Religion

Ramadan — the Islamic month of fasting, prayer and reflection Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide with daytime fasting, special prayers, scripture recitation, charity, and communal meals end…

Ramna Kali Mandir (Ramna Kalibari) — history, significance, and legacy Ramna Kali Mandir Ramna Kali Mandir (Ramna Kalibari) was a historic Kali temple in Dhaka near Ramna Park (now Suhrawardy Udyan). Believed ancient, it was destroyed on 27 March 1971 and remains an im…

Ransäter Church (Ransäter kyrka) Ransäter Church Wooden parish church in Ransäter, Sweden. Rebuilt after a 1983 fire and consecrated on Candlemas 1986; part of Forshaga–Munkfors parish and adjacent to the grave of Prime Minister…

Raphael (archangel) Raphael, whose name means “God heals,” is an archangel associated with healing, guidance and protection. He appears in Jewish and Christian traditions, most prominently in the Book…

Rapture (Christian eschatology) Rapture The Rapture is a belief in Christian eschatology that at an appointed future moment believers will be taken up to be with Christ; interpretations, origins, and cultural impact vary…

Rastafari movement (Rastafarianism) Rastafari movement A religious and cultural movement originating in 1930s Jamaica that centers on the worship of Haile Selassie I as Jah, Afrocentrism, natural living (Ital), and distinctive symbols…

Raval — deity figure of the Imperial Zongian Empire in Second Life Raval Raval is a fictional deity and symbolic leader used by members of the Imperial Zongian Empire, a role-play community within the online virtual world Second Life. The figure serves…

Rebecca — origin, meaning, and cultural use Rebecca Rebecca is a traditional feminine name of Hebrew origin (Rivka), known from the Book of Genesis. This article covers its etymology, biblical role, variants, diminutives, and presen…

Reconciliation (Christian theology) Reconciliation Reconciliation is the theological concept describing how estranged humanity is restored to fellowship with God through atonement, repentance, and divine forgiveness, with varied em…

Reconstructionist Judaism: an evolving Jewish movement Reconstructionist Judaism Reconstructionist Judaism views Judaism as an evolving religious civilization. Founded by Mordecai Kaplan, it emphasizes community, culture, democratic practice, egalitarianism and…

Red Hat sects in Tibetan Buddhism Red Hat sect Informal term for the older Tibetan Buddhist schools—Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu—characterized by red ceremonial headgear and varied lineages, teachings, and histories distinct from t…

Redemption (theology): concepts, history and religious variations Redemption (theology) An overview of redemption in religious thought: its meanings, themes, historical development, and how Judaism, Christianity, Gnosticism and other traditions interpret liberation fr…

Reform Judaism Reform Judaism (Progressive Judaism) is a liberal Jewish movement that began in 19th‑century Germany. It emphasizes ethical monotheism, individual autonomy in observance, updated l…

Reformed churches Group of Protestant Christian churches historically shaped by Calvinist theology and the Swiss Reformation; includes national and global denominations with shared doctrinal roots.

Reincarnation (Rebirth and Transmigration) Reincarnation Belief that a life-principle begins a new life after death. Covers core ideas, religious variations, karma and liberation concepts, historical development, and cultural significanc…

Relic: Sacred Remains and Objects of Veneration Relic A relic is an object preserved and venerated for its association with a sacred or notable person. This article surveys types, historical development, religious roles, authenticity…

Religion: Beliefs, Practices, and Social Roles Religion A concise overview of religion as systems of belief, practice, and community addressing ultimate questions, supernatural beings, moral norms, and cultural functions across history.

Religion in Ancient Armenia Overview of pre-Christian belief systems in Armenia: deities, practices, influences, conversion to Christianity and the survival of traditions.

Religion in Canada Overview of religious beliefs, historical development, major groups, legal framework and contemporary trends shaping religion in Canada.

Religion in China: traditions, history, and contemporary practice Religion in China An overview of major religious traditions in China—Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Chinese folk religion, Islam, Christianity and Judaism—and their historical development, cultural…

Religion in Poland An overview of religious life in Poland: historical roots from the 966 Baptism, the predominance of Roman Catholicism, other faith communities, modern trends, and the role of relig…

Ancient Egyptian religion Religion of ancient Egypt The polytheistic faiths and ritual practices of ancient Egypt, their gods, mythology, temples, funerary beliefs, historical development, and later transition to Christianity and Is…

Religions of Pakistan Overview of the religious composition, history, legal status, and cultural life of Pakistan, including major faith communities and contemporary issues.

Religious belief: nature, history, and social roles Religious belief Overview of religious belief: what it is, common characteristics, historical development, social functions, and distinctions between belief, practice, and faith.

