henotheism
/ˈhɛnəʊˌθiːɪz(ə)m
/noun [mass noun]
Adherence to one particular god out of several, especially by a family, tribe, or other group.Some Indologists labeled the Hinduism they encountered polytheistic; others even coined new terms, like henotheism, to describe this baffling array of spiritual traditions....
- Bottero's concise explanation of henotheism clarifies how a pantheon, with its bewildering myriad of gods, becomes personalised through personal preference for a single deity.
- Probably the initial development of henotheism is in the idea of a patron deity for a city or country.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from Greek heis, henos 'one' + theos 'god' + -ism.