Quote: "Polytheism is the belief in multiple deities, which are usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own religious sects and rituals."
Belief in multiple gods or deities.
Origins of polytheistic religions: Understanding the historical and cultural roots of polytheistic religions and how they evolved over time.
Mythology: Exploring the deities, stories, rituals, and symbols associated with the gods and goddesses worshipped in polytheistic religions.
Pantheons: Getting familiar with the diverse and complex pantheons of different polytheistic religions, including Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Norse, Hindu, and others.
Philosophy and theology: Studying the intellectual and spiritual principles, beliefs, values, and practices of polytheistic religions, and how they relate to ethics, morality, and life purpose.
Anthropology and sociology: Examining the social, cultural, and psychological aspects of polytheistic religions, such as their influence on identity, gender, sexuality, race, and class.
Comparative religion: Analyzing the similarities and differences between polytheistic and other religious traditions, such as monotheism, animism, shamanism, and New Age spirituality.
Sacred texts: Reading and interpreting the sacred scriptures, prayers, hymns, and other writings of polytheistic religions, and understanding their historical, literary, and symbolic significance.
Rituals and ceremonies: Attending and participating in the rituals, ceremonies, festivals, and other communal practices of polytheistic religions, and learning about their meaning and purpose.
Art and aesthetics: Appreciating the artistic, musical, literary, and visual expressions of polytheistic religions, such as paintings, sculptures, music, poetry, and dance.
Mysticism and spirituality: Exploring the mystical and esoteric aspects of polytheistic religions, including meditation, trance, divination, and the pursuit of union with the divine.
Henotheism: This is the belief in one god, who is recognized as the chief or primary deity, while acknowledging the existence of other gods, who are usually considered subordinate.
Pantheism: This is the belief that the divine exists in all things and that everything is divine. There is no distinction between God and the universe, as they are one and the same.
Dualism: This is the belief in two opposing gods or forces, one representing good and one representing evil. These gods are believed to be equal in power and influence.
Animism: This is the belief that all objects, places, and creatures have a spirit or soul, and that these spirits can be communicated with or honored through prayer or ritual.
Monolatry: This is similar to henotheism, but with a focus on worshiping one god at a time rather than acknowledging the existence of many.
Syncretism: This is the merging of two or more belief systems, often resulting in a new type of polytheism that incorporates elements of each original religion.
Shamanism: This is the belief that certain individuals, known as shamans, have the ability to communicate with the spirit world, and are able to perform rituals and ceremonies to influence the divine.
Traditionalism: This is the belief in the traditional, indigenous gods of a particular culture or people group.
Eclectic Polytheism: This is the belief in multiple gods from various cultures and religions, often incorporating new deities as they are discovered or researched.
Folk Religion: This is a type of polytheism that is often associated with rural or traditional cultures, in which the belief in many gods is intertwined with daily life and local customs.
Quote: "Within theism, it contrasts with monotheism, the belief in a singular God who is, in most cases, transcendent."
Quote: "The different gods and goddesses may be representations of forces of nature or ancestral principles; they can be viewed either as autonomous or as aspects or emanations of a creator deity or transcendental absolute principle."
Quote: "Polytheists do not always worship all the gods equally; they can be henotheists, specializing in the worship of one particular deity, or kathenotheists, worshiping different deities at different times."
Quote: "Polytheism was the typical form of religion before the development and spread of the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam."
Quote: "It is well documented throughout history, from prehistory and the earliest records of ancient Egyptian religion and ancient Mesopotamian religion to the religions prevalent during Classical antiquity, such as ancient Greek religion and ancient Roman religion."
Quote: "Notable polytheistic religions practiced today include Taoism, Shenism or Chinese folk religion, Japanese Shinto, Santería, most Traditional African religions, and various neopagan faiths such as Wicca."
Quote: "Hinduism, while popularly held as polytheistic, cannot be exclusively categorized as such as some Hindus consider themselves to be pantheists and others consider themselves to be monotheists."
Quote: "Vedanta, the most dominant school of Hinduism, offers a combination of pantheism and polytheism, holding that Brahman is the sole ultimate reality of the universe, yet unity with it can be reached by worshiping multiple gods and goddesses."
Quote: "The different gods and goddesses may be representations of forces of nature or ancestral principles."
Quote: "The spread of the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam enforced monotheism."
Quote: "They can be viewed either as autonomous or as aspects or emanations of a creator deity or transcendental absolute principle."
Quote: "The different gods and goddesses may be representations of forces of nature or ancestral principles."
Quote: "In ethnic religions such as Germanic, Slavic, and Baltic paganism and Native American religions."
Quote: "Along with their own religious sects and rituals."
Quote: "Polytheists do not always worship all the gods equally."
Quote: "which manifests immanently in nature (panentheistic and pantheistic theologies)."
Quote: "Hinduism, while popularly held as polytheistic, cannot be exclusively categorized as such as some Hindus consider themselves to be pantheists and others consider themselves to be monotheists."
Quote: "It is well documented throughout history, from prehistory... to the religions prevalent during Classical antiquity."
Quote: "Vedanta... holding that Brahman is the sole ultimate reality of the universe, yet unity with it can be reached by worshiping multiple gods and goddesses."