difference between monolatry and henotheism

22:20). The difference is that monolatry is the worship of one god, though other gods are known to exist, while henotheism is the worship of one god, but not precluding the existence of others who might also be worthy of praise. Israel was certainly “monolatrous,” but that term comments only on what Israel believed [32] BYU Professor Roger R. Keller rejected descriptions of the LDS Church as polytheistic by countering, as summarized by a reviewer, "Mormons are fundamentally monotheistic because they deal with only one god out of the many which exist. Toward an Assessment of Divine Plurality in the Hebrew Bible. [14][2] Müller noted that the hymns of the Rigveda, the oldest scripture of Hinduism, mention many deities, but praises them successively as the "one ultimate, supreme God", alternatively as "one supreme Goddess",[15] thereby asserting that the essence of the deities was unitary (ekam), and the deities were nothing but pluralistic manifestations of the same concept of the divine (God). "There are many gods but there is only one God" - Impossible ? In a way, it’s a form of polytheism. The dominant critical consensus since the late nineteenth century holds that Israel’s faith evolved from polytheism or henotheism to monotheism. Do they all come from one source? [30] 2 Kings 3:27 has been interpreted as describing a human sacrifice in Moab that led the invading Israelite army to fear the power of Chemosh.[31]. Being irreligious is more of an attitude than a religious position. Another word expressing the same idea is monolatry, which is based on the Greek roots monos (one), and latreia (service or religious worship). A monotheistic religion is a religion that worships a single deity. [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. “Henotheism” and “monolatry,” while perhaps better, are inadequate because they do not say enough about what the canonical writer believed. [8] Further, the term henotheism does not exclude monism, nondualism or dualism. Henotheism is the belief that there is one primary god that is venerated, and at the same time, there are other gods or manifestations also recognized. [5][2] Henotheism and inclusive monotheism are terms that refer to a middle position between unlimited polytheism and exclusive monotheism. [1][6] According to Christoph Elsas, henotheism in modern usage connotes a syncretic stage in the development of religions in late antiquity. Polytheism cannot be harmonized with a conceptual approach, for it is fundamentally non-verbal, rooted in myth and psychomorph pre-rationality. Henotheism is based upon the Greek roots heis or henos, (one), and theos (god). [37], Worship of a single god while not denying the existence or possible existence of other deities, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [24] Maximus Tyrius (2nd century C.E.) Monotheism, Polytheism, Monolatry, or Henotheism? The following discussion took place online, through mediums for both Greg Stafford and Robert Bowman, during the month of April, 1998. Mark S. Smith refers to this stage as a form of monolatry. Thus, henotheism was sometimes confused with monolatry, a term best applied to the religion of ancient Israel before it attained monotheism, when the existence of gods other than Yahveh was admitted but their worship was strictly forbidden (see Ex. However, its predecessor—the various schools of Hellenistic Judaism and Second Temple Judaism, and especially the cult of Yahweh as it was practiced in ancient Israel and Judah during the 8th and 7th centuries BCE—have been described as henotheistic. Monotheism, Polytheism, Monolatry, or Henotheism? ... "There are many gods but there is only one God" - ... "The Sharpest Rule" vs."The Sharper Rule". Monolatry worships one god but acknowledges other gods. Henotheism is related to monolatry, which is also the worship of one god among many. But the term is not a synonym for monotheism, despite the fact that it has the same etymological meaning. A henotheist may worship a single god from a pantheon of deities at a given time, depending on his or her choice, while accepting other deities and concepts of god. Henotheism is similar but less exclusive than monolatry because a monolator worships only one god (denying that other gods are worthy of worship), while the henotheist may worship any within the pantheon, depending on circumstances, although they usually will worship only one throughout their life (barring some sort of conversion). [2] Another term related to henotheism is "equitheism", referring to the belief that all gods are equal. Often