Chosen people

Various groups and individuals (see List of messiah claimants ) have considered themselves chosen by God for some purpose such as to act as God's agent on earth. This status may be viewed as a self-imposed higher standard to fulfill God's expectation, or as a self-elevation over the rest of humanity due to a claimed proximity to God. Specifically, in the Hebrew Bible , (or the Tanakh ), called the " Old Testament " by Christians , the Treasured People is the exact phrase used in the text, referring to the Hebrews / Israelites . In the Book of Deuteronomy , YHWH proclaims the Nation of Israel, known originally known as the Children of Israel , as his "treasured people out of all the people on the face of the earth" (Deuteronomy 7:6). As mentioned in the Book of Exodus , the Hebrew people are God's chosen people, and from them shall come the Messiah , or redeemer of the world. The Israelites also possess the "Word of God" and/or "Law of God" in the form of the Torah as communicated by God to Moses . Jews and, by extension, Christians consider themselves to be the "chosen people". Adherents to Islam make, by the same extension as Christians, the same claim of chosenness by accepting what they see as the validity of the Law of God as told by Moses.

Throughout history, various groups of people have considered themselves to be chosen people by a deity for a purpose, such as to act as the deity's agent on earth. In monotheistic faiths, like Abrahamic religions , references to God are used in constructs such as "God's Chosen People". Anthropologists commonly regard these claims as a form of ethnocentrism , but many religious authorities disagree. The Essence of Anthropology . In conflict and order: understanding society (10th ed.).

Throughout history, various groups of people have considered themselves to be chosen people by a deity for a purpose, such as to act as the deity's agent on earth. In monotheistic faiths references to God are used in constructs such as "God's Chosen People". The phenomenon of a "chosen people" is particularly common in the Israelite tradition, where it originally referred to the Israelites—in fact Jews refer to this as a burden to spread the message of one God. Some claims of chosenness are based on parallel claims of Israelite ancestry, as is the case for the Christian Identity and Black Hebrew sects—both which claim themselves (and not Jews) to be the "true Israel". Others claim a "spiritual" chosenness, including most Christian denominations, who traditionally believe the church has replaced Israel as the People of God . Anthropologists commonly regard claims of chosenness as a form of ethnocentrism . The Essence of Anthropology . In conflict and order: understanding society (10th ed.).

Religious term For the descriptive term in the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, see People of God . Throughout history, various groups of people have considered themselves to be the chosen people of a deity , for a particular purpose. The phenomenon of a "chosen people" is well known among the Israelites and Jews , where the term ( ) originally referred to the Israelites as being selected by Yahweh to worship only him and to fulfill the mission of proclaiming his truth throughout the world. Some claims of chosenness are based on parallel claims of Israelite ancestry, as is the case for the Christian Identity and Black Hebrew sects—both which claim themselves (and not Jews) to be the "true Israel". Others claim that the concept is spiritual, where individuals who genuinely believe in God are considered to be the "true" chosen people. This view is common among most Christian denominations, who historically believed that the church replaced Israel as the people of God . Anthropologists commonly regard claims of chosenness as a form of ethnocentrism . The Essence of Anthropology . In conflict and order: understanding society (10th ed.).

Religious term For the descriptive term in the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, see People of God . Throughout history, various groups of people have considered themselves to be the chosen people of a deity , for a particular purpose. The phenomenon of "chosen people" is well known among the Israelites and Jews , where the term ( Hebrew : עם סגולה / העם הנבחר , romanized : am segulah / ha-am ha-nivhar ) refers to the Israelites as being selected by Yahweh to worship only him and to fulfill the mission of proclaiming his truth throughout the world. Some claims of chosenness are based on parallel claims of Israelite ancestry, as is the case for the Christian Identity and Black Hebrew sects—both which claim themselves (and not Jews) to be the "true Israel". Others claim that the concept is spiritual, where individuals who genuinely believe in God are considered to be the "true" chosen people. This view is common among most Christian denominations, who historically believed that the church replaced Israel as the people of God . Anthropologists commonly regard claims of chosenness as a form of ethnocentrism . The Essence of Anthropology . In conflict and order: understanding society (10th ed.).