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Monotheism
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<p>Monotheism is the <a href="/facts/Belief/HbPvkGT6">belief</a> that one <a href="/facts/God/EITpdL9t">God</a> is the only, or at least the dominant <a href="/facts/Deity/doCvhDHj">deity</a>. A distinction may be made between exclusive monotheism, in which the one God is a singular existence, and both inclusive and pluriform monotheism, in which multiple gods or godly forms are recognized, but each are postulated as extensions of the same God. </p><p>Monotheism is distinguished from <a href="/facts/Henotheism/re5UmmVc">henotheism</a>, a religious system in which the believer worships one god without denying that others may worship different gods with equal validity, and <a href="/facts/Monolatry/VfbADIhM">monolatrism</a>, the recognition of the existence of many gods but with the consistent worship of only one deity. The term <i><a href="/facts/Monolatry/VfbADIhM">monolatry</a></i> was perhaps first used by <a href="/facts/Julius_Wellhausen/eSRh1GUU">Julius Wellhausen</a>. </p><p>Monotheism characterizes the traditions of <a href="/facts/Abrahamic_religions/y9z2Wf9q">Abrahamic</a> religions such as <a href="/facts/Judaism/tjQ5Tgs6">Judaism</a>, <a href="/facts/Samaritanism/Vl2fu4xv">Samaritanism</a>, <a href="/facts/Christianity/nKyJHlqq">Christianity</a>, <a href="/facts/Islam/zDLbL45C">Islam</a>, and the early derivatives of these faiths, including <a href="/facts/Druze/HzEnIHJT">Druzism</a>. </p><p>Other early monotheistic traditions include <a href="/facts/Atenism/A64uMdFq">Atenism</a> of <a href="/facts/Ancient_Egypt/BDsEGK4g">ancient Egypt</a>, <a href="/facts/Platonism/0mvr2x2p">Platonic</a> and <a href="/facts/Neoplatonism/Tyq4uTG0">Neoplatonic</a> belief in the <a href="/facts/Monad_(philosophy)/7hUJlkPj">Monad</a>, <a href="/facts/Mandaeism/lAVGX7tJ">Mandaeism</a>, <a href="/facts/Manichaeism/fUWQUj6q">Manichaeism</a>, <a href="/facts/Waaqeffanna/8nSEbQ84">Waaqeffanna</a>, and <a href="/facts/Zoroastrianism/rM0QUMtg">Zoroastrianism</a>. </p><p>Monotheistic traditions from <a href="/facts/Post-classical_history/CB2mY6tf">post-antiquity</a> and the <a href="/facts/Early_modern_period/hhpHM721">early modern</a> period comprise <a href="/facts/Deism/W4K1FwVc">Deism</a>, <a href="/facts/Yazidism/IkLNfLnN">Yazidism</a>, and <a href="/facts/Sikhism/obh7aQIr">Sikhism</a>, with varying degrees of influence from Abrahamic monotheism. Many <a href="/facts/New_religious_movement/7Ttfr321">new religious movements</a> are monotheistic such as <a href="/facts/B%C3%A1bism/4waRzHny">Bábism</a>, the <a href="/facts/Bah%C3%A1%CA%BC%C3%AD_Faith/orkrDxjS">Baháʼí Faith</a>, <a href="/facts/Seicho-no-Ie/5qW9EoTa">Seicho-no-Ie</a>, and <a href="/facts/Tenrikyo/fGvwBBIk">Tenrikyo</a>. </p><p>Narrow monotheism and wide monotheism exist on a spectrum of belief. Narrow monotheism holds that only one exclusive deity exists, disallowing others, while wide monotheism acknowledges one supreme deity and permits lesser deities. Elements of wide monotheistic thought are found in early religions such as <a href="/facts/Chinese_folk_religion/5D15uYoQ">ancient Chinese religion</a>, <a href="/facts/Tengrism/3xyWck36">Tengrism</a>, and <a href="/facts/Yahwism/FoaPuwTe">Yahwism</a>. </p>