aretalogy means A form of sacred biography in which a deity's attributes are listed, in the form of poem or text, in the first person. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 88 out of 100.
Why “aretalogy” is a great word
ARETALOGY — [Noun] A narrative or text, often in the first person, that lists the miraculous deeds and virtues of a deity or hero. From Ancient Greek ἀρετή (aretḗ, "virtue, excellence") + -λογία (-logía, "speaking, discourse"). Unlike hagiography, which chronicles the reverent life of a saint, or encomium, which offers general praise for human achievement, an aretalogy is a formal, declarative catalog of divine power from the perspective of the divine itself. It is the stone tablet etched with a god's account of parting a sea, the cultic hymn chanting a litany of healings, and the votive offering carved with a first-person boast of a storm calmed—a liturgy of proof meant not to argue a case, but to bear the weight of presence, an inventory of awe that closes the distance between the human and the remote divine.
noun
- A form of sacred biography in which a deity's attributes are listed, in the form of poem or text, in the first person.