Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Pagan
Three Books For Polytheists

Three Books For Polytheists

Last updated on: November 11, 2014 at 6:00 pm by John Beckett

Three Books For Polytheists 2014-11-10T19:01:43-06:00 John Beckett

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Most of my book reviews are full length blog posts. But occasionally I read a book and I just don’t have that much to say about it. That doesn’t mean they’re bad, it just means I don’t have enough to say about any of them to fill a full post.

Here are three books for polytheists. I don’t review books differently based on how I get them, but for those who care about such things, I bought all of these myself – none were review copies.

Devotional Polytheism – An Introduction
by Galina Krasskova
published by Sanngetall Press, October 2014
trade paperback: $18.00
210 pages

We live in a culture where monotheism is so dominant its concepts and language are used without question – even by those who have moved on from the Abrahamic religions. Those who feel the call of many Gods may not know where to begin. When asked “where do I start?” I usually say “read Their stories, read Their history, and talk to Their priests.”

If you don’t know any polytheist priests to talk to, reading Devotional Polytheism is the next best thing. In the preface, author Galina Krasskova says “this is the book that I wish somebody had given me in 1991 when I was first starting out as a polytheist and in devotional work.” It starts with a basic explanation of what devotion is and why it’s the foundation of a polytheist practice. It covers basic devotional exercises, altars and shrines, and offerings.

There’s a lot on offerings. Galina says “without offerings, without giving of ourselves and our resources, there is no piety.” She quotes historian Walter Burkert, who articulated the ancient concept “I give in order that you may give.” Reciprocity is at the heart of polytheism. Offerings can take many forms, and Devotional Polytheism discusses many of them.

The second half of the book contains devotional rituals for each day of the week, and for each of the major holidays of the year.

Galina is a Heathen who also participates in other traditions. While there are numerous examples from her Heathenry, this is not a Heathen book. The techniques and practices covered are suitable for any tradition.

The book does an excellent job of providing guidance and direction in establishing a devotional practice. Galina Krasskova has a reputation as someone who states what she believes forcefully, but she makes it clear “there’s no one right way to do devotion, save respectfully.”

Devotional Polytheism has one weakness – it’s twenty years of experience crammed into 200 pages. The book is well-organized and easy to read, but the sheer number of practices and activities can overwhelm a beginner: “do I have to do all that to be a devotional polytheist?” At the end of Part One, Galina addresses this to a certain extent: “you can’t do what I do … you have to do your own work.” Still, I wish it included a guide to getting started.

If someone asked me, I’d say pick one or two things, learn to do them well, then start adding others as you feel ready for them, and as the Gods you honor express Their needs and desires.

But this is a minor complaint. Devotional Polytheism is a book our community has needed for some time.

If you want to learn more about this book, see this full review by Niki Whiting.

A Million and One Gods – the Persistence of Polytheism
by Page duBois
published by Harvard University Press, June 2014
hardcover: $29.95
208 pages

If you’re a polytheist, A Million and One Gods isn’t a book you need to read, but it’s probably a book you want to read.

A Million and One Gods is a work of religious scholarship. The author says her purpose in writing it “is not to defend polytheism, but to show how difficult it is to discuss it responsibly when it is treated as a curiosity or primitive residue, in the ‘routine,’ the unexamined assumption that monotheism is a superior development out of polytheism.”

Anyone who has actually read the Old Testament knows it is full of polytheism. How could it not be – it was written by and for a group of people living in a culture that was thoroughly polytheistic. The commandment “thou shalt have no other Gods before me” is not the statement of a monotheist.

Polytheism as a concept is only necessary in a monotheistic culture. Without monotheism, people simply worship their Gods. duBois quotes Jordan Paper, who said “Polytheists would have no more reason to call themselves such than they would to call themselves ‘air breathers’ or ‘bipedal’.” And as the subtitle indicates, that worship is persistent.

There are no pure monotheistic religions. Christianity has its Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are all found in the Bible, but the doctrine that They are somehow One is not. Islam, perhaps the closest to pure monotheism, still has angels and still has a devil. The strong opposition to idolatry by fundamentalist Muslims simply demonstrates the difficulty (and perhaps, the impossibility) of maintaining a strictly monotheistic practice. If they didn’t continually rant against it, people would naturally venerate ancestors, spirits of place, and other spiritual beings.

duBois does not advocate returning to polytheism. She calls for “cohabitation” among monotheists, polytheists, and non-theists. And she calls for a recognition of our polytheistic heritage. Western culture is the product of Athens as much as it is the product of Jerusalem.

I wish I could put A Million and One Gods on a mandatory reading list for every politician who says the United States is a “Christian nation.”

By Blood, Bone, and Blade – A Tribute to the Morrigan
edited by Nicole Bonvisuto
published by Bibliotheca Alexandrina, May 2014
trade paperback: $12.99
284 pages

This is a devotional anthology, similar in concept to Hoofprints in the Wildwood, which was dedicated to the various Horned Gods. Blood, Bone, and Blade contains historical essays, literary analysis, rituals, poetry, fiction, artwork, and stories of personal devotion. Several of the contributors are well-known on the Pagan internet: Morpheus Ravenna, P. Sufenas Virius Lupus, Galina Krasskova, David Salisbury, Stephanie Woodfield, and Morgan Daimler. ADF Druid, photographer, and artist Ashley Bryner created the cover. There are many other contributors I don’t know – a total of 45, if I counted correctly.

As with all devotional anthologies, the tone and quality varies widely from piece to piece. That variation seems to be greater in this book than in others like it. Some of that, no doubt, is due to the many different ways the Morrigan presented Herself both in ancient times and today. Some is due to the variation in the experiences the contributors have had of Her. And some is due to the variation in the skills and backgrounds of the 45 individuals who wrote parts of the book.

If you have an interest in the Morrigan, or if you feel called by Her, you will find something to like in this book. You will also find something to disagree with, perhaps strongly.

The first edition of Blood, Bone, and Blade had several printing errors and was taken out of print shortly after its release. The second edition was released at the end of August and is now available on the CreateSpace.com website, but not yet on Amazon.

Previous Post

November 9, 2014

Ordeals of Initiation

Next Post

November 13, 2014 A Pagan View of Suffering

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Books Community CUUPS Druidry Foundations and Context Gods and Goddesses Magic Myth Nature Ritual Spiritual Practice Theology Travel Uncategorized Videos

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the prophet that confronted King David about his sin with Bathsheba?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Elijah Samuel Nathan Elisha