Religion

Gnosticism: ancient religious movements centered on secret spiritual knowledge Gnosticism Gnosticism comprises diverse ancient religious ideas stressing salvific 'gnosis' (knowledge). Originating in the early centuries CE, it interacted with Christianity, Judaism and la…

God: concept, beliefs, and roles across religions and philosophy God Overview of the concept of God: definitions, common attributes, major religious views, historical and philosophical perspectives, names and usage across traditions.

God in Christianity: Beliefs, Attributes, and the Doctrine of the Trinity God in Christianity Overview of how Christianity understands God: core attributes, Biblical revelation, the Trinity, historical development, denominational differences, and the role of God in Christia…

God in Hinduism: Brahman, Atman, Trimurti and Devotional Traditions God in Hinduism Overview of how Hindu traditions conceive God—Brahman, the inner self (Atman), the Trimurti, avatars, symbols such as Om, and varied devotional and philosophical interpretations.

God in Judaism An overview of Jewish beliefs about God: nature, names, historical development, religious implications, and distinct theological features across Jewish tradition.

God the Father Summary of the title 'God the Father': its use in Christian theology, scriptural roots, imagery, liturgical uses, interfaith contrasts, and contemporary debates about paternal lang…

God's will (theological concept in Abrahamic faiths) God's will The theological idea that a supreme deity has intentions or purposes for creation and human conduct; explores meanings, scriptural bases, historical development, and differing inte…

Godparents: Religious Sponsors, Responsibilities, and Cultural Traditions Godparent Explore the role of godparents across religions, covering duties, historical guardianship, ceremonial gifts, legal vs symbolic status, and cultural variations like godson/goddaught…

Goetia: Origins, Practice, and Cultural Influence Goetia Goetia refers to practices of invoking angels and demons, most famously compiled in the grimoire known as The Lesser Key of Solomon. This article outlines origins, methods, history…

Golden plates Metal plates that Joseph Smith said were shown to him by an angel and translated into the Book of Mormon; central to Latter Day Saint origins and contested by historians.

Gospel of Luke: origins, structure, themes and significance Gospel of Luke Comprehensive overview of the Gospel of Luke: its authorship, composition, major sections and themes, distinctive stories, historical context and role in Christian tradition.

Goy: Hebrew word for 'nation' and its modern meanings Goy Hebrew term originally meaning 'nation' (goy); used in the Bible, rabbinic literature, Modern Hebrew and Yiddish. Covers history, grammar, contemporary senses and distinctions from…

Great Commission: Christian mandate to make disciples Great Commission The Great Commission is the instruction attributed to the risen Jesus to his followers to proclaim his teaching, baptize, and form disciples worldwide; central to Christian mission…

Greed: Definition, Perspectives, History and Social Effects Greed Greed is an excessive desire for wealth or goods. This article covers definitions, distinctions from related desires, religious and philosophical views, economic and psychological…

Greek Orthodox Church An overview of the Greek Orthodox Church: its beliefs, liturgy, organization, history, cultural role in Greece and the diaspora, and how it differs from other Christian traditions.

Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria An autocephalous Eastern Orthodox patriarchate centered in Alexandria and all Africa, tracing origins to Mark the Evangelist and distinguished from the Coptic Orthodox Church after…

Greek Orthodox Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria Senior bishop heading the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria; historical roots in early Christianity, jurisdiction across Africa, Byzantine liturgy, and a distinct lineage separat…

Guru: teacher, guide, and cultural role Guru An overview of the term guru: its etymology, role across Indian religions, the guru–disciple tradition, modern uses of the word, distinctions from mentor/tutor, and notable issues.

Guru Granth Sahib (Adi Granth): The Sikh Scripture Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib, also called the Adi Granth, is the central religious scripture of Sikhism. It is treated as the eternal living Guru and contains hymns and spiritual teaching…

Habo Pentecostal Church (Habo pingstkyrka) — Habo, Sweden Habo Pentecostal Church Local Pentecostal congregation and church building in Habo, Sweden; inaugurated October 11–12, 1969 and renovated in 1995. Active in worship, community activities and the Swedish P…

Hail Mary — Christian prayer to Mary, mother of Jesus Hail Mary A widely used Christian prayer addressing Mary. Drawn largely from Luke's Gospel and developed in the medieval West, it is central to Catholic devotion and appears in other Christi…

Hajj — the Islamic Pilgrimage to Mecca Hajj The Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, required once in a lifetime for eligible Muslims. This article explains its rituals, timing, history, significance, and modern p…

Halal: Islamic rules of permissibility for food, products, and practices Halal Halal: Islamic rules on what is permitted in food, products, finance and daily practices, covering dietary laws, ritual slaughter, certification, and differing scholarly and commun…

Han Buddhism: Chinese Mahayana Traditions and Their Influence in East Asia Han Buddhism Han Buddhism (Chinese Buddhism) is the range of Mahayana traditions transmitted in Chinese, shaped by Chinese culture and practiced across China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam.

Hanafi school of Sunni Islamic law Hanafi Hanafi is the earliest and one of the largest Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence, known for its emphasis on reasoned opinion and broad geographic influence from South Asia to t…

Hanbali school of Islamic jurisprudence Hanbali A concise overview of the Hanbali madhhab: its principles, development from Ahmad ibn Hanbal, geographic influence, and distinguishing features within Sunni legal traditions.

