Final answer:
A person through whom a god or goddess is believed to speak is generally called a prophet. These individuals serve as intermediaries who transmit divine messages and guidance to their communities, influencing religious practices and societal structures. Prophets appear across various religious contexts and traditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Within many religious traditions, a person through whom a god or goddess is believed to speak is often identified as a prophet. Prophets are individuals who claim to have a direct line of communication with the divine, and they play a crucial role in conveying primary messages and guiding the spiritual practices of their communities. These messages may lead to the creation of new religious texts or doctrines and often call for a renewal of beliefs or changes in societal structures. Prophets can be found in a variety of religious contexts, from the well-known figures such as Muhammad in Islam and Moses in Judaism and Christianity, to those like Joseph Smith in the Church of Latter Day Saints.
In polytheistic religions, individuals may also interact with deities through rituals, offerings, and veneration, such as the practice of ancestor worship in places like the Philippines and Madagascar, or the Greeks calling upon deities representing concepts like Justice. Statuary can also act as conduits for sacred beings, as seen in Ancient Egyptian spiritual life wherein the Pharaoh was thought to connect directly with the gods.