannara Druids|Druids]] of [[Shannara]]
* The "Veheer" in the [[Watership Down]] canon, most notably Fiver and Hyzenthlay. Technically seers as they have visions rather that clear prophetic messages.
* The "Veheer" in the [[Watership Down]] canon, most notably Fiver and Hyzenthlay. Technically seers as they have visions rather that clear prophetic messages.

Revision as of 21:34, 19 July 2007

A depiction of the Jewish prophet Jeremiah in "Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem" by Rembrandt van Rijn.

In religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has directly encountered the numinous or the divine and serves as an intermediary with humanity. Prophets existed in many ancient cultures, including the Sybilline and Delphic Oracles in Ancient Greece, the Völuspá in Old Norse, Zoroaster in Persia, and many others. In Abrahamic religion, a prophet is seen as a person who has encountered, and speaks as a formal representative of, God; some are understood as founding or revitalizing a religion based on their teachings.

In modern times as well as ancient times, the term "prophet" is always controversial. For instance, Joseph Smith, Jr. and Ellen G. White, the respective founders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, are considered prophets by members of those churches, but are vilified in some other branches of Christianity.

Sociological taxonomy

The sociologist Max Weber distinguished two types of prophets, the emissary type and the exemplary. The emissary type believe that they have received an important message that must be communicated to others. The exemplary type base their religious authority on experience that serves as an example to others.

Greek and Roman oracles

The role of spokesman for the gods is an archaic one in the Hellenic world. However, the word prophet itself derives from the Greeks, who used the word προφήτης to refer to an interpreter or spokesperson of a deity, who "utters forth." In Greek religion the interpreters of Zeus, Apollo, and other gods were the oracles, at numerous ancient sites, where the god or goddess spoke through women, sometimes identified as sibyls and the utterances, in classical times, were interpreted by men. In various Greek legends, oracles (particularly Apollo's at Delphi) spoke cryptically of the future, and their meaning was frequently misunderstood. In The Iliad the Trojan princess Cassandra warns of upcoming events, but has been cursed such that no one believes her prophecies.

Judaism

Classical Jewish texts teach that the most direct forms of prophecy ended shortly after the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE and the codification of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) by the Men of the Great Assembly (Anshei Knessset HaGedolah). However, various rabbinic Jewish works, including the midrash, state that other less direct forms of communication between man and God still exist, and have never ended.

Many Jewish works, including the Talmud and Maimonides's Guide for the Perplexed states that gentiles may receive prophecy. However, Judaism generally does not accept that any of the specific people well known in other religions are genuine prophets. Jews have recognized specific gentile leader as a prophet, as most people who claim to be prophets in other religions have done so in such a way as to delegitimize or supersede Judaism itself. Judaism (based on Deuteronomy Ch. 13 and 18:20) holds that no true prophet will create a new faith or religion as a successor to Judaism. Maimonide's work was thought upon by Spinoza, in particular in his Theologico-Political Treatise.

The Talmud states that minor forms of prophecy still occur. One example of this is the bat kol. (e.g. Tosefta Sota 13:3, Yerushalmi Sota 24b, and Bavli Sota 48b). The Talmud states that each time a Jew studies the Torah or its rabbinic commentaries, God is revealed anew; there is still a link between the God and the Jewish people. Reference: Abraham Joshua Heschel's Prophetic Inspiration After the Prophets: Maimonides and Others (Ktav)

Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote one of the 20th century's classic commentaries on the prophets, entitled "The Prophets".

See also
  • False Prophet for detailed definition of prophet and false prophet in Judaism.
  • Shouters, a type of Jewish Prophet

Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)

In Hebrew, the word traditionally translated as prophet is נְבִיא (nevi), which likely means "proclaimer". The meaning of nevi is perhaps described in Deuteronomy 18:18, where God said, "I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them all that I command him." Thus, the navi was thought to be the "mouth" of God. The root nun-bet-alef ("navi") is based on the two-letter root nun-bet which denotes hollowness or openness; to receive transcendental wisdom, one must make oneself “open”. Cf. Rashbam's comment to Genesis 20:7.

According to I Samuel 9:9, the old name for navi is ro'eh, ראה, which literally means "Seer". That could document an ancient shift, from viewing prophets as seers for hire to viewing them as moral teachers. Allen (1971) comments that in the First Temple Era, there were essentially seer-priests, who formed a guild, divined, performed rituals and sacrifices, and were scribes, and then there were canonical prophets, who did none of these (and were against divination) and had instead a message to deliver. The seer-priests were usually attached to a local shrine or temple, such as Shiloh, and initiated others as priests in that priesthood: it was a mystical craft-guild with apprentices and recruitment. Canonical prophets were not organised this way. The similar term "ben-navi" ("son of the prophet") means "member of a seer-priest guild".