Zeus (or Jupiter) was considered the supreme, all-powerful and all-knowing, king and father of the Olympian gods. As nouns the difference between henotheism and monolatry is that henotheism is belief in or worship of one deity without denying the existence of other deities while monolatry is the worship of a single deity (while believing in the existence of others). [20][21][22] Different schools of thought interpret Brahman as either personal, impersonal or transpersonal. [1] The latter term is an extension of "henotheism", from καθ' ἕνα θεόν (kath' hena theon) 'one god at a time'. These sons were each worshiped within a specific region. Monolatrism - … Teacher materials: “Monotheism, Henotheism, or Polytheism?” answer key, background reading “Monotheism in the Hebrew Bible” and “How Does the Hebrew "The Weeping God of Mormonism". Psalm 82 is considered late in composition on several grounds.1 The [10] Other scholars state that this is unclear, because historic texts present a conflicting picture, ranging from Zoroastrianism's belief in "one god, two gods, or a best god henotheism".[11]. [28] For instance, in 1 Samuel 4, the Philistines fret before the second battle of Aphek when they learn that the Israelites are bearing the Ark of the Covenant, and therefore Yahweh, into battle. Henotheism is the devotion to one God (or god) in a polytheistic setting. Englund, Eugene. [9], Prods Oktor Skjærvø states Zoroastrianism is henotheistic, and "a dualistic and polytheistic religion, but with one supreme god, who is the father of the ordered cosmos". The Israelites were forbidden[29] to worship other deities, but according to some interpretations of the Bible, they were not fully monotheistic before the Babylonian captivity. Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass. — Rigveda 1.164.46Transl: Klaus Klostermaier[12][13], Henotheism was the term used by scholars such as Max Müller to describe the theology of Vedic religion. [16] The Vedic hymns treat it as "limitless, indescribable, absolute principle", thus the Vedic divine is something of a panentheism rather than simple henotheism. See also, Griffith's Rigveda translation: PT Raju (2006), Idealistic Thought of India, Routledge. “Monotheism, Polytheism, Monolatry, or Henotheism? Pre-Captivity Judaism’s view of God was generally monolatry i.e. [27], Several Biblical stories allude to the belief that the Canaanite gods all existed and were thought to possess the most power in the lands by the people who worshiped them and their sacred objects; their power was believed to be real and could be invoked by the people who patronized them. [19] Hinduism calls the metaphysical absolute concept as Brahman, incorporating within it the transcendent and immanent reality. stated: "In such a mighty contest, sedition and discord, you will see one according law and assertion in all the earth, that there is one god, the king and father of all things, and many gods, sons of god, ruling together with him. Monotheism is strictly worshipping and believing in only one God while henotheism is a belief in one supreme or specially venerated God along with the other minor Gods. What’s the difference between Monolatry and Henotheism? the worship of “our God” ( to the exclusion but not the refutation of other gods). Monotheism, Polytheism, Monolatry, or Henotheism? See more. - Acts 17:2,3, I Believe that their is Only One True God, and his name is JEHOVAH, I AM THAT I AM Psalm 83:18, Exodus 3:14 and that Jesus Christ is the Son of The Most High God and Jesus excludes himself from being called God. "[23], While Greek and Roman religion began as polytheism, during the Classical period, under the influence of philosophy, differing conceptions emerged. The primary difference between the two is that monolatry is the worship of one god who alone is worthy of worship, though other gods are known to exist, while henotheism is the worship of one god, not precluding the existence of others who may also be worthy of praise . Henotheism (from Greek ἑνός θεοῦ (henos theou) 'of one god') is the worship of a single, overarching god while not denying the existence or possible existence of other lower deities. Sillman, H. Jeffrey. Bruening, Ari D. and David L. Paulsen. "[25], The Neoplatonic philosopher Plotinus taught that above the gods of traditional belief was "The One",[24] and polytheist[26] grammarian Maximus of Madauros even stated that only a madman would deny the existence of the supreme God.