Henotheism

Intro

• In henotheism, one reveres a single god as the only one in a given hymn and the others are at that time ignored.
• For relationship with monotheism and polytheism, see polytheism page.

In Hinduism

“In the Veda, however, the gods worshipped as supreme by each sect stand still side by side. No one is first always, no one is last always. Even gods of a decidedly inferior and limited character assume occasionally in the eyes of a devoted poet a supreme place above all other gods. It was necessary, therefore, for the purpose of accurate reasoning to have a name, different from polytheism, to signify this worship of single gods, each occupying for a time a supreme position, and I proposed for it the name of Kaihenotheism, that is a worship of one god after another, or of Henotheism, the worship of single gods.” [MM]

In other paganisms

“Grimm showed that Thorr is sometimes the supreme god, while at other times he is the son of Odinn. This, as Professor Zimmer truly remarks, need not be regarded as the result of a revolution, or even of gradual decay, as in the case of Dyaus and Tyr, but simply as inherent in the character of a nascent polytheism. … ’ Among not yet civilised races prayers are addressed to a god with a special object, and to that god who is supposed to be most powerful in a special domain. He becomes for the moment the highest god to whom all others must give place. He may be invoked as the highest and the only god, without any slight being intended for the other gods.’ " [MM]