Some examples of prophets in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) include Abraham, Sarah, Isaiah, Samuel, Ezekiel, Malachi, and Job. In Jewish tradition, Daniel is not counted in the list of prophets. The Tanakh states that prophecy is not limited to Jews, and is remarkable for the many accounts of prophets it contains. It specifically mentions the prophecy of Bilam, a gentile. The accounts include details of man, woman and even animals receiving prophecy in various ways.

A Jewish tradition holds that there were 600,000 male and 600,000 female prophets. Judaism recognizes the existence of 48 male prophets who bequeathed permanent messages to mankind.[1] According to the Talmud there were also seven women who are counted as prophets whose message bears relevance for all generations: Sarah, Miriam, Devorah, Hannah (mother of the prophet Samuel), Abigail (a wife of King David), Huldah (from the time of Jeremiah), and Esther. There were, of course, other women who functioned as prophets, and the last prophet mentioned in the Bible, Noahdiah (Nehemiah 6:14) was a woman.

Divine Pathos

In his book The Prophets, Abraham Joshua Heschel describes the unique aspect of the Jewish prophets as compared to other similar figures. Whereas other nations have soothsayers and diviners who attempt to discover G-d's will, according to Heschel the Hebrew prophets are characterized by their experience of what he calls theotropism — G-d turning towards humanity. Heschel argues for the view of Hebrew prophets as receivers of the "Divine Pathos," of the wrath and sorrow of G-d over his nation that has forsaken him.

He writes:

Prophecy is the voice that G-d has lent to the silent agony, a voice to the plundered poor, to the profane riches of the world. It is a form of living, a crossing point of G-d and man. G-d is raging in the prophet's words. (The Prophets Ch. 1)

Christianity

Christians believe a prophet is a person who speaks for God, in the name of God, and who carries God's message to others. Some Christian denominations teach that a person who receives a personal message not intended for the body of believers (where such an event is credited at all) should not be termed a prophet. The reception of a message is termed revelation; the delivery of the message is termed prophecy. For Christians the authenticity of a prophet is judged by their fruits as Jesus said that one should judge a prophet by his fruits, (Gospel of Matthew 7) and by checking whether his predictions come true. Deuteronomy 18:21-22 contains several warnings about false prophets and is very specific about the test of whether a prophet is true or false. A false prophet is considered to be someone who is purposely trying to deceive, or is delusional, or is under the influence of Satan (for detail, see main article False prophet).

Christians recognize that anyone they consider prophetic is still human and fallible, and may make wrong decisions, have incorrect personal beliefs or opinions, and sin from time to time; the human characteristics of a prophet are independent of the message God has given him and do not negate the validity of his prophecies.

Nevertheless, some Christians believe the minimum requirements of a true prophet can be summarized as follows: (1) Clear (not vague) prophecies (2) 100% accuracy in prophesying (i.e. one false prophecy is all it takes to disqualify them as a prophet), and (3) Must not contradict the Bible.

Many Christians believe these standards create a conundrum for other Christians who actively support high profile ministers who have large followings who claim to have received prophecies that have later turned out to be mistaken (see Unfulfilled historical predictions by Christians). Some sects of Christianity would also use these guidelines to disqualify other sects as prophets of God.

Some Christians, including many who believe in dispensationalism, believe prophecy ended with the coming of Jesus, who delivered the "fullness of the law." Within this group, many Protestants believe that prophecy ended with the last of the Hebrew prophets of the Old Testament of the Bible, leaving a gap of about 400 years between then and the life of Jesus. The majority, including the Eastern Orthodox, allow an exception for John the Baptist as a prophet contemporary with Jesus.

New Testament passages that explicitly discuss prophets existing after the death and resurrection of Christ include Revelation 11:10, Matthew 10:40–41 & 23:34, John 13:20 & 15:20, and Acts 11:25-30, 13:1 & 15:32. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit leads people to faith in Jesus and gives them the ability to lead a Christian life and to give gifts (i.e. abilities) to Christians. These may include the charismatic gifts such as prophecy, tongues, healing, and knowledge. Christians holding a view known as cessationism believe these gifts were given only in New Testament times and ceased after the last apostle died. Historical records, however, contradict this theory. Christians almost universally agree that certain more mundane "spiritual gifts" are still in effect today, including the gifts of ministry, teaching, giving, leadership, and mercy (see, e.g. 12:6-8 Romans 12:6–8).

Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("LDS Church", see also Mormons) and other churches from the Latter Day Saint movement believes that God continues to communicate with his children. While anyone may receive revelation for themselves or their own families, Mormons believe certain individuals have been called as prophets throughout history to proclaim God's message to the church and to the world. These prophets (including LDS Apostles) are regarded as "special witnesses" of Jesus Christ, and are believed to have been foreordained as such as a part of God's Plan of salvation --to lead and guide His children on earth. The message of the gospel of Christ, since the time of Adam and Eve, has consistently been a call for people to repent and exercise faith in God and in Jesus' Atonement. A form of Dispensationalism exists where periods of time are introduced by a major prophet. The Book of Mormon describes the ministries of many of these prophets among the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, and alludes to other prophets who would be chosen in nations other than in the Americas and Bible lands.

Latter-day Saints believe that God calls a prophet to lead the Lord's church any time it has been organized on the earth, beginning with Adam, and continuing on with others recorded in the Old Testament such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Isaiah, and Malachi. Jesus did this during his mortal ministry, and Peter acted in Christ's place after His ascension, but because of persecution the church eventually fell into apostasy. With the Restoration of the Gospel in 1830 through Joseph Smith, Jr., Latter-day Saints claim the true Christian church was, again, organized and established upon the earth. God is believed to direct affairs of the church through the leadership of the church, especially the President of the Church. He is believed to be authorized to receive revelation for the whole world and is often referred to simply as "the Prophet." He speaks bi-annually at the LDS Church's general conference, which is broadcast in many areas in addition to being printed and published.

Joseph Smith (1805–1844) is called the "Prophet of the Restoration" and was the first in the latter-days and is considered the prophet of the dispensation of the fulness of times. The current leader of the church is Gordon B. Hinckley (b. 1910). In chronological order, past Presidents of the LDS Church were Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, Joseph F. Smith, Heber J. Grant, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson and Howard W. Hunter.

Hugh B. Brown, a former member of the First Presidency, presented an explanatory dialogue entitled Profile of a Prophet[2].

Latter-day Saints also believe other good men and women have had important roles among mankind and have been born on earth at particular times based on God's foreknowledge in all things, to guide their societies in true principles based on the light and knowledge they specifically sought after. For example, Mohammed, Confucius, John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, the United States founding fathers, and Gandhi were inspired by the light of Christ in bringing much goodness and truth to their societies, though theirs was not a revelatory calling through priesthood authority and direct revelation, thus differing from the calling of a prophet.[1]

Community of Christ

Members of Community of Christ, like the Mormons and other adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement believe that God continues to communicate with his children. While anyone may receive guidance from the Lord for themselves, only those called by God to be the prophet of the Church are able to present revelations that are intended to be presented to the Church as a whole, or to the world.

Following the death of Joseph Smith II, the church was loosely re-organized by those whom the modern Church would view as having been faithful to the original teachings of Smith. When his son Joseph Smith III was old enough to take over, they petitioned him to do so, and in time he was sustained as the second prophet of the Church. Joseph Smith III served in that capacity for 54 years. He was succeeded as prophet by Frederick M. Smith, Israel A. Smith, W. Wallace Smith, Wallace B. Smith, W. Grant McMurray and most recently Stephen M. Veazey.

Community of Christ (as well as most Latter Day Saint denominations) considers the Book of Mormon to be scripture. This book, for the most part, deals with the history of a group of Israelites who immigrated to the Americas, circa 600 BC. Throughout the history of the resulting civilizations (the Nephites and Lamanites), and one previous society (the Jaredites) several prophets are called into God’s service. Among the more important ones are:

Abinadi, Alma the Younger, King Benjamin, Jacob, the Brother of Jared, Lehi, Mormon, Moroni, Nephi, & Samuel the Lamanite, who, like many other figures in the Book of Mormon account, "presented a revelation which was intended to be presented to the church as a whole" even though he was not "called by God to be the prophet of the Church." [3]. In addition, four prophets of the Old World, not known to exist outside the Book of Mormon, are also mentioned (and occasionally quoted): Ezias, Neum, Zenock and Zenos (the latter was quoted at great length in reference to a prophesy concerning the final fate of the House of Israel).

Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses do not consider any single person in their modern-day organization to be a prophet. Their literature has referred to their organization collectively as God's "prophet" on earth; this is understood however in the sense of declaring their interpretation of God's judgments from the Bible along with God's guidance of His Holy Spirit. One issue of The Watchtower their magazine, said: "Ever since 'The Watchtower' began to be published in July of 1879 it has looked ahead into the future... No, 'The Watchtower' is no inspired prophet, but it follows and explains a Book of prophecy the predictions in which have proved to be unerring and unfailing till now. 'The Watchtower' is therefore under safe guidance. It may be read with confidence, for its statements may be checked against that prophetic Book."[2] They also claim that they are God's one and only true channel to mankind on earth, and used by God for this purpose. They have made many eschatological predictions and as a result have acknowledged they "have made mistakes in their understanding of what would occur".[3]

Seventh-day Adventist

The Seventh-day Adventist Church believes Ellen White, a cofounder of the church, possessed the gift of prophecy.

Islam

Template:Prophets, salaf and caliphs

The Qur'an identifies a number of men as Prophets of Islam (Arabic: nabee نبي ; pl. anbiyaa أنبياء ). Muslims believe such individuals were assigned a special mission by God (Arabic: Allah) to guide humanity. Besides Muhammad, this includes other Abrahamic prophets such as Moses and Jesus.

According to the Islamic creed, the essence of all the prophets’ messages is what Islam calls for: worshipping God alone and rejecting false deities. Islam is the religion of all prophets in human history; all of them called for beliefs which Islam calls for, and so they declared belief in Islam. The message of Islam resembles the messages of all previous prophets of God. The Qur'an states: "Abraham was not a Jew nor a Christian, but he was (an) upright (man), a Muslim (submission to God's will), and he was not one of the polytheists" ([Quran 3:67]). There were at least 4 Sharia which were revealed to Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Each of the prophets is believed to have been assigned a special mission by God (Arabic: Allah) to guide the whole or a group of the mankind, depending on the mission assigned to each.

God is believed to have instructed each of these prophets to warn his community against evil and urge his people to obey God. Although only 25 prophets are mentioned by name in the Qur'an, a Hadith (no. 21257 in Musnad Ibn Hanbal) mentions that there were 124,000 of them in total throughout history, and the Qur'an says that God has sent a prophet to every group of people throughout time, and that Muhammad is the last of the Prophets.([Quran 16:36]) In general, Muslims regard the stories of the Qur'an as historical. The message of all the prophets is believed to be the same. Many of these prophets are also found in the texts of Judaism (The Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings; collectively known as the Old Testament to Christians) and Christianity.[4]

In the Islamic view the first prophet is Adam, while the last prophet is Muhammad, thus his title Seal of the Prophets. Jesus is the result of a virgin birth in Islam as in Christianity, and is regarded as a prophet like the others.[5] Traditionally, five prophets are regarded as especially important in Islam with distinctive title were given to each of them for example: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. Also, only a tiny minority of prophets are believed to have been sent holy books (such as the Tawrat, Zabur, Injil and the Qur'an), and those prophets are considered "messengers" or rasul. Muhammad is regarded in Islamic belief as having undertaken a prophetic mission addressed to all of humanity rather than a specific populace.

Although it offers many incidents from the lives of many prophets, the Qur'an focuses with special narrative and rhetorical emphasis on the careers of the first four of these five major prophets. Of all the figures before Muhammad, Moses is referred to most frequently in the Qur'an. As for the fifth, the Qur'an is frequently addressed directly to Muhammad, and it often discusses situations encountered by him. Direct use of his name in the text, however, is rare. Rarer still is the mention of Muhammad's contemporaries. Besides the four Holy Books sent by God to the four messengers, Muslims believe that God also had granted Scrolls Suhuf (contains basic Divine Laws to guide the people) to Abraham and Moses.

Muslims believe that evidence for the prophethood of Muhammad is as good as, if not stronger than, the evidence for previous prophets. A common argument is to ask why the Jew or Christian believe in Moses or Jesus, and to use the same answer to prove Muhammad's prophethood. They also maintain that all accusations levied on their prophet can be used against persons such as Abraham, Israel, Moses and Jesus. Thus they hold that the Jews or Christians are not consistent. If they believe in Moses or Jesus for their miracles, the same should apply to Muhammad. If Muhammad is accused of fighting, is not the same said about Abraham, Moses and David? They also argue that prophecies about Muhammad are still in the Old and New Testaments.

