Henotheism

The word henotheism is formed from the Greek roots henos—meaning one—and theos—meaning [Page 511]god—and refers to the choice that an individual or a group makes to worship a single god within the context of a society that believes in and accepts the existence of a pantheon of gods. Henotheism differs from monotheism, however, in that monotheism describes a system of belief in which there is only a single god. Henotheism, in contrast, describes the decision to worship one particular god to the exclusion of worshipping any other god or gods that are thought to be part of a pantheon. The concept of henotheism is thus relevant to both ancient religious traditions and the modern global religious landscape, as it particularly describes a system of religious ...