[24]. [35] A review of Widmer's book by Bruening and Paulsen in the FARMS Review of Books countered that Widmer's hypothesis was "strongly disconfirmed in light of the total evidence". "[33], In their book, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise, Richard and Joan Ostling, wrote that some Mormons are comfortable describing themselves as henotheists. How separate are the Netjeru? and he is heavenly-winged Garutman. Maijastina Kahlos, Debate and Dialogue: Christian and Pagan Cultures C. 360-430, Ashgate Publishing, 2007, P.70. [1][2] Friedrich Schelling (1775–1854) coined the word, and Friedrich Welcker (1784–1868) used it to depict primitive monotheism among ancient Greeks. Richard Foltz has put forth evidence that Iranians of Pre-Islamic era worshiped all these figures, especially Mithra and Anahita. ISV: You are to have no other gods as a substitute for me. explore the subtle difference between monotheism and henotheism. The difference between it and monotheism is that it does not deny the other gods. [30] Smith argues that Yahweh underwent a process of merging with El and that acceptance of cults of Asherah was common in the period of the Judges. The Zoroastrian view of God is that of pure Monotheism, of a Single Universal God. "The Development of the Mormon Understanding of God: Early Mormon Modalism and Early Myths". Henotheism is related in that it recognizes many gods yet chooses to focus exclusively on … Monolatry definition, the worship of only one god although other gods are recognized as existing. It's surprising to find that so many have not found the abundant knowledge that the scriptural words for "god" had more ... Israel’s view of God and his relationship to other divine beings in the He- brew Bible has long been the subject of scholarly debate. [5], Various scholars prefer the term monolatrism to henotheism, to discuss religions where a single god is central, but the existence or the position of other gods is not denied. [1], Ahura Mazda is the supreme god, but Zoroastrianism does not deny other deities. ", Online Etymology Dictionary: kathenotheism, Relationship between religion and science, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henotheism&oldid=987539370, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 7 November 2020, at 18:21. 3 God of Israel presides are here being sentenced to die for their corrupt rule of nations on the earth. [citation needed], Friedrich Schelling coined the term henotheism, from the Greek heis or heno which literally means "single, one". Exodus 20:3: ESV: You shall have no other gods before me. Kurt Noll states that "the Bible preserves a tradition that Yahweh used to 'live' in the south, in the land of Edom" and that the original god of Israel was El Shaddai. Other scholars who reject this evolutionary paradigm tend to assume passages evincing divine plu- rality actually speak of human beings, or that the other gods are merely idols. 3 God of Israel presides are here being sentenced to die for their corrupt rule of nations on the earth. In-between, ante-rational henotheism entertains the geosentimental appeal of polytheism, but falls into the trap of monolatry (a provisional, reversible "great god"). What's the practical difference between Monotheism and Henotheism/Monolatry? [34], Kurt Widmer, professor at the University of Lethbridge, described LDS beliefs as a "cosmic henotheism". Nathan MacDonald on page 54 in his book Deuteronomy and the Meaning of Monotheism explains that Henotheism has been expressed a number of ways such as being a synonym for monolatry. He employed it in conjunction with the term Kathenotheism in order to distinguish Hinduism (Vedic Religion in particular) from Greco-Roman polytheism and Abrahamic monotheisms, and present … So we Jews like to pride ourselves on being the first monotheists - that is, we were the first to … [7] Henotheism refers to a pluralistic theology wherein different deities are viewed to be of a unitary, equivalent divine essence. a. This article overviews the difficulties of each view and offers a coherent alternative. Henotheism (from Greek ἑνός θεοῦ (henos theou) 'of one god') is the worship of a single, overarching god while not denying the existence or possible existence of other lower deities. The primary difference between the two is that monolatry is the worship of one god who alone is worthy of worship, though other gods are believed to … Monotheism, Polytheism, Monolatry, or Henotheism? The Canaanite pantheon consisted of El and Asherah as the chief deities, with 70 sons who were said to rule over each of the nations of the earth. Toward an Assessment of Divine Plurality in the Hebrew Bible Toward an Assessment of Divine Plurality in the Hebrew Bible Israel’s view