Christian polytheism?

vaguelyhumanoid · Sep 1, 2015

Does a religious tradition exist which worships the Christian trinity, the Virgin Mary, saints, angels etc. in a stridently polytheistic fashion? I don't follow this particular syncretism but I'm curious about the concept. Folk Catholicism has absorbed a lot of pagan elements - I'm wondering if anyone's shed the monotheistic official theology altogether. Santeria would come the closest to what I'm picturing.

Sees · Sep 1, 2015

vaguelyhumanoid said:
Does a religious tradition exist which worships the Christian trinity, the Virgin Mary, saints, angels etc. in a stridently polytheistic fashion? I don't follow this particular syncretism but I'm curious about the concept. Folk Catholicism has absorbed a lot of pagan elements - I'm wondering if anyone's shed the monotheistic official theology altogether. Santeria would come the closest to what I'm picturing.

I don't think they would ever use a different term than monotheism even though it is blatant polytheism in practice. Polytheism is so tabboo that there will always be much denial surrounding it.

The Emperor of Mankind · Sep 1, 2015

vaguelyhumanoid said:
Does a religious tradition exist which worships the Christian trinity, the Virgin Mary, saints, angels etc. in a stridently polytheistic fashion? I don't follow this particular syncretism but I'm curious about the concept. Folk Catholicism has absorbed a lot of pagan elements - I'm wondering if anyone's shed the monotheistic official theology altogether. Santeria would come the closest to what I'm picturing.

I see where you're coming from and I agree in terms of the Trinity but in order for it to be polytheism the Virgin Mary, angels, saints et al would have to be viewed as being the same kind of being as God (e.g. gods) but they're not. They're viewed as sufficiently lesser to be a different type of being altogether.

Quintessence · Sep 1, 2015

vaguelyhumanoid said:
Does a religious tradition exist which worships the Christian trinity, the Virgin Mary, saints, angels etc. in a stridently polytheistic fashion? I don't follow this particular syncretism but I'm curious about the concept. Folk Catholicism has absorbed a lot of pagan elements - I'm wondering if anyone's shed the monotheistic official theology altogether. Santeria would come the closest to what I'm picturing.

Yes. Christopaganism. Of which, Santeria is a variety of.

Unveiled Artist · Sep 1, 2015

vaguelyhumanoid said:
Does a religious tradition exist which worships the Christian trinity, the Virgin Mary, saints, angels etc. in a stridently polytheistic fashion? I don't follow this particular syncretism but I'm curious about the concept. Folk Catholicism has absorbed a lot of pagan elements - I'm wondering if anyone's shed the monotheistic official theology altogether. Santeria would come the closest to what I'm picturing.

The trinity, I can see why its viewed polytheistic. However, Christ is seem As God not separate from Him. So, there is no polytheism as polytheism sees multiple gods.

Santeria views one god as the main god and the Orishas as "spirits" for lack of better words with whom they contact as well sd ancesters to divine with the main god. Its not polytheistic in that the orishas are not gods. They used to be real people and each person governed a part of the earth. When they died, their ashe or spirit govern the part of the earth they controled when alive. They are not gods. I guess you can compare them to mini holy spirits that come from the main god.

Mary, angels, and saints are not worshiped. The word and action of worship is reserve for God and/or Christ only.

To be polytheistic, from what i gather, the gods must be seen as gods and in that sense seen on the same level as such.

beenherebeforeagain · Sep 1, 2015

As I understand it, Catholicism makes a distinction between veneration, which can only apply to God (in the form of the trinity), and adoration, which applies to Mary, the Saints, etc. (unless I got them reversed). Personally, the two look the same to me, and the sources I'm remembering noted the similarity, but as I understand it, the intention of the worshipful acts is what makes the difference.

Shiranui117 · Sep 1, 2015

beenherebeforeagain said:
As I understand it, Catholicism makes a distinction between veneration, which can only apply to God (in the form of the trinity), and adoration, which applies to Mary, the Saints, etc. (unless I got them reversed). Personally, the two look the same to me, and the sources I'm remembering noted the similarity, but as I understand it, the intention of the worshipful acts is what makes the difference.

Just popping in to say that "veneration" is showing respect to Mary and the other Saints (like a soldier saluting the President or the flag), whereas "adoration" is the worship that we offer to God alone as being above all. Greek and Latin have verbs that more clearly denote this.

Alright, backing out of here...

vaguelyhumanoid · Sep 1, 2015

I'm aware of the distinction between veneration and adoration. The Catholic Church considers itself monotheistic, though hardline Protestants would dispute that. I was more wondering about people who worship beings from the Christian tradition in a polytheistic context, going against the dictates of the church.

EverChanging · Feb 7, 2017

I am functionally polytheistic, but since I create my own system no one else would hear about it.

Electus de Lumine · Feb 9, 2017

vaguelyhumanoid said:
Does a religious tradition exist which worships the Christian trinity, the Virgin Mary, saints, angels etc. in a stridently polytheistic fashion? I don't follow this particular syncretism but I'm curious about the concept. Folk Catholicism has absorbed a lot of pagan elements - I'm wondering if anyone's shed the monotheistic official theology altogether. Santeria would come the closest to what I'm picturing.

One could argue that the trinity makes most forms of Christianity in inherently polytheistic.

One could also argue that the angels of Christianity could be considered lesser gods, especially the archangels.

EverChanging · Feb 9, 2017

Electus de Lumine said:
One could argue that the trinity makes most forms of Christianity in inherently polytheistic.

One could also argue that the angels of Christianity could be considered lesser gods, especially the archangels.

In regard to angels and archangels it simply depends on the definition of God given. In traditional theologies of Christianity angels and archangels cannot meet the definition of God because they are not omniscient or omnipotent. But in religions in which those qualities are not required for divinity they may very well think of Jewish and Christian angels as gods, so you make a good point here.

MysticalElf · Mar 4, 2017

vaguelyhumanoid said:
Does a religious tradition exist which worships the Christian trinity, the Virgin Mary, saints, angels etc. in a stridently polytheistic fashion? I don't follow this particular syncretism but I'm curious about the concept. Folk Catholicism has absorbed a lot of pagan elements - I'm wondering if anyone's shed the monotheistic official theology altogether. Santeria would come the closest to what I'm picturing.

This is how I practice it. Plus, I have adopted other pre-Christian beliefs.

Miles · Oct 18, 2017

Even when I was just a Catholic, before things got ComplicatedTM, we did treat Mary and the saints and angels essentially like mini gods. But we never called it worship, and every Catholic I know would object to someone saying they worship Mary or any other deity except YHWH and the Trinity. I have heard of Christians being devotees to various saints and biblical figures, though.

SabahTheLoner · Oct 25, 2017

I guess the Afro-American religious systems (Voodoo, Santería, etc.) are kinda polytheistic but both of the main religions from which they originated (Catholic Christianity and Yoruban Orisha religion) will say there is one supreme God, and the syncretic religions will say the other Orishas/Saints/spirits are the Ancestors or an archetype God embodies. The closest I can think of other than those systems is Christopaganism and Christian Wicca (the latter or which is usually duotheistic and like the Orisha systems see other gods as archetypal of the God/Goddess).

Christian polytheism?

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