anthropotheism
Etymology
From anthropo- + theism.
anthropotheism means The ascription of human form and nature to the gods, or the belief that gods are deified human beings. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
Why this word is great
ANTHROPOTHEISM — [Noun] The ascription of human form and nature to the gods, or the belief that gods are deified human beings. From anthropo- (from Ancient Greek ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos, "human")) + theism (from Greek θεός (theós, "god") + -ism), it is theology written in the ink of our own flesh. Unlike "anthropomorphism" (which drapes animals or objects in human traits) or "apotheosis" (which elevates mortals to divinity), anthropotheism insists that gods were never anything but us—magnified, flawed, and familiar. It is Zeus hurling thunderbolts in a fit of pique, Yahweh bargaining with Abraham like a merchant in the marketplace, or the Hindu pantheon’s deities scheming and loving with human extravagance. To worship such gods is to kneel before our own image, polished to a blinding sheen.
noun
- The ascription of human form and nature to the gods, or the belief that gods are deified human beings.