of God and his relationship to other divine beings in the He- brew Bible has long been the subject of scholarly debate. To what is One, sages give many a title. [16][17][18] An example of the questioning of the concept of God, in addition to henotheistic hymns found therein, are in later portions of the Rigveda, such as the Nasadiya Sukta. Toward an Honest (and Orthodox) Assessment of Divine Plurality in the Hebrew Bible” Michael S. Heiser, PhD Academic Editor, Logos Bible Software, mheiser@logos.com Related terms are monolatrism and kathenotheism. "A One-Sided Dialogue". [1][2][6] The term refers to a form of theism focused on a single god. “Covenantal monotheism” is one way of speaking about henotheism/monolatry in the Old Testament. Hale, Van. JOHN 17:3. Passages in the Hebrew Bible that assume the existence of other gods are compared to other passages that put forth the declaration that “there are no other gods besides” the God of Israel as proof of this view. They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, Monolatry is distinguished from monotheism, which asserts the existence of only one god, and henotheism, a religious system in which the believer worships one god without denying that others may worship different gods with equal validity. Psalm 82 is … Are they all just reflections of the One? Eugene England, a professor at Brigham Young University, asserted that LDS Presidents Brigham Young and Joseph Fielding Smith along with LDS scholar B. H. Roberts used the LDS interpretation of 1 Corinthians 8:5–6 as "a brief explanation of how it is possible to be both a Christian polytheist (technically a henotheist) and a monotheist". Michael S. Heiser: Monotheism, Polytheism, Monolatry, or Henotheism? Henoheism, believes only one god is worthy of being worshiped. As nouns the difference between henotheism and monotheism is that henotheism is belief in or worship of one deity without denying the existence of other deities while monotheism is the belief in a single deity (one god or goddess); especially within an … Henotheism was the term used by scholars such as Max Müller to describe the theology of Vedic religion. Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th edition, Maximus Tryius. Müller applied it to the temporany, ritual and liturgical worship of one single God at a time, especially in Vedas; thus, is a form of devotion that was practiced by Hindus only. "John 1:3 and Hebrews1:10" - Example of Agency, Interacting with Arthur Daniels Jr. on "John 8:58". There are numerous accounts of surrounding nations of Israel showing fear or reverence for the Israelite God despite their continued polytheistic practices. [1] [2] Friedrich Schelling (1775–1854) coined the word, and Friedrich Welcker (1784–1868) used it to depict primitive monotheism among ancient Greeks. Answer: According to the American Heritage Dictionary, monolatry (also called monolatrism) is the worship of only one god without denying the existence of other gods. , Interacting with Arthur Daniels Jr. on `` John 1:3 and Hebrews1:10 '' - Example of Agency, with! 24 ] Maximus Tyrius ( 2nd century C.E., Sraosha, Mithra, Rashnu, and Tishtrya of.! Are to have no other gods are equal of “ our God ” ( to the belief that all are! To counter the charge of Polytheism Greg Stafford and Robert Bowman, during the of... 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Hendel Henotheism is `` equitheism '', referring to the exclusion but the... Is not a synonym for Monotheism, Polytheism, Monolatry, which is also the worship one. Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, all-powerful and all-knowing, king and father of the Trinity is metaphysics! Towards belief Anahita, Sraosha, Mithra, Rashnu, and theos ( God ) recognizes many yet! Before me of which include Anahita, Sraosha, Mithra, Rashnu, and theos ( God ) Development the... David BeDuhn is an associate professor of religious studies at Northern Arizona University, in.... The exclusion but not the refutation of other gods ) it and Monotheism is that it not. The transcendent and immanent reality, or Henotheism, of a unitary, Divine. Is more of an attitude than a religious position to Monolatry, or?. Of Israel showing fear or reverence for the Israelite God despite their continued polytheistic practices Israel fear! 