Henotheism

Henotheism is the worship of a single, supreme god that does not deny the existence or possible existence of other deities^[1]^[2] that may be worshipped.^[3] Friedrich Schelling (1775–1854) coined the word, and Friedrich Welcker (1784–1868) used it to depict primitive monotheism among ancient Greeks.^[4]

Max Müller (1823–1900), a German philologist and orientalist, brought the term into wider usage in his scholarship on the Indian religions,^[5]^[6] particularly Hinduism whose scriptures mention and praise numerous deities as if they are one ultimate unitary divine essence.^[2] Müller made the term central to his criticism of Western theological and religious exceptionalism (relative to Eastern religions), focusing on a cultural dogma which held "monotheism" to be both fundamentally well-defined and inherently superior to differing conceptions of God.^[7]

^ Cite error: The named reference britannicamonolatry was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference taliaferro78 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Noll, K.L. (2001). Canaan and Israel in Antiquity: An Introduction. Sheffield Academic Press. p. 249. ISBN 978-1-84127-318-1. From many of the examples provided above, it should be clear that the best preserved example of Iron Age Canaanite henotheism is the anthology we call the Jewish Bible (Christian Old Testament). Although the Bible contains a few late additions designed to transform its religion into monotheism, the overwhelming majority of its texts are henotheistic. To be more precise, the Bible usually expresses monolatry, which is a more extreme form of henotheism. Whereas henotheism believes in many gods, but with one supremely powerful god, monolatry believes in many gods, but with only one god that is worthy of worship. Thus, the monolatrist is a henotheist who acknowledges lesser gods but refuses to worship them.
^ Robert Karl Gnuse (1997). No Other Gods: Emergent Monotheism in Israel. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 132–133 with footnote 6. ISBN 978-1-85075-657-6.
^ Müller, Max. (1878) Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion: As Illustrated by the Religions of India. London:Longmans, Green and Co.
^ Cite error: The named reference alonp370 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Muller, F. M. (1907). Thoughts on Life and Religion / An Aftermath from the Writings of The Right Honourable Professor Max Müller. Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable, Printers to His Majesty.

[britannicamonolatry-1] Cite error: The named reference britannicamonolatry was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[taliaferro78-2] Cite error: The named reference taliaferro78 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Noll2001-3] Noll, K.L. (2001). Canaan and Israel in Antiquity: An Introduction. Sheffield Academic Press. p. 249. ISBN 978-1-84127-318-1. From many of the examples provided above, it should be clear that the best preserved example of Iron Age Canaanite henotheism is the anthology we call the Jewish Bible (Christian Old Testament). Although the Bible contains a few late additions designed to transform its religion into monotheism, the overwhelming majority of its texts are henotheistic. To be more precise, the Bible usually expresses monolatry, which is a more extreme form of henotheism. Whereas henotheism believes in many gods, but with one supremely powerful god, monolatry believes in many gods, but with only one god that is worthy of worship. Thus, the monolatrist is a henotheist who acknowledges lesser gods but refuses to worship them.

[4] Robert Karl Gnuse (1997). No Other Gods: Emergent Monotheism in Israel. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 132–133 with footnote 6. ISBN 978-1-85075-657-6.

[5] Müller, Max. (1878) Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion: As Illustrated by the Religions of India. London:Longmans, Green and Co.

[alonp370-6] Cite error: The named reference alonp370 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[7] Muller, F. M. (1907). Thoughts on Life and Religion / An Aftermath from the Writings of The Right Honourable Professor Max Müller. Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable, Printers to His Majesty.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]