ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Kathenotheism

Kathenotheism is a very big word that’s often used to describe a way that some people in the past used to think about gods.

Imagine you have lots of toys, and each toy is special to you in a different way. One toy might be really good for playing outside, and another toy might be great for playing inside. Now, these toys are all special, but sometimes you might choose to play with one toy over another, depending on what you want to do.

That’s kind of what kathenotheism is like. People who believed in kathenotheism believed that there were many gods, but they also believed that each god was special and had its own purpose. For example, one god might be the god of the sea, and another might be the god of the sun.

Now, even though there were many gods, people who believed in kathenotheism didn’t think that all of these gods were the same or equal. Instead, they only focused on one god at a time, depending on what they needed. So, if you were going on a long journey across the ocean, you might pray to the god of the sea to keep you safe. But if you were planting crops, you might pray to the god of fertility to make sure your crops grow well.

So, to sum it up, kathenotheism is when people believe in many gods, but they only worship one at a time, depending on what they need. Just like how you might play with different toys depending on what you want to do.