monolatristic

Monolatristic refers to a religious or philosophical stance that acknowledges the existence of multiple gods, but worships only one of them. This is distinct from monotheism, which posits the existence of only one god, and polytheism, which involves the worship of multiple gods. In a monolatristic system, other deities may be recognized and their existence accepted, but they are not considered worthy of direct worship or are actively superseded by the supreme deity.

This concept is often discussed in the context of ancient Israelite religion, where the early worship of Yahweh may have coexisted with the recognition of other Canaanite deities. Scholars debate the extent to which this was a pure monolatry or a transitional phase towards full monotheism. The text of the Hebrew Bible sometimes appears to reflect a period where Yahweh was the supreme God, and other gods were either subordinate or non-existent in practice, even if their existence as other divine beings was not explicitly denied.

The practice of monolatry can be seen as a way to maintain a unified religious identity centered around a single, primary deity while still acknowledging a broader pantheon that might be culturally or historically relevant. It allows for a degree of theological flexibility compared to strict monotheism, without embracing the full complexity of polytheistic worship.