God the Father

== Other religions ==
{{synthesis|section|talksection=There is only one religion with the title "God the Father"
|date=June 2020}}
Although [[Comparative religion|similarities exist]] among religions, the common language and the shared concepts about God and his title ''Father'' among the [[Abrahamic religion]]s is quite limited, and each religion has very specific belief structures and religious nomenclature with respect to the subject.<ref name=Byrne2>Máire Byrne, ''The Names of God in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: A Basis for Interfaith Dialogue:'' (8 September 2011) {{ISBN|144115356X}} pp. 2–3</ref> While a religious teacher in one faith may be able to explain the concepts to his own audience with ease, significant barriers remain in communicating those concepts across religious boundaries.<ref name=Byrne2 />

=== Greco-Romanism ===
Greco-roman pagans believed in an original [[Capitoline Triad|triad]], with the time the names and gods of it were changed, except one, [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]], which means "Father Jove" and comoes from [[Proto-Italic language|Proto-Italic]] ''Djous Patēr'', from ''Djous'' (“day, sky”) + ''Patēr'' (“father”), from [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] ''[[Dyēus|Dyḗws]]'' (literally “the bright one”), root nomen agentis from ''Dyew''- (“to be bright, day sky”), and ''Ph₂tḗr'' (“father”).

=== God Worshipping Society ===
{{Main|God Worshipping Society}}
A syncretic sect created by [[Hong Xiuquan]], founder of the [[Taiping Heavenly Kingdom]], that mixed [[Protestantism]] and [[Chinese folk religion]], the objective of this sect was to overthrow the [[Manchu]]s and restore power to the [[Han Chinese|Han]]. God consisted of a [[Triad (religious)|triad]] made up of [[Shangdi]] (the Supreme Emperor in ancient Chinese worship), [[Christ]] as the eldest son and Hong as the youngest son.

=== Hinduism ===
{{Main|God in Hinduism}}
In [[Hinduism]], [[Bhagavan]] [[Krishna]] in the [[Bhagavad Gita]], chapter 9, verse 17, stated: "I am the Father of this world, the Mother, the Dispenser and the Grandfather", one commentator adding: "God being the source of the universe and the beings in it, He is held as the Father, the Mother and the Grandfather".<ref>Srimath Swami Chidbhavananda, ''The Bhagavad Gita'' 2009 {{ISBN|8180851478}} p. 501</ref> A genderless [[Brahman]] is also considered the creator and Life-giver, and the [[Shakta]] goddess is viewed as the divine mother and life-bearer.<ref>C. Scott Littleton, ''Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology Set'' 2005 {{ISBN|0761475591}} p. 908</ref><ref>Peter Kreeft, ''Fundamentals of the Faith'' 1988 {{ISBN|089870202X}} p. 93</ref>

=== Islam ===
{{Main|God in Islam}}
Unlike in Judaism, the term "father" is not formally applied to God by Muslims, and the Christian notion of the Trinity is rejected in Islam.<ref name="Hans38" /><ref>Alister E. McGrath, ''Christian Theology: An Introduction'' (12 October 2010) {{ISBN|1444335146}} pp. 237–238</ref> Even though traditional Islamic teaching does not formally prohibit using the term "Father" in reference to God, it does not propagate or encourage it. There are some [[Hadith|narratives]] of the Islamic prophet [[Muhammad in Islam|Muhammad]] in which he compares the mercy of God toward his worshipers to that of a mother to her infant child.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sunnah.com/bukhari/78/30|title=Hadith – Book of Good Manners and Form (Al-Adab) – Sahih al-Bukhari - Sunnah.com – Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)|publisher=sunnah.com}}</ref>

Islamic teaching rejects the Christian father-son relationship of God and [[Jesus in Islam|Jesus]], and states that Jesus is a prophet of God, not the Son of God.<ref name=Hans38>Hans Köchler, ''The Concept of Monotheism in Islam and Christianity'' 1982 {{ISBN|3700303394}} p. 38</ref> Islamic theology strictly reiterates the [[Tawhid|Absolute Oneness]] of God, and totally separates him from other beings (whether humans, angel or any other holy figure), and rejects any form of [[Dualistic cosmology|dualism]] or Trinitarianism. Chapter 112 of the Quran states:
{{quote|Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “He is God—One ˹and Indivisible˺; God—the Sustainer ˹needed by all˺. He has never had offspring, nor was He born. And there is none comparable to Him.”|{{qref|112|1–4|c=y}}}}

