Final answer:
Religions can be categorized by how they understand the divine, including animism, which sees divinity in the natural world, polytheism with belief in multiple deities, and monotheism with belief in a single deity, although some religions like Christianity and Hinduism might defy simple classifications.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the study of religion, there are several classifications that discuss the nature of deities and the divine. Animism is the belief system that identifies the divinity in non-human entities, such as animals, plants, and inanimate objects. Polytheism refers to religions that believe in multiple deities, each with different responsibilities and personalities, like the ancient Greek and Roman gods or the Hindu pantheon. Monotheism, on the other hand, includes religions that recognize a single supreme deity, such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
While some religions clearly fall into one of these categories, others may overlap. For instance, Christianity is commonly considered monotheistic but some point to the doctrine of the Trinity as a complex understanding of the divine that challenges simple categorization. Similarly, Hinduism is often labeled as polytheistic due to its many gods, yet some Hindus view these manifestations as different aspects of a singular divine reality, akin to a monotheistic perspective.