Mullsjö Pentecostal Church Local Pentecostal congregation in Mullsjö, Sweden; building opened in 1964 and renovated in 1984. Overview, history, architecture, activities, and community role.
Murti (sacred image in Hinduism) Murti Murti are consecrated images or statues used in Hindu devotional practice to make a deity's presence accessible; they function as symbolic embodiments for worship, ritual, and comm…
Musalla — Open Prayer Space in Islamic Practice Musalla Musalla (al‑musallā) is an open or semi‑open area used for Muslim prayer outside a mosque, commonly used for large congregations, Eid prayers, funerals and overflow worship.
Musar movement: Jewish ethical and educational movement Musar movement A 19th-century Jewish movement emphasizing character development, ethical study, and disciplined spiritual practice originating among Orthodox communities in Eastern Europe and con…
Muscular Christianity: history, ideals, and influence Muscular Christianity A concise overview of Muscular Christianity: its Victorian origins, key figures, beliefs linking physical vigor and faith, institutional legacy, and modern critiques and adaptation…
Muwahhidism: A Tawhid-Centered Reform Trend within Islam Muwahhidism Muwahhidism is a Muslim reform movement emphasizing tawhid (the oneness of God) and a return to early Islamic teachings, seeking to reduce accretions from local customs while uphol…
Mysticism: Direct Experience of the Sacred Mysticism Mysticism is the pursuit or report of direct, often transformative encounters with ultimate reality or the divine, found across religious traditions and expressed through visions,…
Nair (Nayar) — Hindu community of Kerala Nair Nair (Nayar) is a historic Hindu community from Kerala's Malabar region, traditionally linked to landholding, military service and a matrilineal kinship system; it has diversified…
Namaste: Meaning, Gesture, History and Use Namaste Namaste is a South Asian greeting combining a two-handed gesture and a word that conveys respect, gratitude, or recognition of the divine in another; used socially, religiously, an…
Names of God in Islam: the 99 Names (Asma' Allah al‑Husna) Names of God in Islam Overview of the traditional '99 Names of Allah' in Islam: origin, theological meaning, variations in lists, uses in devotion and art, and their role in Muslim spirituality and scho…
Names of God in Judaism: meanings, use, and tradition Names of God in Judaism Overview of the principal Hebrew divine names, their meanings, historical background, liturgical practice, and rules about pronunciation and writing.
Naqshbandi (Naqshbandiyya) Sufi Order Naqshbandi A Sunni Sufi tariqa originating in Central Asia, known for silent remembrance, adherence to sharia, a distinct silsila through Abu Bakr, and wide historical influence across Eurasi…
Nath (Nath Sampradaya): history, beliefs, and practices Nath Overview of the Nath (Nath Sampradaya), a Shaiva tradition known for yoga, siddha practices, and tantric influence; origins, major figures, practices, institutions, and regional pr…
Nation of Islam African American religious movement founded in 1930 that blends Islamic themes and Black nationalist ideas, emphasizing self-reliance, discipline, community institutions and econom…
National church A national church is a religious organization—usually within Christianity—that claims pastoral, cultural or representative ties to a nation. It differs from an established or state…
Nativity scene (crèche) — depiction of the birth of Jesus Nativity scene A nativity scene (crib, manger, crèche) is a three-dimensional portrayal of the birth of Jesus, showing the Holy Family, animals, shepherds and Magi, used in religious devotion and…
Nazirite: Biblical Vow of Separation and Its Practices Nazirite A Nazirite is a person in the Hebrew Bible who takes a vow of special separation from certain common activities. This article explains the rules, biblical examples, rituals, and la…
Necromancy: Beliefs, Practices, and Cultural History Necromancy Necromancy is the claimed practice of communicating with the dead. This article explains its forms, historical development, cultural meanings, and distinctions from mediumship and…
Nehushtan: the bronze serpent of the Hebrew Bible Nehushtan The Nehushtan was a bronze serpent mounted on a pole in the Hebrew Bible. Raised by Moses as a cure for snakebites, it later became an object of veneration and was destroyed under…
Nellaiappar Temple (Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu) Nellaiappar Temple A major Shaivite temple at the heart of Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, noted for its historic central location, pillared mandapams, legends of a bamboo grove and its role in local religi…
Nestorianism: history, theology and legacy Nestorianism Nestorianism is a term for a set of early Christian Christological views emphasizing a distinction in Jesus Christ; it shaped a lasting church tradition and remains subject to scho…
Nevi'im (The Prophets): Second Section of the Hebrew Bible Nevi'im Nevi'im, Hebrew for “prophets,” is the middle division of the Tanakh. It collects historical narratives and prophetic writings central to Jewish and Christian scriptural traditions…
New Age (spiritual movement) New Age An overview of the New Age movement: its beliefs, practices, historical roots, cultural impact, criticisms, and contemporary expressions in wellness, music and spirituality.
