Religion

1 Esdras (Greek Ezra): history, contents, and significance 1 Esdras Overview of 1 Esdras, the ancient Greek version related to Ezra: its structure, unique material, historical context, variable canonicity, and value for biblical and textual studies…

28 Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church 28 Fundamental Beliefs A concise encyclopedia article on the Seventh-day Adventist church’s 28 Fundamental Beliefs: purpose, structure, history, uses, and distinctive doctrines, with note on the church’s…

4 Baruch (Paraleipomena of Jeremiah) 4 Baruch 4 Baruch, or the Paraleipomena of Jeremiah, is an ancient pseudepigraphal work attributed to Baruch and preserved chiefly in the Ethiopian tradition; it contains the Rest of the Wo…

Aalim: Islamic Religious Scholar and the Ulama Tradition Aalim An overview of the aalim (Islamic scholar), its education, authority, historical role among the ulama, and contemporary distinctions in religious and social life.

Abrahamic religions: origins, beliefs, and traditions Abrahamic religions Religions tracing spiritual lineage to Abraham — principally Judaism, Christianity and Islam — their core beliefs, historical development, related traditions, and contemporary dist…

Abram Abram is a personal and place name: originally the Hebrew name of the biblical patriarch later called Abraham; used as a given name, a surname, and in place names and cultural refe…

Absolution: Christian rite of forgiveness, forms and history Absolution Absolution is a religious act in several Christian traditions by which a minister declares sins forgiven after confession; this article explains forms, history, practice, and disti…

Adam and Eve — Origins, Narrative, and Cultural Influence Adam and Eve Adam and Eve are central figures in Abrahamic traditions. Their story in Genesis and other scriptures explores themes of creation, temptation, knowledge, exile and has shaped theol…

Additions to Daniel (Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, Song of the Three) Additions to Daniel Three narrative and liturgical passages found in Greek versions of Daniel—Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, and the Prayer/Song of the Three—that have varied canonical status in differe…

Adhan — the Islamic call to prayer Adhan Adhan is the Muslim call to prayer proclaimed publicly to summon the faithful. It has set phrases, a traditional role for the muezzin, historical origins in early Islam, and minor…

Adinath Temple (Maheshkhali) — hilltop Shiva shrine and annual fair Adinath Temple, Maheshkhali Adinath Temple is a hilltop Hindu shrine on Maheshkhali Island, off Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, noted for its summit location and a thirteen-day annual fair that draws thousands of pi…

Adultery: definition, etymology, legal status, religious views and social impact Adultery Comprehensive overview of adultery: definitions, etymology, historical and religious perspectives, legal treatment across jurisdictions, social consequences, and distinctions from…

African traditional religions African traditional religion Indigenous religious systems across Africa emphasizing ancestors, spirits, ritual, and communal obligations; diverse regional traditions that coexist with, influence, and adapt to…

Afro-Brazilian religions Religious traditions in Brazil derived from West and Central African beliefs, shaped by slavery, syncretism with Catholicism and Indigenous influences; includes Candomblé, Umbanda,…

Afterlife: beliefs, traditions, and interpretations Afterlife Overview of beliefs about life after death across religions, philosophies, and cultures; common concepts, historical development, practices, and modern perspectives.

Agni — Vedic god of fire and sacrificial mediator Agni Agni is the ancient Vedic deity of fire in Hindu tradition, personifying sacrificial flame, domestic hearth, and divine messenger invoked throughout Vedic hymns and later ritual li…

Agnostic theism Agnostic theism holds belief in one or more deities while acknowledging that the ultimate truth about their existence is unknown or unknowable.

Ahimsa: Principle of Nonviolence in Indian Religions and Ethics Ahimsa Ahimsa is the doctrine of non-harm rooted in ancient Indian traditions. It shapes ethics, diet, ritual, and political action in Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and modern nonviolent mo…

Ahl al-Bayt: the Family of the Prophet in Islamic Tradition Ahl al-Bayt Ahl al-Bayt denotes the 'People of the House'—the Prophet Muhammad's family. Definitions differ across Sunni and Shia Islam; the term has theological, historical, and social import…

Ahl-e Haqq (Yarsanism): the Kurdish 'People of Truth' tradition Ahl-e Haqq Ahl-e Haqq, also known as Yarsanism, is a syncretic Kurdish religious tradition with mystical beliefs, communal rituals and a strong presence in western Iran, Iraqi Kurdistan and t…

Ahmadiyya: origins, beliefs, organization, and global presence Ahmadiyya Overview of the Ahmadiyya Muslim movement: its founder, doctrinal distinctives, history of division, organization and global activities, and the controversies surrounding its statu…

Ahura Mazda — Supreme Deity of Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda Ahura Mazda is the central deity of Zoroastrianism, embodying wisdom, truth, and creative order. Revered in ancient Iran and surviving in modern practice, associated with fire wors…

Aimaq Hazara — A subgroup of Aimaq people of Hazara origin Aimaq Hazara Aimaq Hazara are a Sunni Muslim subgroup of the Aimaq communities in Afghanistan with Hazara ancestry. They combine Aimaq tribal identity with Hazara cultural roots and a largely p…

