heresyfocus on a single deity such as Agni, god of fire, and others. Although a
religious tradition such as Hinduism possesses many deities, henotheism
refers to situations when a person accepts one God among many to be
one’s personal deity and genuine God, even though one does not reject
the other gods and goddesses.
Other scholars have attempted to refine or improve on the concept of
henotheism by advocating monolatrism, which is the worship of one god
at a time, and kathenotheism, worshipping one god after another and
accepting a particular god as the most genuine for that moment. In com-
parison to monolatrism, henotheism is less exclusive because a person
may worship any deity within an extensive pantheon. From a critical
perspective, Axel Michaels finds Müller’s term inadequate and substi-
tutes the term “equitheism” because it includes the process of identifica-
tion of a deity.
Further reading: Michaels (2004); Müller (1895–1898)HERESY
A concept that is derived from the Greek term hairesis (choice), which
implies adopting beliefs and practices that are deemed incorrect by the
orthodox community. Thus, heresy is a relational term, with the decision
about what is standard made by the group in power concerning the posi-
tions of an outside community or person, called a heretic, with the leader
of a heretical group being labeled a heresiarch. Heresy, a value judg-
ment, is impossible without an authoritative body of doctrine by which
to measure a set of beliefs and practices. It is thus highly unusual for a
person or group to call itself heretical.
Historically, heresy plays an important role in Christianity, which rec-
ognizes two types of heresy: formal, which is the willful persistence in
error, and material, adhering to heretical views unknowingly. Arianism,
Nestorianism, Donatism, and Pelagianism are deemed heresies by the
early Latin church. Arianism denies that Jesus is God but is rather cre-
ated by God, Nestorianism concerns the humanity of Jesus, Donatism
adopts a contrary view of the church and sacraments, and Pelagianism
emphasizes works and plays down the notion of divine grace giving the
impression that an individual can merit salvation.
Heresy is less a problem in the East, although instances of it can be
found with Hindus claiming that Jains and Buddhist are heretics because