Deuteronomy 6:4, known as the Shema, is a key proclamation of the belief in one God in the Hebrew Bible: אֶחָֽד יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל שְׁמַ֖ע. This verse captures the Jewish faith’s core by highlighting God’s oneness and uniqueness. It acts as a fundamental theological principle that sets Israelite beliefs apart from the polytheistic customs of surrounding cultures.
Through a close reading of Deuteronomy 6:4, this paper argues that within the framework of Creedal Christianity, the Shema is crucial in highlighting the monotheistic foundations of the Christian faith. Creedal Christianity, which is defined by formalized beliefs like the Nicene Creed, emphasizes the doctrine of the Trinity—comprising the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—as a way to comprehend the unified divine essence expressed in the Shema. This paper aims to demonstrate that the alignment of Deuteronomy 6:4 with the Nicene Christian creed demonstrates continuity and fulfillment of monotheistic beliefs, adapted to include the triune nature of God as revealed in the New Testament. And that the monotheistic beliefs found in both the Old Testament and the New Testament do not eliminate the idea that there can be a plurality of persons within the Hebrews’ one God. It only precludes the recognition and worship of demonic and/or man-made gods that were prevalent in the surrounding cultures. This paper further argues that in the passages where the oneness of God is asserted, the contrast is consistently between the God of Israel on the one hand and the gods of the Canaanites on the other. This paper explores the theological importance of the Shema in Christianity, underscoring its lasting influence on the evolution of creedal expressions and its role in affirming the shared monotheistic heritage of Christian faith and traditions.