Happy Science (Kōfuku-no-Kagaku): Japanese new religious movement Happy Science Happy Science is a contemporary Japanese religious movement founded by Ryuho Okawa in 1986. It promotes spiritual self-improvement, publishes teachings, operates centers worldwide…

Hare Krishna (Maha Mantra): mantra, movement, and practice Hare Krishna Overview of the Hare Krishna (Maha Mantra): wording and meaning, origins in Vaishnava traditions, chanting practices (japa and kirtan), Gaudiya theology, the modern movement's role…

Haredi Judaism: beliefs, subgroups, history and contemporary life Haredi Judaism Haredi Judaism (often called Ultra-Orthodox) is a spectrum of Jewish movements emphasizing strict religious observance, communal life, and traditional learning. This article explai…

Harihara — composite deity uniting Vishnu and Shiva Harihara Harihara is a syncretic deity in Hinduism that fuses Vishnu and Shiva into a single figure, symbolizing theological unity, artistic fusion, and sectarian reconciliation across Sout…

Harrowing of Hell (Descent into the Dead) Harrowing of Hell The Harrowing of Hell is the Christian tradition that Christ descended to the realm of the dead after his crucifixion to free the righteous. It shaped creeds, liturgy, art, and med…

Hasidic Judaism (Hasidism) Hasidic Judaism Hasidic Judaism is a Jewish mystical and pietistic movement founded in 18th‑century Eastern Europe by Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer (the Baal Shem Tov). It emphasizes joyous worship, co…

Traditional Hawaiian religion Hawaiian religion Indigenous Hawaiian spiritual system: origins, cosmology, deities and spirits, ritual specialists, kapu and heiau, festivals, effects of contact, and contemporary revival and legal…

Hebrew Bible (Tanakh): composition, history, and significance Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) is the canonical collection of Jewish scriptures—Torah, Prophets, and Writings—primarily in Hebrew. This article explains its structure, languages, textua…

Hebrew Name: Origins, Structure, and Cultural Practices Hebrew name Overview of Hebrew names: their Biblical roots, linguistic features, historical development, religious and social uses, naming customs, and distinctions across Jewish, Christian, a…

Hedvig Eleonora Church (Stockholm) Hedvig Eleonora Church An 18th-century Church of Sweden parish church in Stockholm's Östermalm, named for Queen Hedvig Eleonora and opened in 1737. Active for worship, rites of passage and cultural event…

Heidelberg Catechism A 1563 Reformed Protestant catechism produced in Heidelberg to teach Christian doctrine in question-and-answer form; widely used in Reformed churches and notable for its pastoral t…

Hell (afterlife realm) Hell Hell: a broad term for afterlife places of punishment or separation in many religious and cultural traditions, varied in meaning from literal torment to symbolic absence of the div…

Henotheism: Devotion to One Deity within a Plural Divine World Henotheism Henotheism is the practice of revering a single god while accepting the existence of other gods. This article describes its features, history, examples, and how it differs from rel…

Heresy: definitions, history, and religious responses Heresy Heresy denotes beliefs or teachings that depart from an established religious doctrine; historically a criminal and theological category, today mainly a doctrinal judgment with var…

Hijab: meaning, types, history, and cultural practices Hijab Overview of the hijab concept: definitions, common garments (khimār, niqab, abaya, burqa), historical and religious background, cultural variation, and contemporary debates about m…

Hijra: Migration in Islamic history, South Asian identity and cultural uses Hijra Hijra (Arabic for migration) primarily denotes Muhammad’s emigration to Medina (622 CE) and the Hijri calendar; it also refers to earlier migrations, South Asian third-gender commu…

Hillsong Church — global evangelical megachurch and worship movement Hillsong Church Hillsong Church is a global evangelical megachurch founded in Sydney in 1983, known for contemporary worship music, a multi-site network, large weekly attendance and international…

Hindu gods: forms, meanings, and roles in Hindu religious life Hindu gods Overview of Hindu deities, their relationship to the concept of Brahman, principal gods and goddesses, worship practices, iconography, sectarian perspectives, and cultural signific…

Hindu reform movements in 19th–early 20th century India Hindu reform movements Social and religious movements within Hindu society that sought to remove social evils, modernize religious practice, expand education and rights, and influence legislation in colo…

Hindu scriptures: an overview of key texts, categories, and significance Hindu scripture Survey of Hindu scriptures: major works, categories (Shruti/Smriti), language and transmission, historical development, uses in ritual and culture, and notable distinctions.

Hinduism: Beliefs, Texts, Practices, History, and Contemporary Presence Hinduism Hinduism (Sanātana Dharma) is a plural and ancient religious-cultural tradition from South Asia that encompasses philosophy, ritual, scripture, social practices and diverse devotio…

Hinduism in Bangladesh: history, practice and contemporary situation Hinduism in Bangladesh An overview of Hinduism in Bangladesh, covering its demographics, cultural traditions, historical roots in Bengal, major festivals and temples, and contemporary social and politica…