Hinotheism

Hinotheism, usually spelled henotheism, is a theological position in which a single god is worshiped as supreme within a broader belief system that acknowledges the existence of other gods. Adherents devote themselves to the supreme deity while not denying that other deities exist or are worshiped by others.

The term helps distinguish devotion to one god from broader polytheism and monotheism. Henotheism is different from monotheism, which posits the existence or exclusivity of one god for all matters of belief. It is also distinct from polytheism, which affirms multiple independent gods. Some scholars also distinguish henotheism from monolatry (the worship of one god while not denying others exist) and from kathenotheism (the practice of worshiping different gods as supreme in succession).

Historically, henotheistic patterns have been proposed for various ancient religious contexts. In the Hebrew Bible, some scholars view early Israelite religion as henotheistic or monolatrous—worship focused on Yahweh as supreme within a surrounding milieu that acknowledged other deities. In Hinduism, certain devotional movements emphasize one personal deity (for example, Vishnu, Shiva, or Krishna) as supreme while recognizing other deities, a pattern described by some as henotheistic in its early stages rather than strictly monotheistic or polytheistic.

In modern scholarship, henotheism is used as a descriptive term to analyze religious practice and belief without prescribing a value judgment about truth claims. It remains one of several frameworks for understanding how communities relate to the divine within a multi-god context.