Henotheism

Henotheism describes a theological system where a community or tradition gives exclusive worship to one god while accepting that other gods exist and may be worshiped elsewhere. The primary deity is treated as dominant, patronal, or uniquely authoritative for a people or place. This approach differs from strict monotheism, which denies other gods entirely, and from polytheism, which distributes worship among many deities. Henotheism often appears in ancient Near Eastern cultures that emphasize loyalty, hierarchy, or covenantal relationships between a people and their patron god.