Idolatry Defined as Control Perfectionism and Anxiety
Idolatry is fundamentally defined as the worship of any created object or entity other than the one true God [1]. This act is considered the "principal crime of the human race" and the "highest guilt charged upon the world" in Christian thought [9]. The Heidelberg Catechism defines idolatry as "having or inventing something in which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed himself in the Word" [7].
The biblical understanding of idolatry originates from humanity's turning away from God. Paul describes this in Romans 1:21-25, where people forsake God and consequently descend into ignorance and moral corruption [1]. Athanasius of Alexandria similarly notes that idolatry arises when the soul, forgetting God and becoming engrossed in earthly matters, elevates these earthly things to the status of gods [2]. This leads humanity into "a hopeless depth of delusion and superstition" [2].
Historically, idolatry has manifested in various forms:
- Fetishism: The worship of natural objects like trees, rivers, hills, or stones [1].
- Nature Worship: Adoration of celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and stars, perceived as natural powers [1].
- Hero Worship: The veneration of deceased ancestors or notable figures [1].
In the Old Testament, idolatry was often imported into Israel through contact with surrounding heathen cultures [1]. The prohibition against making graven images (Deuteronomy 4:16) highlights the extensive prevalence of idolatry in that era, whether it involved worshipping the true God through created things or believing a divine principle resided within the objects themselves [5]. For instance, the golden calf made by Aaron was an idol to which the Israelites attributed their deliverance from Egypt, a role properly belonging to God [8]. The term "calf" itself might have been used contemptuously by the biblical writer, or Aaron might have intended it as a less serious sin than a full-sized bull image [8].
The consequences of idolatry are severe. Charles Hodge emphasizes that God's displeasure and wrath are certain outcomes for those who have any other god than Jehovah or who give external homage to images instead of worshipping God "in spirit and in truth" [4]. God declares Himself a "jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation" [4].
Beyond the direct worship of physical idols, the concept of idolatry extends to anything that replaces God as the ultimate object of trust and devotion. The Apostle Paul lists idolatry among the "works of the flesh" in Galatians 5:19-20 [6, 10]. While some interpret "idolatry" in this context as covetousness [6], it generally refers to the worship of false gods [10]. This broader understanding suggests that anything that consumes one's ultimate allegiance, trust, or pursuit, effectively displacing God, can be considered idolatrous. This can include abstract concepts or personal pursuits that become ultimate concerns. Tertullian notes that idolatry is a "copious" crime with many branches, from which "the material of all the modes in which the expansiveness of idolatry has to be foreguarded against by us" is drawn [3]. He even argues that an idolater is "likewise a murderer," indicating the profound spiritual damage caused by turning away from God [9].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Idolatry — Image-worship or divine honour paid to any created object. Paul describes the origin of idolatry in Rom. 1:21-25: men forsook God, and sank into ignorance and moral corruption (1:28). The forms of idolatry are, (1.) Fetishism, or the worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, etc. (2.) Nature worship, the worship of the sun, moon, and stars, as the supposed powers of nature. (3.) Hero worship, the worship of deceased ancestors, or of heroes. In Scripture, idolatry is regarded as of heathen origin, and as being imported among the Hebrews through contact with ”
- CCEL (Patristic) “Athanasius of Alexandria, Select Works and Letters, section 53: §8. The origin of idolatry is similar. The soul, materialised by forgetting God, and engrossed in earthly things, makes them into gods. The race of men descends into a hopeless depth of delusion and superstition. Now the soul of mankind, not satisfied with the devising of evil, began by degrees to venture upon what is worse still. For having experience of diversities of pleasures, and girt about with oblivion of things divine; being pleased moreover and having in view the passions of the body, and nothing but things present and op”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. II.--IDOLATRY IN ITS MORE LIMITED SENSE. ITS COPIOUSNESS.: But let the universal names of crimes withdraw to the specialities of their own works; let idolatry remain in that which it is itself. Sufficient to itself is a name so inimical to God, a substance of crime so copious, which 62 reaches forth so many branches, diffuses so many veins, that from this name, for the greatest part, is drawn the material of all the modes in which the expansiveness of idolatry has to be foreguarded against by us, since in manifold wise it subverts the servants of God; and this not”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 44: displeasure of God, and the most dreadful manifestations of his wrath, are the certain consequences of the sin of idolatry; that is, of the sin of having any other God than Jehovah, or of giving to images, to stocks and stones, the external homage due to Him who is a spirit, and who must be worshipped in spirit and in truth. The Lord, therefore, in this commandment, declares Himself to be “a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation; and showing mercy unto thousands (unto th”
- Deuteronomy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Deuteronomy 4:16: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image--The things are here specified of which God prohibited any image or representation to be made for the purposes of worship; and, from the variety of details entered into, an idea may be formed of the extensive prevalence of idolatry in that age. In whatever way idolatry originated, whether from an intention to worship the true God through those things which seemed to afford the strongest evidences of His power, or whether a divine principle was supposed to reside in the things themselves, ther”
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 5:19: Idolatry,.... Which some understand of covetousness, which is so called; but rather it means the worshipping of other gods, or of graven images: witchcraft; any real or pretended league and association with the devil, seeking to converse with familiar spirits, to gain unlawful knowledge, or to do hurt to fellow creatures; which, as it is doing honour to Satan, detracts from the glory of God, and rightly follows idolatry; conjuration, soothsaying, necromancy, and all kind of magic are included and condemned hereby: hatred: internal hatred of any man's person, ev”
- Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed) “Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed, 1563), Q. What is idolatry?: Q. What is idolatry? A. Idolatry is having or inventing something in which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed himself in the Word.1 1 1 Chron. 16:26; Gal. 4:8-9; Eph. 5:5; Phil. 3:19 Lord’s Day 35 Q & A 96”
- Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 32:4: 32:4 the shape of a calf: The idol might actually have been an image of a bull, like the images of the Egyptian god Amon-Re that the people had known in Egypt. The bull represented power, domination, and fertility. The writer would then be using the term calf as a way of expressing contempt for the idol. Alternatively, Aaron might have made a calf, feeling that this sin was not as serious as if the idol were a full-sized bull. • these are the gods who brought you out: The people attributed to the idol what they had just said that Moses had done (32:1). Idolatry ex”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. I.--WIDE SCOPE OF THE WORD IDOLATRY. (part 1): The principal crime of the human race, the highest guilt charged upon the world, the whole procuring cause of judgment, is idolatry.(1) For, although each single fault retains its own proper feature, although it is destined to judgment under its own proper name also, yet it is marked off under the general account of idolatry. Set aside names, examine works, the idolater is likewise a murderer. Do you inquire whom he has slain? If it contributes ought to the aggravation of the indictment, no stranger nor personal enemy”
- Galatians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Galatians 5:20: 5:20 Idolatry, the worship of false gods, was common in Galatia and was often accompanied by sorcery (see Acts 19:19; cp. 1 Sam 15:23; Rev 9:21; 18:23; 21:8; 22:15) and sexual immorality (cp. 1 Cor 6:9, 15-20). • Hostility arises from angry pride rather than the Spirit’s humility and love (Gal 5:22-23). • Quarreling refers not to standing up for what is right, but to stirring up discord and looking for a fight (1 Cor 3:3; 2 Cor 12:20; 1 Tim 6:4; Titus 3:9). Those who are guided by the Holy Spirit seek to speak the truth in love with a peacemaking attitude (Gal ”