The religious beliefs, practices, or character of heathens; a non-Christian or non-monotheistic religion or worldview.
From 'heathen' plus the suffix '-ism' (via Greek '-ismos'), which denotes a system of belief or practice. This term emerged in early Christian writings to categorize non-Christian religious systems collectively.
The word 'heathenism' is a masterwork of religious categorization—it lumps together Norse paganism, Greek polytheism, African traditions, and Indigenous religions under one umbrella term, revealing how Christian Europe saw 'non-Christian' as more fundamental than any actual similarities.
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