=== Judaism ===
{{Main|God in Judaism|Names of God in Judaism|selfref = no}}
{{See also|Ab_(Semitic)#Hebrew|l1 = Av|selfref = no}}
In Judaism, the use of the "Father" title is generally a [[metaphor]], referring to the role as Life-giver and Law-giver, and is one of many titles by which Jews speak of and to God.<ref name=metaphor /> The Jewish concept of God is that God is non-corporeal, transcendent and immanent, the ultimate source of love,<ref name="BergerDWyschogrodM">{{cite book|last=Berger|first=David|title=Jews and "Jewish Christianity"|year=1978|publisher=KTAV Publ. House|location=[New York]|isbn=0870686755|author2=Wyschogrod, Michael }}</ref><ref name="SingerT1">{{cite book|last=Singer|first=Tovia|title=Let's Get Biblical|year=2010|publisher=RNBN Publishers; 2nd edition (2010)|isbn=978-0615348391}}</ref><ref name="SingerT2">{{cite book|last=Singer|first=Tovia|title=Let's Get Biblical – In depth Study Guide|year=2010|publisher=Outreach Judaism (1998)|asin=B0006RBS3K}}</ref><ref name="KaplanA">{{cite book|last=Kaplan|first=Aryeh|title=The real Messiah? a Jewish response to missionaries|year=1985|publisher=National Conference of Synagogue Youth|location=New York|isbn=978-1879016118|edition=New}}[http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/the_real_messiah.pdf The real Messiah (pdf)]</ref> and a metaphorical "Father".<ref name=metaphor />

The [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]] term for father ({{lang-he|אבא }}, ''[[Ab (Semitic)#Judaism|abba]]'') appears in traditional [[Jewish liturgy]] and [[Jewish prayer]]s to [[God in Judaism|God]] (e.g. in the [[Kaddish]]).

According to Ariela Pelaia, in a prayer of [[Rosh Hashanah]], Areshet Sfateinu, an ambivalent attitude toward God is demonstrated, due to his role as a father and as a king. Free translation of the relevant sentence may be: "today every creature is judged, either as sons or as slaves. If as sons, forgive us like a father forgives his son. If as slaves, we wait, hoping for good, until the verdict, your holy majesty."{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}  Another famous prayer emphasizing this dichotomy is called [[Avinu Malkeinu]], which means "Our Father Our King" in Hebrew. Usually the entire congregation will sing the last verse of this prayer in unison, which says: "Our Father, our King, answer us as though we have no deed to plead our cause, save us with mercy and loving-kindness."<ref>Ariela Pelaia – [http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/roshhashanah.htm What Is Rosh HaShanah?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220135540/http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/roshhashanah.htm |date=20 December 2016 }} – The Jewish New Year of Rosh HaShanah – Rosh HaShanah Liturgy – About.com – Judaism. Retrieved 7 December 2013.</ref>

=== Sikhism ===
{{Main|God in Sikhism}}
The [[Guru Granth]] consistently refers to the creator as "He" and "Father". This is because the Granth is written in north Indian Indo-Aryan languages (mixture of [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] and dialects of Hindi) which have no neutral gender. Since the Granth says that the God is indescribable, God has no gender according to Sikhism.<ref name="Real Sikhism">[http://www.realsikhism.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1218577576&ucat=7 Real Sikhism – God] – Who is God? What does God look like? – Real Sikhism – Exploring the Sikh Religion. Retrieved 8 April 2014.</ref>

God in the [[Sikh scripture]]s has been referred to by several names, picked from Indian and Semitic traditions. He is called in terms of human relations as father, mother, brother, relation, friend, lover, beloved, husband. Other names, expressive of his supremacy, are ''thakur'', ''prabhu'', ''svami'', ''sah'', ''patsah'', ''sahib'', ''sain''       (Lord, Master).<ref name="Real Sikhism" />