Christian calendar (liturgical year and ecclesiastical calendars) Christian calendar Overview of the Christian calendar: the liturgical year, its seasons and feasts, historical development (Julian to Gregorian), and variations among Western and Eastern Christian tr…
Christian Church (the universal body of Christian believers) Christian Church An overview of the Christian Church as the collective body of Christian believers: its identity, common beliefs, historical development, organizational varieties, worship practices…
Christian cross: meaning, history, forms, and cultural use Christian cross An overview of the Christian cross as a religious symbol: meanings, historical background, principal forms (empty cross, crucifix, Orthodox variants), and how it is used in worship…
Christian denomination A Christian denomination is a distinct religious body within Christianity defined by shared name, organization, doctrine, and worship practices; this article explains features, his…
Christian eschatology: beliefs about last things, judgment and destiny Christian eschatology Overview of Christian eschatology: meanings, main doctrines (death, resurrection, judgment), historical development, principal interpretive schools, pastoral implications and notab…
Christian hedonism: theology of delight in God Christian hedonism Christian hedonism is a theological emphasis that the believer's greatest joy is found in God, a view popularized by John Piper that links delight in God to his glory, practice, an…
Christian liturgy: forms, history, and practice Christian liturgy An overview of Christian liturgy describing its elements, historical development, principal traditions, and how worship patterns vary across denominations and seasons.
Christian mission Organized efforts by Christian churches to spread faith and serve communities worldwide through evangelism, education and humanitarian work; historically complex and often ethicall…
Christian movements: overview, types, history and contemporary influence Christian movements Survey of Christian movements, their beliefs, historical development, major types and how they shape worship, society and culture.
Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) Christian Reformed Church in North America Binational Reformed Protestant denomination rooted in Dutch immigration, with about 1,000 congregations and roughly 300,000 members across the United States and Canada.
Christian Science A religious movement founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 19th-century New England, emphasizing spiritual understanding, prayer-based healing, and a distinctive interpretation of Christia…
Christian symbolism: meanings, history, and common forms Christian symbolism Overview of symbols used in Christianity to express beliefs, their historical development, common motifs, and roles in worship, art, and personal devotion.
Christian theology: beliefs, history, and major traditions Christian theology Systematic study of Christian belief and practice, tracing sources, doctrines, historical development, denominational differences, and contemporary movements shaping Christian thou…
Worship practices in Christianity: liturgy, sacraments, and communal devotion Christian worship Overview of Christian worship practices—liturgy, sacraments, prayer, music and communal devotion—examining theological meaning, historical development, and how practices vary acros…
Christianity: beliefs, history, practices, and global influence Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It developed from Judaism, comprises diverse traditions, and has more than…
Christianity in Pakistan A concise overview of Christianity in Pakistan: demographics, historical origins during British rule, major denominations (including the Church of Pakistan), social roles, and cont…
Christianization: the spread and impact of Christianity Christianization Process by which peoples and polities adopt Christianity; covers how conversions happened, historical examples, methods (missionaries, rulers, laws), cultural effects, and notable…
Chumash (Judaism) Chumash: the printed Five Books of Moses used for study and preparation of the weekly reading. Distinct from a Torah scroll, chumashim include vowels, cantillation, translations an…
Church (congregation): the local Christian community and parish Church (congregation) An overview of a church congregation as the local body of worshippers: roles, internal organisation, legal forms and historical development across Protestant, Catholic and free chu…
Church (disambiguation) Different meanings of 'church', including religious congregations, church buildings, ecclesiology, place names, surnames, and cultural uses such as bands, films and song titles.
Church Fathers — Patristic Writers and Early Christian Theologians Church Father The Church Fathers are influential early Christian teachers and writers whose theological, liturgical, and exegetical work shaped doctrine across Eastern and Western Christianity.
Church of England: history, beliefs, organization and public role Church of England The Church of England is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the Anglican Communion, combining Catholic and Reformed traditions with a national rol…
Church of Ireland The Anglican church established on the island of Ireland. Historically the state church until 1871, it is now an autonomous member of the Anglican Communion with congregations acro…
Church of North India The Church of North India (CNI) is a united Protestant denomination founded in 1970. An Anglican province in India, it combines several Protestant traditions and operates dioceses,…
Church of Pakistan A united Protestant church formed in 1970 by the union of Anglican, Presbyterian (Church of Scotland), Methodist and Lutheran traditions; a member of the Anglican Communion and Wor…
Church of Satan: history, beliefs, practices, and public perception Church of Satan An overview of the Church of Satan, the LaVeyan tradition founded by Anton LaVey, its beliefs, rituals, history, and how it differs from other modern Satanic movements.
