∗Šēm∗ and Transcendence: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Biblical Theonyms, from Contextual Monolatry to Trinitarian Revelation

Abstract

This transdisciplinary investigation analyzes the ontological density and evolutionary dynamics of theonymy within the Old Testament, conceptualizing the divine name (šēm) not as an arbitrary linguistic convention, but as the supreme theophanic locus for the disclosure of Transcendence. By articulating Semitic philology, the diachronic deconstruction inherent to the historical-critical method, and a rigorous intertextual hermeneutique, this study confronts the Masoretic text with the epigraphic sources discovered at Ugarit. It retraces the textual and historical transition from an inclusive monolatry, deeply anchored in the Ancient Near Eastern milieu, toward the prophetic affirmation of an absolute and exclusive monotheism forged during the systemic crisis of the Babylonian Exile. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates the profound theological continuity uniting both Testaments, wherein the dogmatic reformatio of the Christian Trinitarian synthesis and the Christological "I am" (egō eimi) formulae fulfill and expand the Hebrew nominal revelation of Yahweh and Elohim rather than causing a metaphysical rupture. Beyond its contribution to classical academic erudition, this work possesses a vital contemporary epistemological and ethical significance. By extracting the existential substance of the divine names, it formulates a rigorous theological and sociological critique of identity-driven deviations, reductionist ideologies, and fanatical dogmatism. The introduction of Trinitarian monotheism as a relational archetype of unity in diversity offers an innovative theoretical pathway for intra- and inter-religious dialogue. Ultimately, this framework replaces coercive doctrinal uniformity with a profound spiritual invitation to honor absolute transcendence while acknowledging the structural finitude of human reason when standing before the divinely revealed Mystery.