Al‑Masih ad‑Dajjal: the False Messiah in Islamic Eschatology Al-Masih ad-Dajjal Al‑Masih ad‑Dajjal is a deceptive apocalyptic figure in Islamic tradition who appears before the Day of Judgment. He is described in hadith literature, contrasted with the returnin…

Alawites (Alawis) — a Shia-derived community of the Levant Alawites A religious community within the Shia tradition, concentrated in Syria. This article explains Alawite beliefs, origins, social role, geographic distribution, and distinctions from…

Albanian Orthodox Church (Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania) Albanian Orthodox Church The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania is the national Eastern Orthodox church founded in 1922. It follows the Byzantine rite in Albanian, endured suppression under communism…

Aleph (Hebrew letter) Aleph Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, with numeric value one. It has linguistic, historical, religious, and mathematical associations and corresponds to Semitic letters…

Allah: the Arabic name for God — meaning, theology, history and use Allah Allah is the Arabic word for God used widely in Islam and by Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians. This article explains its linguistic origin, theological role, attributes and cult…

Altar: Purpose, Forms, History, and Use in Religious Practice Altar An altar is a surface or structure used for ritual actions in many faiths. This article explains its forms, history, functions, and distinctions across traditions in clear, neutral…

Altar lamp (sanctuary lamp) Altar lamp A lamp kept burning near a place of worship's altar or ark, symbolizing divine presence; used in Christian and Jewish traditions with varied forms, placement, and ritual meanings.

Amidah (Shemoneh Esrei): Central Standing Prayer in Jewish Liturgy Amidah The Amidah, or Shemoneh Esrei, is the core standing prayer of Jewish worship, recited silently and aloud at daily services with special forms for Shabbat, festivals and additional…

Amir al-Mu'minin: Commander of the Faithful Amir al-Mu'minin Arabic honorific meaning 'Commander of the Faithful', used historically by caliphs and other Muslim rulers to assert combined religious and political leadership; interpretations va…

Amish: Origins, Beliefs, Lifestyle, and Community Practices Amish An overview of the Amish: their Anabaptist roots, social and religious practices, relationship with technology, regional settlements, language, and cultural distinctives.

Amrit Sanskar (Amrit Sanchar): Sikh initiation into the Khalsa Amrit Sanskar Amrit Sanskar (Amrit Sanchar) is the Sikh initiation ceremony into the Khalsa. It involves preparation and drinking of Amrit, vows to follow the Sikh code, and adoption of the Khal…

Anabaptist: beliefs, history, and major communities Anabaptist Anabaptists are a branch of Protestant Christianity that arose in the 16th‑century Radical Reformation. They emphasize believer's baptism, voluntary church membership, and varied c…

Anchorite (Anchoress): Enclosure, Life, and Role in Christian Tradition Anchorite An anchorite (anchoress) is a person who withdraws permanently from secular life to live a confined, prayer-focused existence—typically in a small cell attached to a church—especia…

Ancient Church of the East A distinct Eastern Christian church of Assyrian heritage that split from the Assyrian Church of the East in the late 20th century; preserves East Syriac liturgy, traditional calend…

Ancient Order of the Rosicrucians A concise overview of the Rosicrucian tradition: its origins, core beliefs, historical development, symbols, and the variety of modern orders claiming its legacy.

Angel (spiritual being) Angel An angel is a supernatural messenger or servant of the divine found in many religious and cultural traditions, notably within Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baháʼí faith.

Anglican Church of Canada Overview of the Anglican Church of Canada: history, structure, worship, social roles, and contemporary issues within the Canadian context.

Anglican Diocese of Calgary Diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada covering southern Alberta from Calgary to Lacombe; established 1888, centred on the Cathedral Church of the Redeemer and part of Rupert's L…

Anglicanism: history, beliefs, organization, and global presence Anglicanism Anglicanism is a family of churches rooted in the Church of England, combining Catholic and Reformed elements in worship, episcopal polity and diverse theological traditions across…

Angra Mainyu (Ahriman): The Destructive Spirit in Zoroastrianism Angra Mainyu Angra Mainyu, often called Ahriman, is the destructive spirit in Zoroastrian tradition, opposing the beneficent creator Ahura Mazda and embodying falsehood, chaos, and death in a m…

Animism: the belief in spirits within nature and living things Animism Animism is the view that animals, plants, places and natural forces possess a spiritual essence. It shaped many indigenous traditions, influenced anthropological thought, and remai…

Annihilationism: the Christian doctrine of conditional immortality Annihilationism Annihilationism (conditional immortality) is the view that the unsaved do not suffer eternal conscious torment but ultimately cease to exist. Overview, scriptural arguments, histor…

Annulment (marriage): civil and religious declarations of invalidity Annulment An annulment declares a marriage null — treated as never having existed — distinct from divorce. Explains civil and ecclesiastical procedures, common grounds, effects, and historic…

Anointing of the Sick (Christian sacrament) Anointing of the Sick Anointing of the Sick is a Christian rite in which oil, prayer and pastoral care are used to bring spiritual comfort, healing and preparation for death to seriously ill or elderly…

Antichrist: concept, biblical origins, interpretations and influence Antichrist A concise overview of the Antichrist concept in Christian tradition: origins, scriptural references, common theological interpretations, historical uses and cultural significance.