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I don't know if this has been discussed here or elaborated further on in the fluff, but in several sources, there are mentions of other gods of the Imperium and how all Imperial citizens can hope to do is to have faith in them. Are there any further details on who these gods are and how they related to the theology of the Imperial cult? I'm going to guess that they aren't the Chaos gods, nor xenos deities like Gork and Mork or the Eldar pantheon. I know that the actual practice of the Imperial cult can vary wildly from planet to planet, but I always assumed that they all placed the Emperor, or some interpretation of him, as supreme. So who are these other gods that the Imperial government seems to promote?

EDIT: Whoops, I meant to put this in the background section. Can it be moved?

It can yes, please use the yellow triangle next time to ask in case a wandering mod doesn't see it.

Not aware of any gods promoted by the Imperial creed but the Gaunt's Ghosts novels do name some of the gods of Tanith.

Definetly you can find references to local beliefs being supplanted with the Emperor as the figurehead god. Something along the line of what happened in a lot of the places Christians went in real life. Missionaries would take aspects of local reglions and attribute it to the Christian God, over time the religion would come to mor fully resemble the orthodox belief but for a time you would get these strange fusions. For instance you have the transition the symbol of Thor’s hammer had, as it slowly evolved over the years into a cross. I imagine this process happens a lot in the imperium so you may have a local Sun god, but the missionaries of the imperial creed tell the locals, you call him the sun god but he’s really the Emperor.

There aren't any other dieties in the Imperial Pantheon. However, the Emperor is worshiped by many different names. Usually a local religion which gets coverted to replace the Emperor instead of the local dieties. Or something to the effect of "Oh yeah, the Emperor is totally Zigor the Creator you've been worshipping for all these centuries".

On Fenris for example, he took the place of the "All Father" head deity in the local pantheon.

Note that due to the Imperium's use of the practice of Sainthood, one could view Saints as minor deities in the Imperial Cult.

 Grey Templar wrote:
Note that due to the Imperium's use of the practice of Sainthood, one could view Saints as minor deities in the Imperial Cult.

This is basically what catholic missionaries have done with many pagan religions in the past. Polytheistic cults were adapted by merging their gods with saints and pagan ceremonies were adapted to fit catholic ones. That's why the day of the dead in Mexico looks very different from how it is in Europe, for example, or why some people give so much importance to the virgin Mary.

The imperial cult seems to have the same approach; as long as the most essential bits of the religion are followed, it's fine to keep local beliefs. So, if you recognize that whatever god you're praying to is an aspect of the Emperor, it's probably not heresy. That's how the Adeptus Mechanicus gets away with worshipping the Omnissiah.

All off them are local pantheons of the imperial creed with the Emperor as the top dog. It's like the Emperor taking the place of Zeus or Odin.

IIRC all gods are the Emperor but with a different name or viewpoint of him.
For example the people of Skra IX can worship the Three Faces of Spaghetti but so long as those faces represent the Emperor nobody will make too much fuss.

pm713 wrote:
IIRC all gods are the Emperor but with a different name or viewpoint of him.
For example the people of Skra IX can worship the Three Faces of Spaghetti but so long as those faces represent the Emperor nobody will make too much fuss.

So basically, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is actually the Emperor of Mankind.

Various other imperial figures are worshiped to a certain extent. The most significant I can think of is that Sang has a holiday not unlike Christmas.

There is the Emperor, and then there is the communion of Saints. Basically, Saints are often locally worshiped and used as intercessionary figures. I.e. You pray to St. Aegisthalus the Wise to interceed on your behalf with the Emperor to help you.

However, if Chaos Gods have "demons" does the Emperor have "Angels"? Although an interesting thought experiment, since the Emperor is not fully part of the warp as he is trapped on the Golden Throne, I believe Angels of the Emperor can not be manifest. However, the Emperor can project to individuals through his psychic power and provide them benefits and enhancement as needed.

Thoughts?

 Easy E wrote:
There is the Emperor, and then there is the communion of Saints. Basically, Saints are often locally worshiped and used as intercessionary figures. I.e. You pray to St. Aegisthalus the Wise to interceed on your behalf with the Emperor to help you.

However, if Chaos Gods have "demons" does the Emperor have "Angels"? Although an interesting thought experiment, since the Emperor is not fully part of the warp as he is trapped on the Golden Throne, I believe Angels of the Emperor can not be manifest. However, the Emperor can project to individuals through his psychic power and provide them benefits and enhancement as needed.

Thoughts?

Would you say that Saint Celestine qualifies as an "angel"? Apparently, she can show up anywhere she's needed, she has a bit of the Emperor's power and death doesn't seem to stick to her. That's pretty much the same as a demon, isn't it?

 Easy E wrote:
There is the Emperor, and then there is the communion of Saints. Basically, Saints are often locally worshiped and used as intercessionary figures. I.e. You pray to St. Aegisthalus the Wise to interceed on your behalf with the Emperor to help you.

However, if Chaos Gods have "demons" does the Emperor have "Angels"? Although an interesting thought experiment, since the Emperor is not fully part of the warp as he is trapped on the Golden Throne, I believe Angels of the Emperor can not be manifest. However, the Emperor can project to individuals through his psychic power and provide them benefits and enhancement as needed.

Thoughts?

100% yes. Demons are basically just inhabitants of the Warp and things like Demon Princes are a blend of Warp demon and mortal from reality which is basically what Living Saints are. In DOW Soulstorm Sisters can summon emperor demons for a bit but I'm not sure how that goes into canon.

 Easy E wrote:
However, if Chaos Gods have "demons" does the Emperor have "Angels"?

Yes, he has.

A thousand chapters of a thousand angels. Each a harbinger of death, carrying his name upon their lips. They ply the space between the stars seeking out his enemies, and bringing his swift mercy upon their heads. They are his hammer and his spear. They are his most dedicated servants. They are his chosen sons. They are the Adeptus Astartes.

But also yeah. Celestine kind of is the closest thing to a Deamon of the Emperor.

The legion of the damned and the sanguinior have both been theorised to be deamons of the Emperor. Neither is confirmed though.

Technically, Celestine is more like a Daemon Prince instead of a Daemon of the Emperor

I think the Imperium goes towards monotheism and the tendency of monotheistic religions to cast minor dieties and powers as 'Angels' or whatever helps to distinguish them from the polytheistic Chaos worshippers.

Legion of the Damned are the Emperor's Demons. When in Cadia the Necron Pylos become active, they vanish all the demons and all the Legionaries , and Celestine lost his powers for a time.

She is a Demon Prince of the Emperor, basically.

 Galas wrote:
Legion of the Damned are the Emperor's Demons. When in Cadia the Necron Pylos become active, they vanish all the demons and all the Legionaries

I stand corrected.