Religious conversion: forms, processes, and social significance Religious conversion Overview of religious conversion: definitions, types, motivations, rites, legal and social aspects, historical context and distinctions from related phenomena.

Religious debates over the Harry Potter series Overview of religious objections and support for J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books, including theological concerns, legal challenges, cultural responses, and distinctions between…

Religious denomination: definition, types, and social role Religious denomination A religious denomination is a distinct subgroup within a faith sharing name, beliefs, practices and organization. This article explains characteristics, examples across world relig…

Religious ministry Religious ministry refers to organized and informal activities by faith communities and individuals to serve spiritual, pastoral, educational and social needs; it covers roles, fun…

Religious order: organized communities within spiritual traditions Religious order A religious order is a community that lives according to a shared spiritual rule or charism. Orders appear in many faiths and may emphasize prayer, service, learning, or asceticism…

Religious persecution: causes, forms, history and contemporary responses Religious persecution Religious persecution is hostile treatment toward people because of their faith. This article explains what it is, common forms, historical patterns, notable modern examples and le…

Religious segregation: forms, history, and contemporary issues Religious segregation Religious segregation is the separation of people or groups on the basis of religion. This article explains its forms, historical examples, modern cases, legal issues, and distinct…

Religious studies (academic discipline) Religious studies Religious studies is the secular, interdisciplinary examination of religious beliefs, practices, texts, and institutions from historical, sociological, anthropological and philosop…

Religious toleration: concept, history and forms Religious toleration Overview of religious toleration: meaning, historical development, legal and social forms, examples, and distinctions between private tolerance and public equality.

Religious violence: causes, manifestations, and responses Religious violence Overview of violence motivated by religion: definitions, common forms, historical examples, underlying drivers, legal and policy responses, and distinctions from related phenomena.

Religious Zionism: beliefs, history, institutions and contemporary role Religious Zionism Religious Zionism combines Jewish religious belief with Jewish national self-determination. This article surveys its theology, institutions, history, political impact, and distinct…

Repentance (religious and moral concept) Repentance Repentance is the turning away from wrongdoing toward moral renewal or reconciliation. This article explains meanings, history, practices, denominational views, and distinctions fr…

Requiem: musical setting and liturgical service for the dead Requiem A requiem is both a Roman Catholic funeral Mass and a musical work that sets its texts. This article explains origins, structure, musical history, notable examples and how the form…

Resh (Hebrew letter ר) Resh Resh (ר) is the twentieth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, representing an r sound, with a numeric value of 200 and a history tracing back to Proto‑Semitic and Phoenician scripts.

Restorationism (Christian primitivism): history, beliefs, and varieties Restorationism Restorationism is the impulse to recover religious practice or organization thought to reflect an original, early form. Most often refers to Christian movements but also applies in…

Resurrection: concept, traditions, and distinctions Resurrection Resurrection is the belief or idea of returning to life after death. This article explains its meanings, religious and cultural variations, differences from resuscitation, and mode…

Resurrection of Jesus Overview of the Christian claim that Jesus rose from the dead: biblical accounts, theological meaning, historical perspectives, observance (Easter), and cultural influence.

Revelation: Divine Disclosure and the New Testament Book Revelation Overview of revelation as a religious concept and an account of the New Testament Book of Revelation: origins, structure, themes, interpretive approaches, and its cultural and reli…

Revival meeting A revival meeting is a focused Christian gathering intended to renew faith, encourage conversions, and strengthen congregational life through preaching, music, and communal practic…

Rifai (Rifa'i) Sufi Order Rifai A Sunni Sufi tariqa founded in 12th-century Iraq by Sheikh Ahmad al‑Rifaʽi, known for ascetic practice, dhikr, and diverse regional rituals; today present across the Middle East, T…

Righteousness — moral quality and religious concept Righteousness Righteousness is the state of being morally right or just; a concept in ethics and many religions describing just conduct, virtue, and conformity with moral or divine standards.

Rigveda — Ancient collection of Vedic hymns Rigveda The Rigveda is an early collection of Sanskrit hymns central to Vedic religion. Composed in the second millennium BCE, it contains over a thousand hymns used in ritual, prayer and…

Rishi: Seers and Sages of the Hindu Tradition Rishi Rishi denotes a seer or sage in Hindu tradition—an inspired teacher, composer of Vedic hymns, ascetic practitioner and member of lineages including the legendary Saptarishi.

Ritual: Forms, Functions, and Cultural Significance Ritual Rituals are patterned, symbolic actions—religious or secular—used to mark transitions, express identity, coordinate groups, and shape belief and behavior.