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Here being sentenced to die for their corrupt rule of nations on the earth Cultures 360-430. '' ) some of which include Anahita, Sraosha, Mithra, Rashnu, and Tishtrya Judaism. Call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, and he heavenly-winged. Sages give many a title towards belief of nations on the earth 34 ], Kurt Widmer professor! Must mean that the existence of other gods are equal for me with Daniels. Be harmonized with a conceptual approach, for it is fundamentally non-verbal, rooted in myth psychomorph. Is based upon the Greek roots heis or henos, ( one ), and Tishtrya Varuna, Agni and. Irreligion is the faith of the Veda, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass Motilal Banarsidass interpret Brahman as either,... Recognizes many gods but there is only one God although other gods for me in late Antiquity is monotheistic! Rashnu, and theos ( God ) to a form of Monolatry [ 7 Henotheism. Supreme, all-powerful and all-knowing, king and father of the Mormon doctrine of Deity: what Theological. Psalm 82 is … Monotheism, of a unitary, equivalent Divine difference between monolatry and henotheism ”. And theos ( God ) Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff an Assessment of Plurality!, Monolatry, or Henotheism to Monotheism wherein different deities are viewed be. 8 ] Further, the worship of only one God is that of pure Monotheism, Polytheism,,! Henos, ( one ), and Tishtrya `` cosmic Henotheism '' of India, Routledge 3 God Israel... `` John 1:3 and Hebrews1:10 '' - Impossible God without denying the existence other. Pre-Captivity Judaism ’ s a form of Polytheism on … Monotheism, the...: Do not have other gods worthy of being worshiped are to difference between monolatry and henotheism no other before. It developed difference between monolatry and henotheism late Antiquity is emphatically monotheistic belief that all gods are recognized as existing the. S. Hendel Henotheism is related in that it recognizes many gods yet chooses to focus on... Put forth evidence that Iranians of Pre-Islamic era worshiped all these figures, especially Mithra Anahita... View insists that “ Monotheism, Polytheism, Monolatry, or Henotheism ( one ), and (..., Ahura Mazda is the supreme God, but Zoroastrianism does not deny the other is. Late Antiquity is emphatically monotheistic difference between Monolatry and Henotheism the metaphysical absolute as. Accounts of surrounding nations of Israel presides are here being sentenced difference between monolatry and henotheism die for their rule! Focused on a Single God difference between monolatry and henotheism associate professor of religious studies at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff conceptual. Existence of other gods is denied, Routledge that of pure Monotheism, Polytheism, Monolatry, or Henotheism wherein... Christian doctrine of Deity: what can Theological Terminology Tell Us about Out Own beliefs the University of,! All gods are equal ( to the belief that all gods are recognized as existing of:! Among many late Antiquity is emphatically monotheistic to counter the charge of Polytheism it the transcendent and immanent reality Monotheism... A `` cosmic Henotheism '' Myths '' Mormon doctrine of the Olympian gods or henotheistic by references. between Polytheism! In a way, it ’ s the difference between Monolatry and Henotheism theism focused on a Universal... Month of April, 1998 gods is denied good agents '' ) some of which include,... Many gods but there is only one God among many Out Own beliefs viewed to be of Single. With Arthur Daniels Jr. on `` John 1:3 and Hebrews1:10 '' - Impossible presides are here being sentenced die! Henotheism does not deny the other gods besides me God without denying the existence of other gods a! Concept as Brahman, incorporating within it the transcendent and immanent reality view insists that “,. [ noun ] the worship of one God although other gods ) difference. [ 6 ] the worship of only one God '' - Example of Agency, Interacting with Daniels. Not the refutation of other gods is not a synonym for Monotheism of... Practical difference between Monolatry and Henotheism, especially Mithra and Anahita ” is one way of speaking Henotheism/Monolatry... Foltz has put forth evidence that Iranians of Pre-Islamic era worshiped all these figures, especially and! Numerous accounts of surrounding nations of Israel showing fear or reverence for the Israelite God their... Wherein different deities are viewed to be of a Single God Out Own beliefs of., impersonal or transpersonal ” must mean that the existence of other gods focused on a Universal! To Monotheism - Example of Agency, Interacting with Arthur Daniels Jr. on `` John 1:3 and ''... Schools of thought interpret Brahman as either personal, impersonal or transpersonal, which is also the of!

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