Ancient Egyptian Religion. A complex question is this:Was Ancient Egyptian Religion, Polytheism,Monotheism OR Henotheistic?Or, Was it an amalgamation of more than one of these? Ancient Egyptian Religion appears to have characteristics ofdifferent forms of theisms eg henotheism, monism, monotheism, pantheism, and polytheism. I say that this is odd is because a religion cannot be both polytheistic and monotheistic. A religion with multiple gods is polytheistic. Polytheism is the doctrine of or belief in more than one god or in many gods while Monotheism is the doctrine or belief that there is only one God. Some may argue that Ancient Egyptian Religion was not Polytheism since gods were not thought of as separate gods in and of themselves; rather, they are seen as emanations from the one single Supreme Being (God). The Egyptian literature depict God as the eternal, conscious, infinite, omnipresent, spiritual source of the universe. However, while it may be philosophically argued that lay men were polytheists .

Ancient Egyptian Religion was a Poly-Monotheism. Some work cited: Dr. H. Brugsch collected a number of the epithets [published in Religion pages 99-101].1] God is One and alone, and none other existeth with Him; God is the One, the One Who hath made all things.2] God is a spirit, a hidden spirit, the spirit of spirits, the great spirit of the Egyptians, the divine spirit.[It should be Divine Spirit instead of divine spirit]3] God is from the beginning, and He hath been from the beginning; He hath existed from of old and was when nothing else had being. He existed when nothing else existed, and what existeth He created after He hand come into being. He is the father of beginnings.4] God is the eternal One, He is eternal and infinite; and endureth for ever and aye; He hath endured for countless ages, and He shall endure to all eternity. Etc.

In this system it was believed that:=Poly-Monotheism is defined as the doctrine that God is the transcendent reality of which the gods [Naterus] are only manifestations .However it may not be accurate to view that Ancient Egyptians simply the viewed that God is identical with the gods, they did believe thatThese are indistinct from God and are united in the God.It is pointed out that the many gods of Ancient Egyptians were simply various forms, appearences, culminations and emanations) of a single Supreme Being (God). This is where the idea of monotheism comes in. A belief in a single Supreme Being is Monotheism. But the belief that the many gods is Polythiesim even if they are all included in the One, Single, Supreme Being. Therefore, , this Dogma of Manifestation is Poly-Monotheistic. These Egyptian gods eg Horus ,Osiris, even Ra himself, were believed to be "manifestations, , or personified attributes of Only One God", the invisible God. These were not believed to be separate gods, but incarnations or manifestations of one and same God the one and only God, inseparable from him.

The difference between a kind of Pantheism and Polymonotheism is that , Pantheism maybe defined as the doctrine that God is the transcendent reality of which the material universe and human beings are only manifestations (Pantheism American Heritage Dictionary, Internet) But PolyMonotheism did not considers the universe ,humans ,idols as Manifestations of God but Only gods as Manifestations of God. Note:= Pantheism is not necessary the dogma that god is identical with the universe and entirely immanent in the world: god is the universe and the universe is god. Since Manifestation is not an Identity. Yet this dogma is a kind of Pantheism, but Pantheism on close study have different variations.Ancient Egyptian Religion is not Pure Polytheism:=The primary reason that Ancient Egyptian Religion is viewed as a Polytheistic religion is the great number of Egyptian goddesses and gods. The Egyptologists [who are neither theologians nor philosophers] describe the mythologies and rituals related to multiple gods and goddesses. Egyptologist only view that Ancient Egyptians had a myriad of local community gods along with Nonlocal Egyptian gods. So they are usually misguided by this , and incorrectly ascribe pure Polytheism to Ancient Egyptians.Ancient Egyptian Religion was not Pure Monotheism:=

Monotheism is the Dogma \Belief that there is but one God," A Monotheist is one who believes that there is only one God (with a capitalg) and definitely does not believe in the existence of any others i.e neither in any god [goddess] nor in any God [Goddess] beside One God whether as Manifestation or Emanation or else of the Only One God.If this definition is taken then Ancient Egyptian Religion was a Not Pure Monotheism.So it is the case that it had the tendencies of both Theisms i.e Pure Monotheism and Pure Polytheism, a duel nature , and there fore it may be called Poly-Monotheism or Polymonotheism, somewhat close to Pantheism yet not Pure Pantheism.Henotheism and Ancient Egyptian Religion:=Ancient Egyptians often did chose to worship some or one of the many Egyptian gods, but at the same time they continue to acknowledge the existence of the other Egyptian gods whom they did not worship. This type of worship of one god (OR some gods) among many gods is not Monotheism But Henotheism. Henotheism is the belief in and the worship of one god while accepting the existence of other gods.[or worshipping some gods while accepting other gods which are not worshipped. This may be termed as Poly-Henotheism or Polyhenotheism]. Ancient Egyptian Religion Explained"Ancient Egyptian Religion worshiped multiple forms[Neters] of the one God. God was believed to be Only One in many gods and goddeses."A belief in monotheistic polytheism, rather than pure polytheism which may not be regarded is as a religion of Pure Polytheism just like as it may not be regarded as a religion of Pure Monotheism. Yet truly speaking It was neither a Pure Monotheistic Religion or a Pure Polytheistic Religion , additionally not a Pure HenotheismExplantion:= . Many Egyptologyts and Western Writers on the subject mistakenly declairs it as Polytheistic or Henotheistic Religion.This is a mistake. There may be some Henotheistic sects or cults in ancient Egypt but the religion as a whole was not Henotheistic ,but Poly-Henotheistic.Thus it was a PolyMonotheistic and PolyHenotheistic religion.According to Ancient Egytian Religion there was only One God who manifested and incarnated in Multiples of gods ;each god in whom God Manifested or Incarnated was a Manifestation or an Incarnation Of God, united in One God and Indistinct from God.This God Included All the Manifestations and Incarnation.Thus One God in Multitude of Manifestations and Multitude of Manifestations united in Only One God. AkhenAten and Monotheism:=It is possible that some pure form of Monoltheism sects did exist in Egypt in Minorities..Akhen did belonged to this sect ,or embraced it latter. He was not the founder of Dogma of One God in Egypt but rather he negated all the gods i.e Incarnations and Manifestations of One God. However he assumed a prophet like status instead of a god indistinct from God.A similar type of practice was adopted Millennia latter by King Acbar of Indian Subcontinent who believed in One God and believed himself as a Projection Of God [ZILL AL ILAHI]. How ever he did not claimed to be an indistinct Manifestation Of God,Yet he claimed for a position GREATER then the status of Prophets and Aposltes.Three Verses Of Quran Can be explained according to this theory:=1] Pharaoh said: "O Chiefs!no god do I know for you but myself...[Qur'an 28:38]2] Then he[i.e Pharaoh] collected (his men) and made a proclamation, Saying, "I am your Lord, Most High".[Qur'an 79:15-24]

