Henotheists worship a single supreme God, but do not deny the existence of other gods. Friedrich Schelling & Friedrich Welcker invented the term to refer to monotheism of ancient Greeks. It is a type of monotheism that emphasizes human free will.
Monotheistic
Monotheism refers to belief in one, all-powerful god as opposed to polytheism which is where belief is in many gods. Monotheistic religions are Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The Greek prefix monos and os, both words referring to god, gives rise to the term. Monotheism does not only apply to monotheistic religions. Buddhism is also not monotheistic.
Monotheism can be difficult to practice without other gods, but there are some advantages to practicing this religion. One of these is its ability accommodate diverse worshippers. Although diviners and clerics can cast spells by themselves, they may have to work with other gods. The other advantage is that they can coexist with other religions.
The concept of sacrificial devotion is a common thread among the major monotheistic religions. All three religions are based on Abraham's story. He was asked to give his only son to God. However, God prevented Abraham from doing so, and instead gave him a ram to sacrifice. Traditionally, Jews placed their hopes on a coming god (messianic), who is expected come and rule over the world.
The idea of a god is rooted in the belief that the god is the source of all creation. Jupiter could be seen in many different ways. This led to the belief that worshipping multiple gods wasn't monotheistic. These gods had different names, but were all variations of the same god.
Some believe monotheism originated in Ancient Israel. Others believe it emerged in neighbouring cultures after Babylonian exile. These two traditions may have been distinct but there is plenty of evidence that they were related. Many biblical scholars support the hypothesis of early monotheism.
The Vedas also contain Henotheism. In Hinduism, Varuna is a king and ultimate judge. It infused his religion with grace and punished sin. There is an inherent contradiction in henotheism with a belief only one god.
Throughout the ages, philosophers have attempted to explain religion in real terms. These explanations are sometimes complicated. An example of this is the trinity. Although it might be confusing, it has helped shape the evolution and practice of philosophy. The ancient world was where philosophy first began.