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Here is what every D&D 4e class should look like.

Compare the Bard. The Bard class grants the player a wide array of magical backgrounds to explain the source of the Bards power.

You might be ...

• a naturally talented wanderer who casts impressive spells almost instinctively,
• a student of a bardic college who learned ordered systems of magic and epic poetry,
• a warrior skald who mixes the skill at arms with thundering music,
• a dashing performer known for putting on a good show even for your enemies,
• or a perfectionist who seeks the consummate formula that blends art and magic into a higher force.

The Bard gives the player a lot of room to personalize a character concept. The magic can originate from various sources. Obviously, this list isnt even exhaustive, and the Bard player enjoys much freedom to express ems creativity.

By contrast, the Cleric class gives the player no choice except to boot-lick polytheistic gods. Its disgusting. There are no other spiritual backgrounds to explain the source of the Clerics healing power besides polytheism.

The Cleric class needs to supply a VARIETY of spiritual backgrounds.

Seeker: arguing for the sake of arguing rather than seeking in any capacity a solution to a perceived problem.

What are you talking about?

Im actively seeking a solution to the problem.

I want a solution. I want to have more choices than polytheism. I will be very happy when official alternatives exist.

Iv supplied a detailed list of very different kinds of spirituality: including transcendence, animism, veneration of ancestors, fertility religion, philosophical idealism, and so on. These examples the Cleric class can use when giving a list of alternative spiritual backgrounds.

Iv supplied the Bard class as an example of how to solve the problem. It gives a variety of ways to explain the Bard powers. The Cleric class should do this too. The Cleric class should give a variety of ways to explain the Cleric powers.

That would solve the problem.

Its ok if there are specific D&D gods, like Corellon, Bahamut, etc. There can still be specific non-polytheistic spiritualities that coexist simultaneously. They just access the Divine power source in different ways, some may do this 'instinctively', some may do this as part of an 'ordered philosophical system', or so on. No gods are necessary. I want Clerics to have spiritual diversity.

Tharag has provided an effective and sufficient approach to playing clerics in a deity-less world, even moreso a non-polytheistic one.

The problem with Tharags suggestion is it isnt official. According to the 'Core' setting, its illegal.

I want the OFFICIAL CORE Cleric class to CLEARLY state: your Cleric character doesnt have to be a polytheist. I want other options besides polytheism. As a player, I want a Cleric who is a mystic from a Psionic culture that venerates the 'divine light' of infinite consciousness, whence Radiant energy and Healing effects. As a DM, it would be cool to design Cleric NPCs with interesting spiritualities. I want diversity.

If you are sick of hearing about polytheism. Believe me, Im sick of hearing about polytheism too!

I can't countenance worship of a being as powerful and yet fallible as a D&D god, demon lord, or primordial; therefore my cleric doesn't worship a deity. But the rules work fine if I hand wave a deity like Bahamut or Pelor into an impersonal cosmic force, such as Warcraft's "Light." I don't see any game mechanic that prevents this.