Church of Scotland: history, structure, beliefs and role in Scottish life Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland (the Kirk) is Scotland’s national Presbyterian church. This article outlines its origins, governance, worship, major splits, social role and contemporary cha…
Church of Sweden (Svenska kyrkan): history, structure, and modern role Church of Sweden The Church of Sweden is an Evangelical Lutheran body rooted in the Swedish Reformation; once a state church, it now operates as an independent national denomination with broad soci…
Church of the Nativity (Bethlehem) Church of the Nativity Ancient basilica in Bethlehem built above the traditional birthplace of Jesus; a shared Christian sanctuary with a grotto, complex history, and UNESCO-listed conservation efforts.
Church of the SubGenius A satirical and performative religious movement centered on the figure 'J. R. "Bob" Dobbs', the pursuit of 'Slack', and public parodies of modern belief and bureaucracy.
Cistercians: The Order of Cîteaux (Ordo Cisterciensis) Cistercian Cistercians are a Roman Catholic monastic order founded to restore the Benedictine rule in a stricter, simpler form. Known for austere architecture, agricultural innovation and a n…
Civil religion Civil religion: the public set of beliefs, symbols and rituals that provide moral authority and social cohesion for a political community. Origins, major thinkers, functions, examp…
Cleansing of the Temple An account in the Christian Gospels in which Jesus expels merchants and money changers from the Jerusalem Temple; significant for its religious, historical, and interpretive implic…
Clergy Members of religious leadership who hold offices within faith communities; their roles, training, historical development, and variations across traditions.
Clergyman: Roles, Titles, History and Modern Developments Clergyman Overview of the clergyman as an ordained religious minister: roles, common titles across traditions, historical origins, contemporary changes and how clergy differ between denomina…
Cluniac Reforms A medieval movement of monastic renewal centered on the Abbey of Cluny that sought stricter observance of the Benedictine Rule, institutional independence, liturgical revival, and…
Comilla Jagannath Temple Historic 16th-century Hindu temple in Comilla, Bangladesh, notable for Bengal-style terracotta brickwork, dedication to Jagannath with Balabhadra and Subhadra, and regional cultura…
Communion (Christianity) Communion (Christian) Communion refers to sharing in Christ and one another in Christian life, expressed both as the Eucharist (Holy Communion) and as spiritual fellowship (koinonia) with sacramental, c…
Community of Christ: history, beliefs, and contemporary identity Community of Christ A concise overview of the Community of Christ, its origins in the Latter Day Saint movement, theological distinctives, history, organization, and modern priorities.
Conciliar movement A late medieval reform movement asserting that authority in the Church resides in general councils rather than solely in the pope; prominent during the 14th–15th centuries and infl…
Confirmation (Christianity) Confirmation is a Christian rite of initiation in which a person affirms the faith and receives a special blessing or sealing by the Holy Spirit. Practices and theology vary betwee…
Congregation (religious assembly) Congregation A congregation is a gathering of people, typically for religious worship; the term describes the assembled laity, its roles, history, and variations across traditions.
Congregational Church Congregational church refers to a Christian polity in which each local congregation governs itself independently, with roots in Reformation-era Puritanism and continued presence in…
Consecration: Religious Dedication of People, Objects, and Places Consecration Consecration is the formal dedication of persons, objects, or places to a sacred purpose. This article explains meanings, rites, historical development, varieties across traditions…
Conservative Judaism A modern stream of Judaism balancing fidelity to Jewish law with historical study and selective adaptation; known as Masorti outside North America and notable for varied practices…
Consultation in the Bahá'í Faith: principles and practice Consultation (Bahá'í practice) Consultation is the Bahá'í method of collective decision-making that blends prayerful reflection, frank exchange, detachment from personal opinion, and unity of action in families,…
Copt: Egyptian Christians, history, language and traditions Copt Copts are the native Christians of Egypt whose religious, linguistic and cultural identity stems from ancient Egyptian Christianity and the Coptic language and calendar.
Coptic: people, churches, language, and script Coptic Coptic refers to the Christian community of Egypt, its principal churches, and the Coptic language and alphabet used historically and liturgically.
