Polytheism, Henotheism or Kathenotheism?

We have all heard the classification of religions as monotheistic and polytheistic (and atheistic if you want). But what is henotheism?

Max Muller - British orientalist  coined this term to describe Indian religions - particularly Hindu religion. Henotheism is the worship a single God while not denying the existence of other Gods.  He noticed that the scriptures in our religion mention various deities as if they were one ultimate God/Goddess. 

The origin is hen (one in Greek ) + theism (theos in Greek = God). 

A related word is kathenotheism is the worship of one God at a time. Which we can relate to - Ganesha when starting any task, Shani on saturday, Goddess on Friday and Tuesday etc. 

The abrahamic religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam) are all monothiestic. They believe that there is only God and often ridicule other religions for multitude of their Gods. 

But again we Hindus always know that the God is one and we just call him by different names and give him different attributes - ekam sat vipra bahuda vadanti.

So to summarize, can we say?

  • Monotheism - There is one and only one God. And I pray to him
  • Polytheism -   I pray to many Gods.
  • Henotheism -  I pray to only one of the many Gods.
  • Atheism - I don’t believe there is a  God.
  • Anti-theism - There is no God. And you should not pray too.
  • Agnosticism - May be God is there. May be he is not. I really don’t know.
  • Non-dualism - God, you, me all are one and the same.
  • Pantheism - This universe is God is universe is me and you.
  • Deism - God has created this universe. But I don’t have to pray to him
  • Secularism - I pray to my God and I don’t mind you praying to yours.
  • Rationalism - Is there really a God? Why don’t we analyze that?

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