The Collegium Pontificum was one of the earliest and most important formal priestly institutions of ancient Roman public religion. In Roman tradition, the organization of priestly authority and sacred law was connected with Numa Pompilius, Rome’s legendary second king. The pontifical system helped place worship, ritual practice, sacred law, calendar regulation, and priestly authority under an official religious structure. Roman public religion also included major priestly offices and colleges such as the Pontifex Maximus, the Rex Sacrorum, the Vestals, the Flamines, the Augurs, the Quindecimviri sacris faciundis, and the Epulones. Each played a role in maintaining sacred rites, interpreting divine signs, conducting ceremonies, preserving ritual knowledge, and overseeing festival practices.
In relation to Christianity, this matters because Christianity developed and spread within the Roman world, where organized priesthood, religious offices, public ritual, sacred authority, and state involvement in religion were already familiar ideas. This does not mean Christianity simply copied the Roman priestly system, since Christianity also developed from Jewish, apostolic, and early church traditions. However, the Roman religious framework helps explain part of the institutional world in which Christianity grew, gained imperial support, and eventually became the empire’s dominant faith.
Christianity
Christianity began in the 1st century A.D. as a movement within Judaism centered on Jesus of Nazareth in Roman Judea, whose followers believed he was the promised Messiah. From there, the movement spread through preaching, teaching, and the establishment of early Christian communities across the Roman world. Over time, Christianity became a distinct religion, developing its own scriptures, doctrines, and local leadership under bishops. The bishop of Rome gradually rose in prominence, while Constantinople did not exist under that name until Constantine refounded the city in AD 330, after which it later became the seat of a patriarch. The most historically accurate way to describe Christianity’s rise is to say that it began as an early Jewish movement focused on Jesus, expanded throughout the Roman Empire, and only later developed the larger church offices and institutional structures that are often projected back onto its earliest beginnings.
Around 2.3 billion people worldwide are Christian.
Islam
Islam began in the 7th century A.D. in Arabia through the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, who is regarded in Islam as the final messenger of God. According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad began receiving revelations in Mecca around 610 A.D., and those revelations later became the Qur’an, Islam’s sacred scripture. As his message of monotheism spread, he and his followers eventually migrated from Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D., an event known as the Hijrah that marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, the early Muslim community took clearer shape, and from there, Islam expanded across Arabia during Muhammad’s lifetime. The most historically accurate way to describe Islam’s rise is to say that it began as a monotheistic religious movement centered on Muhammad’s revelations, developed into an organized community in Arabia, and then grew into one of the world’s major religions with its own scripture, law, and traditions.
About 2.0 billion people in the world are Muslim, based on the Pew Research Center’s latest global estimate.
Judaism
Judaism is one of the oldest continuously practiced monotheistic religions in the world, rooted in the ancient Hebrew belief in one God and a sacred covenant between God and the people of Israel. In biblical tradition, Abraham is seen as the first patriarch because of his covenant with God, while Moses is the central figure who led the Israelites out of Egypt and received the Torah, which became the foundation of Jewish religious life and law. Historically, Judaism did not begin in a single moment, but developed over time from the religious traditions of ancient Israel. Today, Judaism is still worshipped through prayer, Torah reading, synagogue services, Sabbath observance, holy days, festivals, and daily acts of faith, allowing Jewish communities around the world to continue a tradition that has lasted for thousands of years.
Monotheism, Polytheism, and Henotheism
Many people are most familiar with monotheism because of the belief in one God, especially through the Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Some people also debate where Zoroastrianism fits, since it has often been described as monotheistic, dualistic, or somewhere in between, depending on interpretation.
When it comes to the God of the Abrahamic faiths, some scriptures are interpreted as acknowledging the existence of other gods, divine beings, or spiritual powers. One example is Exodus 20:5:
“Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God…”
Some may see verses like this as reflecting a henotheistic idea, meaning there is recognition of other gods or divine powers, but worship is reserved for one God alone. However, this does not necessarily take away from monotheism, because in Abrahamic belief, the LORD is still understood as the one true God, the Almighty, and the Supreme Being above all.
So, to keep the terms simple: monotheism is belief in one God, polytheism is belief in many gods, and henotheism is the worship of one God while acknowledging the possibility or presence of other gods. Based on what I have read, studied, and come to understand, many traditions may use different languages for divine beings, but the deeper pattern still points me back to one Supreme God above all.
God
For me, describing God can be understood in many different ways. However, to keep it simple and honest, I like to start with the origin of the word itself, or at least the closest meaning available to the general public, as determined by historical and linguistic sources. Before going any further, I think it is important to point out that we cannot use modern 2026 meanings to explain words or ideas used thousands of years ago. We have to look at how the word was understood within its original time period, language, and cultural context. With that being said, the word “God” means:
Now, this can open the door to discussing the many gods found around the world. But as I have said many times before, there is no doubt in my mind that from ancient civilizations to the modern world, many cultures have held some belief in a Supreme Being.
When I read ancient texts, I often come across writings that refer to God, sometimes spelled exactly that way in translation. To me, that shows the writers or translators are often pointing to a singular divine source, a Creator, and in some traditions, also a destroyer. I have also learned that the names and identities of certain gods can change over time because of how they were viewed, how their roles developed, or how different cultures interpreted their personalities and actions.
When it comes to religion and understanding the origin of the word, it becomes clear that a religion can begin with a group of people, shared beliefs, dedication, and enough structure to become recognized. However, from what I have studied, I have not found a belief system that does not in some way point back to a Supreme Being, a highest power, or what many would simply call God, that includes Atheism.
Until next time, Knowledge is Power.
You can purchase my book ‘Journey Through The Origins of History’ on Amazon at https://a.co/d/3oHBfr6
