God, Owner, Master

Abstract

Abstract Scholars ascribe the label “god” to many of the beings found in the world’s religions. However, the definitions of “god” commonly offered do not fit most of those entities. This article argues for a clarification of scientific/analytical language which specifies which supernatural beings are “gods” and which are something else. A likely category for most of the world’s putative “gods” is “owner-master,” a concept highly developed in Amazonian cultures and religions but present around the world, particularly in hunting and herding societies. Accordingly, the article explores “gods” in various religions that are not at all god-like by any familiar standard, presents the ontology of owner-master as a relationship of care and encompassment, and considers how employing the term “owner-master” instead of “god” in many if not most cases more accurately represents local beliefs, avoids the imposition of foreign/Christian assumptions, and contributes to an understanding of the history of the god-concept.