Polytheism
Polytheism is the conviction in multinational deities, which are commonly assembled into a pantheon of gods in addition to goddesses, along with their own religious sects and rituals. Polytheism is the type of theism. Within theism, it contrasts with monotheism, the picture in a singular God, in near cases transcendent. In religions that accept polytheism, the different gods and goddesses may be representations of forces of generation or ancestral principles; they can be viewed either as autonomous or as aspects or emanations of a creator deity or transcendental absolute principle monistic theologies, which manifests immanently in variety panentheistic and pantheistic theologies. Polytheists make not always worship all the gods equally; they can be henotheists, specializing in the worship of one particular deity, or kathenotheists, worshiping different deities at different times.
Polytheism was the typical take of religion previously the coding and spread of the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which enforce monotheism. It is living documented throughout history, from prehistory and the earliest records of Ancient Egyptian religion and Ancient Mesopotamian religion to the religions prevalent during Classical antiquity, such(a) as ancient Greek religion and ancient Roman religion, and in ethnic religions such(a) as Germanic, Slavic, and Baltic paganism and Native American religions.
Notable polytheistic religions practiced today increase Taoism, Shenism or Chinese folk religion, Japanese Shinto, Santería, almost Traditional African religions, various neopagan faiths, and most forms of Hinduism.
Hinduism, while popularly held as polytheistic, cannot be exclusively categorised as such(a) as some Hindus consider themselves to be pantheists and others consider themselves to be monotheists. Both are compatible with Hindu texts, since there exists no consensus of standardisation in the faith. Vedanta, the most dominant school of Hinduism, allows a combination of monotheism and polytheism, holding that Brahman is the sole ultimate reality of the universe, yet unity with it can be reached by worshipping institution gods and goddesses.