New American Bible An English-language Catholic translation of the Bible first issued in the 20th century, with study notes and later revisions; widely used in the United States for study and liturgy…
New Apostolic Church: beliefs, structure, history and practices New Apostolic Church Overview of the New Apostolic Church: its origins, central beliefs (including the Second Coming and apostolic ministry), sacraments, organization, worship, social work and ecumenic…
New Covenant (Christianity) New Covenant The New Covenant is the Christian belief that God establishes a renewed, interior covenant through Jesus, fulfilling and transforming earlier covenantal promises and reshaping wors…
New Park Street Chapel Historic Reformed Baptist congregation and chapel in Southwark, London, known for its 19th‑century ministry and later relocation to the Metropolitan Tabernacle at Elephant and Cast…
New religious movement A concise overview of new religious movements: defining features, development, controversies, examples, and how scholars and societies study them.
New Revised Standard Version The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) is an English Bible translation published in 1989 that updates the Revised Standard Version using contemporary scholarship and ecumenical in…
Nicene Creed (Niceno‑Constantinopolitan Creed) Nicene Creed A central Christian declaration of faith formulated in the 4th century that defines Trinitarian doctrine and is used across many Eastern and Western churches in worship and baptism…
Nikah: Islamic marriage — principles, types, and legal features Nikah Nikah is the Islamic contract of marriage. This article outlines its purpose, essential conditions (consent, mahr, witnesses), major types including temporary forms, and variations…
Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Nine Lessons and Carols A Christmas church service combining nine Bible readings with carols. Originating in 1880, its structure, history, and global use—including the famed King's College service—are des…
Ninety-Five Theses: Martin Luther's Challenge to Indulgences and Church Practice Ninety-Five Theses A clear, concise overview of Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses, its content and claims, how it spread in 1517, and its role in igniting the Protestant Reformation and later debate…
Nirodha — the Buddhist concept of cessation and the end of suffering Nirodha Nirodha is a Sanskrit/Pali term in Buddhism referring to the cessation of suffering and its causes, the third of the Four Noble Truths and a central goal of Buddhist ethical and co…
Nirvana (Nibbāna): The Buddhist Concept of Liberation Nirvana Nirvana (Pali: Nibbāna) is the Buddhist goal of liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth, described as the extinguishing of craving and the attainment of profound peace a…
Nizari Ismailis Nizari Nizari Ismailis are a branch of Ismaili Shia Islam led by a living hereditary imam (the Aga Khan). They emphasize reason, pluralism and social development and maintain a global, di…
Noble Eightfold Path (Buddhist path to end suffering) Noble Eightfold Path Central Buddhist teaching prescribing eight interrelated practices—right view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration—grouped as wisdom, ethi…
Nödinge Church (Nödinge kyrka) Nödinge Church 18th-century parish church in Nödinge-Nol, Västergötland, Sweden. Rebuilt in 1727 on a medieval site, with a Baroque interior, ceiling paintings (1734), an 1741 pulpit and later co…
Non-conformism (English religious movement and broader nonconformity) Non-conformism Non-conformism: the historical movement of English Protestants who refused Anglican liturgy and governance, its beliefs, denominations, social role, and legacy in religious and cul…
Non-denominational Muslim (Muslim-only or 'Just Muslim') Non-denominational Muslim Muslims who identify with Islam but do not align with a formal sect. Overview, characteristics, regional patterns, survey results, and distinctions from denominational identities.
Nontheism: overview, categories, and distinctions Nontheism Nontheism is a broad, neutral label for positions and attitudes that do not affirm belief in a god or gods. This article explains its meaning, varieties, history, and how it differ…
Nontrinitarianism: beliefs, history, and modern movements Nontrinitarianism Nontrinitarianism comprises Christian theological positions that reject or reinterpret the doctrine of the Trinity, with roots in early debates and expressions in medieval, Enlight…
Number of the Beast (666): origin, interpretations, and cultural impact Number of the Beast The Number of the Beast (666) originates in Revelation 13:18 and has been interpreted variously—historically, numerologically and symbolically—producing lasting cultural effects an…
Nun (religious woman) Nun A nun is a woman who has vowed to live a religious life of prayer, community, and service. Found in Christianity, Buddhism and other faiths, nuns follow specific rules, stages, and…
Nun (Hebrew letter) Nun (letter) Nun (נ, ן) is the fourteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It represents the consonant /n/, has a final form, a numeric value of 50, and descends from Proto-Semitic and Phoenician…
Nyingma: the ancient school of Tibetan Buddhism Nyingma Nyingma is the oldest of the four main Tibetan Buddhist traditions, known for its treasure teachings (terma), Dzogchen practice, and transmission from Padmasambhava into Tibetan cu…
Odinani: The Traditional Religion of the Igbo Odinani Odinani is the indigenous religious system of the Igbo people of southern Nigeria, combining belief in a supreme creator with veneration of ancestors, local deities, divination, an…
Offering (concept) Offering An offering is something presented, given, proposed or made available for a purpose. This article surveys religious, commercial, charitable and legal senses, with history, examples…
