kathenotheisticworship

Kathenotheism is a term used in religious studies to describe a form of polytheistic worship in which adherents honor one deity as supreme in a particular ritual or context, while acknowledging the existence and potential supremacy of other deities in different contexts. The word derives from Greek elements meaning “each” or “every” and “god,” reflecting the idea that any given deity may be revered as the highest in turn.

In practice, kathenotheism involves devotion directed at a single deity during a specific ceremony, festival, or liturgical phase, with the understanding that other gods also exist and may be worshiped as supreme in other contexts or times. It is often contrasted with monotheism (belief in one absolute god) and with strict polytheism (equal worship of multiple gods without a rotating supreme). Kathenotheism is sometimes discussed as a variant or intermediate form of henotheism or monolatry, where a devotee or community centers its worship on one deity without denying the others’ divinity.

Scholarly use of the term is relatively selective and descriptive rather than prescriptive. It is applied to patterns observed in ancient texts and ritual practices where a pantheon is acknowledged, yet different deities are elevated to primacy in different rites. While not representing a single, coherent tradition, kathenotheism helps explain how diverse religious cultures structure devotion to multiple divine figures within a rotating or situational hierarchy of reverence.