Bahá'í

The Bahá'í Faith refers to what are commonly called prophets as Manifestations of God, or simply Manifestations (mazhar) who are directly linked with the concept of Progressive revelation. Bahá'ís believe that God expresses this will at all times and in many ways, including through a series of divine messengers referred to as Manifestations of God or sometimes divine educators.[6] In expressing God's intent, these Manifestations are seen to establish religion in the world. Thus they are seen as an intermediary between God and humanity.[7]

The Manifestations of God are not seen as an incarnation of God, but they are also not seen as an ordinary mortals. Instead, the Bahá'í concept of the Manifestation of God emphasizes simultaneously the humanity of that intermediary and the divinity in the way they show forth the will, knowledge and attributes of God; thus they have both human and divine stations.[7] This view resembles the Christian view of Christ, as well as the Shi'a understanding of the prophets and Imams.

Bahá'u'lláh referred to several historical figures as Manifestations. They include the figures in the Abrahamic Faiths such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, but also include the founders of great non-Western religions such as Zoroaster, Krishna, and Buddha. The Báb, as well as himself, were included in this definition, and Bahá'u'lláh wrote that God will send more Manifestations in the future, when necessary. Thus religious history is interpreted as a series of dispensations, where each Manifestation brings a somewhat broader and more advanced revelation, suited for the time and place in which it was expressed.

These Manifestations are taught to be "one and the same", and in their relationship to one another have both the station of unity and the station of distinction.[7] Bahá'u'lláh wrote in the Kitáb-i-Íqán that in respect to their station of unity "if thou callest them all by one name. and dost ascribe to them the same attribute, thou hast not erred from the truth."[8] In this sense, the Manifestations of God all fulfill the same purpose and perform the same function by mediating between God and creation. In this way each Manifestation of God manifested the Word of God and taught the same religion, with modifications for the particular audience's needs and culture. Bahá'u'lláh wrote that since each Manifestation of God has the same divine attributes they can be seen as the spiritual "return" of all the previous Manifestations of God. Bahá'u'lláh then states the diversity of the teachings of the Manifestations of God does not come about because of their differences, since they are one and the same, but because they each have a different mission.[7][8]

In addition to the Manifestations of God, in the Bahá'í view, there are also minor prophets. While the Manifestations of Gods, or major Prophets, are compared to the sun, which produces its own heat and light. The minor prophets, on the other hand, are likened to the moon, which receive their light from the sun. Moses, for example, is taught as having been a Manifestation of God and his brother Aaron a minor prophet. Moses spoke on behalf of God, and Aaron spoke on behalf of Moses (Exodus 4:14-17). Other Jewish prophets are considered minor prophets, in the Bahá'í view, as they are considered to have come in the shadow of the dispensation of Moses to develop and consolidate the process he set in motion.

Tenrikyo

Tenrikyo's prophet, Nakayama Miki or Oyasama [4], is believed by Tenrikyoans to have been a kind of microphone of God, as God spoke through Oyasama, directly, to whomever was in the vicinity. She had three aspects: the Shrine of Tsukihi (the body of the woman was occupied by the mind of God), The Parent of the Divine Model (Oyasama taught the people by instructions and examples), and The Truth of the Everliving Oyasama (she continues to watch humanity develop, even after shedding her body).

Other religions

Other individuals

Other people throughout history have been described as prophets in the sense of foretelling the future (as opposed to forthtelling the message of the Deity). Examples of such prophets include:

Science-fiction and fantasy

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Smith, Joseph F., Gospel Doctrine, 1919, Chapter 22.;Top, Brent L., Life Before, 1988, Chapter 7
  2. ^ The Watchtower 1 Jan 1969
  3. ^ Reasoning From the Scriptures p.136
  4. ^ The Bible; containing both the Old and New Testaments (see Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an)
  5. ^ See the Qur'an [Quran 3:45]
  6. ^ Hutter, Manfred (2005). "Bahā'īs". In Ed. Lindsay Jones (ed.). Encyclopedia of Religion. Vol. 2 (2nd ed. ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA. pp. p737-740. ISBN 0-02-865733-0. {{cite encyclopedia}}: |edition= has extra text (help); |pages= has extra text (help)
  7. ^ a b c d Cole, Juan (1982). "The Concept of Manifestation in the Bahá'í Writings". Bahá'í Studies. monograph 9: pp. 1-38. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  8. ^ a b Bahá'u'lláh (2003) [1862]. Kitáb-i-Íqán: The Book of Certitude. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. pp. pp. 152-177. ISBN 1-931847-08-8. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)

References

Further reading

  • Elst, Koenraad: Psychology of Prophetism - A Secular Look at the Bible (1993) [5] ISBN 81-85990-00-X