This text examines the meaning and nature of idolatry, revealing much about the monotheistic tradition that defines itself against this "sin". The authors consider Christianity and Islam but focus primarily on Judaism. They explore competing claims about the concept of idolatry that emerges in the Hebrew Bible as a "whorling after false gods". The authors show how this debate over idolatry as practice or error has taken place and has, in turn, shaped the course of Western thought.