deification

The path or process whereby an individual can become a god. For example, in ancient Egypt and Rome, some rulers were made gods after their death.

Deification was common in the ancient world, bridging the gap between mortal humans and immortal gods. In the mystery religions, such as the cults of Mithras and Dionysus, it meant union with the deity, achieved by undergoing initiation rituals.

Alexander the Great accepted divine honours, Julius Caesar was deified by Augustus, and this precedent was followed by other caesars, who were worshipped in their lifetimes. Even their relatives and favourites were often thus honoured.

In several religions and mythologies the distinction between humans and gods is not sharp. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, Bodhisattvas are people who have gained enlightenment, but instead of entering nirvana remain present in the world, in order to help others achieve enlightenment. Although Buddhism has no gods, Bodhisattvas have a godlike status and are often worshipped and prayed to. Hinduism makes no hard and fast distinction between gods and humans, since all humans embody a spark of the universal godhead. Thus a good man such as Gandhi may be honoured at a shrine in the same way as a god. In Chinese belief the spirits of ancestors have considerable power to affect the living, and they are placated in the same way as a god. The ‘eight Immortals’ of popular Taoism have human characteristics and failings, but many godlike powers.