Monolatry facts for kids

Monolatry (pronounced: moh-NOH-luh-tree) is a religious idea. It comes from two Greek words: monos, meaning "single," and latreia, meaning "worship."

Monolatry means that people believe many gods exist in the world. However, they choose to worship only one specific god among them. They don't deny that other gods might exist or that other people might worship different gods.

This idea is different from monotheism. Monotheism is the belief that there is only one god, and no other gods exist at all. It's also different from henotheism. Henotheism is when someone worships one god, but they accept that other people might worship different gods, and those gods are just as real and valid for them.

What is Monolatry?

Monolatry is a type of religious belief. It recognizes that many gods are out there. But, followers of monolatry focus their worship on just one of these gods. They believe their chosen god is the most important for them.

Monolatry vs. Monotheism

It's easy to confuse monolatry with monotheism. The main difference is simple.

• Monotheism says only ONE god exists. There are no others.
• Monolatry says many gods exist. But, people only worship ONE of them.

Monolatry vs. Henotheism

Monolatry is also similar to, but different from, henotheism.

• Henotheism means you worship one god. You also accept that others worship different gods, and those gods are equally real.
• Monolatry is similar because you worship one god. But it doesn't always mean you accept other gods as equally valid for everyone. It just means you acknowledge they exist.

History of Monolatry

The idea of monolatry has been seen in different ancient cultures. Sometimes, a group of people would choose one god as their special protector. They would worship this god above all others. They might still believe other gods existed for other groups or for different purposes.

Early Examples of Monolatry

Some historians believe that early forms of Israelite religion might have shown signs of monolatry. Before the idea of one single God became fully established, some people might have worshipped Yahweh as their main god. They might have still believed other gods existed for other nations.

The term "monolatry" itself was possibly first used by a scholar named Julius Wellhausen. He was a German expert in the 1800s who studied the history of religion.

Images for kids

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  Pharaoh Akhenaten and his family adoring the Aten

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  Josiah Hearing the Book of the Law (1873)

See also

In Spanish: Monolatrismo para niños