Read the following paragraphs from the section “Monotheistic Elements In Ancient Middle Eastern And Mediterranean Religions." Polytheism, henotheism, pluriform monotheism, trinitarian speculations, and even a kind of monotheism are all found in Egyptian religion. Especially in the time of the New Kingdom (16th–11th century B. C.) and later, theological speculations arose about many gods and the one god, concepts that belong to the realm of pluriform monotheism. These ideas are especially interesting when related to trinitarian ideas, as they sometimes are. In a New Kingdom hymn to Amon are the words: "Three are all gods: Amon, Re and Ptah … he who hides himself for [humanity] as Amon, he is Re to be seen, his body is Ptah." As Amon he is the "hidden god." In Re, the god of the sun, he becomes visible; as Ptah, one of the gods of the earth, he is immanent in this world.

Much attention is given to the reform of Egyptian religion in the 14th century B. C. It was led by the pharaoh Akhenaten (Amenophis IV). It is clear that Akhenaten's theology, if not fully monotheistic, in any case strongly tends toward monotheism. At first, he singled out Aton, one of the forms of the sun god, for particular worship, but gradually this developed in the direction of exclusive monotheism. The names of other gods were to be deleted. This type of belief, however, quickly lost popularity.

How is the central idea developed in these two paragraphs?

Group of answer choices

1.They highlight how the concept of monotheism can take on many forms

2.They describe how polytheistic religions are a thing of the past.

3.They illustrate how the cultures of Egypt are unique in their religious beliefs.

4. They explain how henotheism has become a popular type of religious belief.