Introduction to Polytheism

Introduction

Polytheisms may well be the most undervalued cultural resource in the world. We fail to grasp the nature of polytheism in thinking that it merely constitutes a division of divine labor among a number of limited demigods. Rather, fully functioning polytheisms embody multiple different fundamental accounts of the nature of reality nevertheless forming a stable matrix. Through hosting a plurality of Gods, polytheistic civilizations exhibit maximum diversity in maximum solidarity: each one is a multiverse. This course provides an overview of continuous and revived polytheistic traditions from every part of the world, offering the seeker a basis for further study and comparison.

Objectives

• To become broadly familiar with the polytheistic traditions of the world, past and present, continuous, new and revived.
• To gain awareness of the threats and challenges facing polytheistic traditions.
• To gain an appreciation of the value of polytheism itself as an intangible cultural asset.

Expected Outcomes

• Have a basic understanding from which to investigate traditions further.
• Become a critical consumer of information concerning these traditions and able to recognize biased presentations of them.
• Acquire a grasp of the diversity among and within traditions sufficient to reject oversimplification.

Beneficiaries

• Those desiring to pursue further work in religious studies
• Those interested in comparing spiritual paths
• Social justice activists interested in the intersection between repression of polytheism and related vectors of oppression.

Syllabus

• Introduction & India
• Mideast, Persia, Central Asia
• Europe: Hellenic and Roman
• Europe: Heathen, Celtic, Slavic, Baltic.
• Africa: Egypt
• Africa: Continuous African Traditional Religions
• South America
• African Diaspora Traditions
• Mesoamerica
• North America
• Oceania
• Australia and New Zealand
• China, Tibet and Mongolia
• Japan and Korea
• Southeast Asia

Course Includes

• 15 live, interactive Sessions
• Access to recorded sessions
• Suggested course readings
• Certificate upon successful completion