polytheism
Let an agent explain polytheism and its forms across religions with attribution, describe pantheons and practices, present how other traditions view polytheism with attribution, and avoid endorsing or disparaging any belief.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain polytheism and its forms across religions with attribution, describe pantheons and practices, present how other traditions view polytheism with attribution, and avoid endorsing or disparaging any belief.
The belief in and worship of multiple deities, typically organised in a pantheon with distinct roles, found in ancient religions of Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia and Arabia, in living traditions such as Hinduism in many interpretations, Shinto, and Indigenous and regional religions such as Sanamahism and Bathouism, and in modern revivals; monotheistic traditions describe polytheism in their own terms, such as the Islamic concept of shirk or the Jewish concept of shituf, and all positions are presented here with attribution.
What it is for: Belief in multiple deities.
It can be explain forms with attribution; describe pantheons and practices; present other views with attribution; avoid endorsement or disparagement.
Distinguishing features
Multiple deities
Pantheon structure
Ancient and living forms
Contested categorisation
What it looks like
Not physical; a religious world view.
How it is recognised
Worship of multiple deities
Pantheons with roles
Monotheism worships one deity; henotheism worships one among many
Related models
is a kind of - category
is related to - conceptions of deity
is related to - traditions often described as polytheistic
is related to - related religious forms
In practice
Families and kinds
ancient polytheisms of Egypt, Greece, Rome and Mesopotamia
pre-Islamic Arabian polytheism
Hindu and other South Asian traditions as variously interpreted
Indigenous and regional polytheisms such as Sanamahism and Bathouism
modern polytheist revivals
Standards and regulation
Freedom of religion protections
Academic standards in religious studies
No regulation of belief
Failure modes and hazards
Disparaging or endorsing beliefs
Imposing categories on traditions that reject them
Presenting monotheist critiques as neutral
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What polytheism is.
Attribution.
Concept
Concept and forms.
Concept
Concept.
- What is polytheism, how do pantheons work, and how do traditions describe themselves in relation to the category? provenance
- Is the presentation attributed and free of endorsement or disparagement? boundary
Traditions
Traditions.
Traditions
Traditions.
- Which ancient and living traditions are described as polytheistic, and how do adherents and scholars describe them? provenance
- Which entry fits a specific tradition? action
Practice Practices.
Description.
Worship
Worship and ritual.
Worship
Worship.
- How are multiple deities worshipped in temples, festivals and household practice? provenance
- Which entry fits a specific practice? action
Myth
Mythology.
Myth
Myth.
- How do myths organise pantheons and explain the world in polytheistic traditions? provenance
- Which entry fits mythology? action
Perspectives Other perspectives.
Attribution.
Monotheist
Monotheist views.
Monotheist
Monotheist.
- How do Islamic, Jewish and Christian traditions describe polytheism, such as through concepts of shirk and shituf, in their own terms? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral between traditions? boundary
Scholarship
Scholarly debates.
Scholarship
Scholarship.
- How do scholars debate the category of polytheism and its application to traditions such as Hinduism, with positions attributed? provenance
- Which entry fits religious studies? action
Learn History and teaching.
Education.
History
History.
History
History.
- How have polytheistic traditions developed, declined and revived historically? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Teach
Teaching.
Teach
Teaching.
- How can polytheism be taught respectfully in religious studies? action
- Which misconceptions arise? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- Should each polytheistic tradition be a separate entry?
- How should scholarship be linked?
- How should categorisation disputes be attributed?