Which of the following is a feature common to both monotheism and polytheism? A - HSC - SSCE Studies of Religion - Question 12 - 2017 - Paper 1

To determine the feature common to both monotheism and polytheism, we analyze each option:

• A. The use of sacred texts: While many monotheistic and polytheistic religions have sacred texts, this is not universally applicable to all polytheistic belief systems.

• B. The existence of multiple deities: This clearly does not apply to monotheism, which is defined by the worship of a single deity.

• C. The belief that spirits can inhabit natural objects: This belief is often associated with animism, which is mainly present in many polytheistic traditions but is not universally accepted in monotheistic religions.

• D. The acknowledgment of a transcendent dimension in life: Both monotheistic and polytheistic traditions commonly acknowledge a transcendent dimension, whether it be through a single divine being in monotheism or various deities and spiritual entities in polytheism.

Thus, the correct answer is D.