what is the difference between monotheistic and polytheistic religions

Ask your question. Rather than offering all prayers to a single deity, the Greeks would ask specific deities for help with specific issues. We were put into groups and we made a venn diagram about Monotheism and Polytheism. What is the difference between monotheistic and polytheistic religion? Get access risk-free for 30 days, Therefore, Hinduism is both monotheistic and polytheistic. Create an account to start this course today. We don't have any banner, Flash, animation, obnoxious sound, or popup ad. Monotheistic religions can even claim that these figures are capable of intervening in your daily life to answer your prayers. It's the answer to some of life's biggest questions! Polytheistic civilizations are typically more open to the idea of multiple truths both within and outside of their specific religion. These are questions that humans have debated for… well, since we became humans. The doctrine or belief that there is but one God. Eastern religions are also typically polytheistic, whereas typically Western religions are monotheistic in that only one God is worshipped. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. 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Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. the belief in or worship of more than one god, "the polytheism of the ancient Near East". Notable polytheistic religions practiced today include Taoism, Shenism or Chinese folk religion, Japanese Shinto, Santería, most Traditional African religions and various neopagan faiths. Polytheism: Polytheism is belief and worship of many gods. During this process these religions are compared and contrasted to establish their similarities and differences. In many cultures, the universe was seen as being filled with divine forces. The most important difference among the ancient religions and modern world religions is that ancient religions were mostly polytheistic and modern world religions are monotheistic. Generally, this revolves around a figure who is seen as the creator of the universe, but also can include other spiritual and divine forces capable of exerting influence over the daily lives of us mortals here on Earth. Because Judaism and Christianity are monotheistic religions, the monotheistic conception of the divine has assumed for Western culture the value of a self-evident axiom. and find homework help for other Religion questions at eNotes Characteristics of Monotheism and Polytheism: Number of Gods: Monotheism: Only one god is worshiped. It's worth noting that in each of the three Abrahamic religions that we just named, you may hear people praying to someone other than the main deity. 1 Quiz & Worksheet - Polytheism vs. Monotheism, Over 83,000 lessons in all major subjects, {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}}, The History of Money and Rise of Complex Economies, How Religion Developed in the Stone Age and Bronze Age, The Fertile Crescent: Cradle of Civilization, Heirs of the Sumerians: Babylonians, Hittites, Hurrians and Assyrians, Hammurabi's Code: The Advent of Law, Prerequisites and Implications, Ancient Egyptian Architecture: History, Characteristics & Influences, Iron Age Empires: Neo-Babylonian, Neo-Assyrian and Persian Empires, Ancient Persian Art and Architecture: History & Style, Zoroastrianism: Definition, Beliefs & History, Mesopotamian Kings: History, Politics & Religion, Biological and Biomedical For example, a blacksmith might pray to Hephaestus to bless his forge and the business he did there, while a midwife might pray to Eileithyia for wisdom while delivering a baby. Certainly, while this similarity gives way to a convergence in thought, there still remain striking contrasts, which draw a dividing line between … This paper attempts to answer these questions by analyzing Zoroastrian and Christian views on Theology Proper, Anthropology, and Eschatology. and career path that can help you find the school that's right for you. When looking at the different kinds of theism, or belief in deities, the first big question we have to ask is this: how many deities are there? Join now. 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