Explanation:= Phaaraoh is saying not in the Monotheistic sense but in the Henotheistic sense. Ancient Egyptian Religion seems did have some characteristics of eachof the henotheism, monism, monotheism, pantheism, and polytheism. A religion be both Pure Polytheism, Pure Monotheistic ,Pure Panteism.Pure Monism etc.. A religion with multiple mually distinct gods\Gods is Polytheism. Polytheism is the doctrine of or belief in more than one god or in many Mutually Distinct gods [and goddesses] While monotheism is the doctrine or belief that there is only one God, and no other god whether distinct or indistinct from the God Thus, a logical absurdity and a rational impossibility for a religion to be both Pure Polytheism and Pure Monotheism. This is a reason that it is said argue that Ancient Egyptian Religion was is neither Polytheism nor Pure Monotheism, Since these gods and goddesses were not thought of as separate gods in and of themselves; rather, they are seen as emanations from the one single Supreme Being; and Monothiesm negates plurality of indistinct gods as well.Quran informs that the courtiers of the court of Pharaoh had chosen to worship only one of the many Egyptian gods, but at the same time they continue to acknowledge the existence of the other Egyptian gods. However, the selection and worship of one god among many gods is neither Monotheism NOR Polytheism but Henotheism. Henotheism is the belief in and the worship of one god while accepting the existence of other gods.In is SAID ABOVE that Ancient Egyptian Religion was not Henotheism in General but Poly Honotheism ,but some cults like courtian sects were most probably Henotheists ,worshipping Pharaoh and not worshipping other gods , and considering the Pharaoh as the greatest god for them, A Henotheistic Greatness , neither a Polytheistic Greatness [Greatest god among distinct gods] nor a Monotheistic Great Greatness [Greatest Being of all Beings]. A god worshipped by a group of people considered as the greatest god form the worsippers, a relative greatness in regard to worshippers, not an ultimate or absolute greatness.In this case one Manifestation of ONLY One God ,worshipped while other Manifestations of the Same God were accepted yet not worshipped. A Manifes-Henotheism. Multitudes of gods of Ancient Egyptians were various forms ,culminations,manifestations, emanations of a One and Only Supreme Being (God). This is where the ideas of Polytheism andMonotheism comes in. A, belief in a single supreme being is Monotheism and belief in multitudes of gods and goddesses is Polytheism. But things are deeper then this. Any religion which is not Ponothiestic is not Polytheistic, and vice verca.

When Pharaoh claimed to be Only God he said it in regard to the God Who either Manifested or Incarnated in him the Divine Self of Pharaoh , the Only God Of Ancient Egypt , not in regard to his human self but a self indistinct from God and a manifestation or an incarnation of God or both;as according to the Ancient Egyptian Religion.3] And the chiefs[courtiers of the court of Pharaoh] of Pharaoh's people said: "Do you leave Musa and his people to make mischief in the land and to forsakeyou and your gods?" [Qur'an 7:127] Explanation:=The Courtiers and chiefs are referring other manifestations of God to the Divine Self Of Pharoah, the Only God. The only thing added by the Pharaoh Ramesses the second was to exalt himself to the position of God Incarnate and Incarnated God instead of just a manifestation or an incarnation of God, so he tried to shew that God is his Divine Self. This does shew that Manifestations and Incarnations [gods -neterus] could be refer to God as His gods [ and goddesses].In other words Pharaoh was believed as an incarnation [a direct incarnation] Of Divine Self [Godhead] Of God and a number of other gods were believed to be manifestations of different Attributes of God, and in regard to the Divine Self Pharaoh was greater than other Manifestations. Since his source of manifestation i.e Divine Self was greater than there sources of Manifetations i.e Divine Attributes. Even if in regard to his human self he was less than super human selves of other gods , Also if it is Assumed that Pharaoh was believed to be an incarnation of Divine Providence then in regard to providence Pharaoh was greater than other manifestations who were manifestations of attributes other than providence. Comments:=For all rational thinkers it may be said that these verses of Quran might be ununderstandable when the late scholar ship considered Egyptian Religion as Polytheism and did not get their believes accurately. They opine that there is some historical Error in these verses of Qura:n. But the Modern Approach has clearified the matter. A number of scholars have provided some other answers as well, but what is directly implicated is the simplest explanation. A Miracle and if not then miraculous indeed.