A Semiotic Analysis of Anthropomorphic Conceptions of God
in Biblical Verses
Memunat Olayemi Mahmud
Department of English Studies, Adekunle Ajasin University,
Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State Nigeria
yemimahmud@gmail.com
Abstract
In biblical context, anthropomorphism is a significant communicative strategy for portraying God. This study examines anthropomorphic conceptions of God in biblical discourse as cognitive constructions that create understanding of abstract divine concepts through familiar human experiences. Using thirteen purposefully selected biblical verses, the research applies Peirce’s triadic semiotic framework to investigate how anthropomorphism conceptualises and communicates divine reality. The study examines how iconic, indexical, and symbolic signs facilitate systematic correspondences between finite human experiences and infinite divine concepts. Findings demonstrate that anthropomorphic constructions serve as vital semiotic codes establishing domain alignments – mapping physical attributes onto divine presence, corresponding emotional states to divine disposition, and aligning sensory experiences with divine action as imaginary representations of divinity within human cultural knowledge limits. The study demonstrates that anthropomorphic symbolism extends beyond biblical expressions, as evidenced in Yoruba religious discourse, where similar semiotic strategies conceptualise the Supreme Being (Olorun) through human-centred metaphors, confirming anthropomorphism as a cross-cultural cognitive strategy for linking abstract spiritual concepts to human reasoning.
Keywords: Anthropomorphism, biblical discourse, Peircean semiotics, religious language, semiotic mapping.