Religions

On this page, we have collected articles related to Religions on our website.

Religion is a set of common beliefs and practices pertaining to the supernatural (and its relationship to humanity and the cosmos), which are often codified into prayer, ritual, scriptures, and religious law. These beliefs and practices are typically defined in light of a shared canonical vocabulary of venerable traditions, writings, history, and mythology.

Religions have sacred histories and narratives, which may be preserved in sacred scriptures, symbols, and holy places, that aim mostly to give meaning to life. Religions may contain symbolic stories, which are sometimes said by followers to be true, that have the side purpose of explaining the origin of life, the universe, and other things.

The world’s principal religions and spiritual traditions may be classified into a small number of major groups, although this is by no means a uniform practice. This theory began in the 18th century with the goal of recognizing the relative levels of civility in societies.

There are different ways of categorization of world religions.

 Relatively crude geographical schemes that distinguish Western Religions from Eastern Religions are quite common.

 Religions can be categorized by how many deities they worship. Monotheistic religions accept only one deity (predominantly referred to as God), and polytheistic religions accept multiple deities. Henotheistic religions accept one supreme deity without denying other deities, considering them as aspects of the same divine principle; and nontheistic religions deny any supreme eternal creator deity but accept a pantheon of deities which live, die, and may be reborn like any other being.

 Some academics studying the subject have divided religions into three broad categories: world religions, a term which refers to transcultural, international faiths; indigenous religions, which refers to smaller, culture-specific, or nation-specific religious groups; and new religious movements, which refers to recently developed faiths.

 Religious traditions fall into super-groups in comparative religion, arranged by historical origin and mutual influence.

Religions love unity peace, and strength Religions love, unity, peace, and strength

East Asian Religions

The East Asian religions or Taoic religions form a subset of Eastern religions. This group includes Chinese religion overall, which further includes ancestral worship, Chinese folk religion, Confucianism, Taoism, and so-called popular salvationist organisations (such as Yiguandao and Weixinism), as well as elements drawn from Mahayana Buddhism that form the core of Chinese Buddhism and East Asian Buddhism at large. The group also includes Japanese Shintoism and Korean Sindoism (both meaning “Ways of Gods” and identifying the indigenous shamanic religion and ancestor worship of such peoples), which have received influences from Chinese religions throughout the centuries. Chinese salvationist religions have influenced the rise of Korean and Japanese new religions—for instance, respectively, Jeungsanism, and Tenriism; these movements draw upon indigenous traditions but are heavily influenced by Chinese philosophy and theology.

Common Concepts in East Asian Religions

Confucianism

Main articles

Confucian beliefs and the theories

Confucian practices

History of Confucianism

Confucian Texts

Confucian Gods and deities

Religion in China

Influential Confucians

Other articles

Shintoism

Religions in Japan

Religion of Japan

Shinto beliefs and the theories

Shinto practices

Variations of Shinto

Shinto Deities

Shinto Texts

Shinto culture

Taoism

Main articles

History of Taoism

Taoist beliefs and the theories

Taoist practices

Taoist Texts

Influential Taoists

Classification of East Asian Religions

Eastern religions
East Asian Religions

Confucianism

Taoism

Shinto

Shinto-inspired religions

Other Religions

Mongolian religions

Vietnamese religions

 

Other Religions

Chinese religions

Chinese philosophy schools

Japanese religions

Korean religions

Hand Candle Diwali Festival Of Lights Hinduism Diwali Festival Of Lights Hinduism

Indian Religions

Indian religions, sometimes also termed as Dharmic faiths or Dharmic religions (Dharma), are the religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent; namely Hinduism (2 schools Vedanta and Yoga, and 7 denominations Ayyavazhi, Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, Smartism, and Śrauta), Jainism (Digambara, Śvētāmbara), Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana) and Sikhism. These religions are also all classified as Eastern religions. Although Indian religions are connected throughout the history of India, they constitute a wide range of religious communities and are not confined to the Indian subcontinent.

Common concepts in Indian religions

Buddhism

Main articles

The Buddha

Buddhist philosophy

Buddhist cosmology

Doctrines of Buddhism

Buddhist practices

Buddhist meditation

Enlightenment In Buddhism

Moral discipline and precepts

Topics related to Buddhism

Buddhist scriptures

Buddhist Texts

Vajrayana texts

Mahayana texts

Theravada texts

Comparative Buddhism

 Buddhist culture

Schools of Buddhism

Hinduism

Hindu Philosophy

Essence of Hinduism

Concept of God

Hinduism’s Sacred Texts

Hindu Denomination

Worship (rituals)

Hindu people

Other terms and concepts

Hinduism and Other Religions

History

Politics

Hindu Culture

Hindu Festivals

Jainism

Main articles

History

Jain Philosophy

Ethics of Jainism

Practices

Scriptures and texts

Traditions and sects

Art and Architecture

Religion in India

Sikhism

Main articles

History

Beliefs and Philosophy

Practices

Scriptures and texts

Traditions and sects

Comparison with other religions

See also

Abrahamic religions Abrahamic religions
A mosque, a church, and a synagogue together in Istanbul.

Middle Eastern Religions

Middle Eastern religions originated in the Middle East; namely Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) and Iranic religions. Smaller minority religions, such as the Bahá’í Faith, Druze, Nusairism, Manichaeism, Sabianism, Bábism, Yazidism, Mandaeism, Gnosticism, Yarsanism, Samaritanism, Shabakism, Ishikism, Ali-Illahism, Alevism, Yazdânism and Zoroastrianism are also present in the Middle East.

Summary of Middle Eastern Religions

Christianity

Islam

Judaism

Common Articles

religions

Christianity

Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. The Christian faith is essentially faith in Jesus as the Christ (or Messiah), the Son of God, the Savior, and, according to Trinitarianism, God the Son, part of the Trinity with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Christian Theology

History of Christianity

Faith in Christianity

Faith in Christianity

God in Christianity

Christian Views of Sin

Salvation in Christianity

Repentance in Christianity

Christian Angelology

Christian Demonology

Christian Eschatology

Prophets of Christianity

Death and afterlife

Christianity and Science

Wisdom in Christianity

Christian Practices

Christian Spirituality

Fasting in Christianity

Celebrated days

Prayer in Christianity

Christian Worship

Christianity and Social Issues

Christianity and Society

Christian Culture

Christianity and Other Religions

Christianity’s Religious Texts

Christianity’s Religious Texts combine the Jewish Old Testament with the New Testament to form the Christian Bible, which followers refer to as the Holy Scriptures. There are many noncanonical texts in the Christian religion as well.

Main articles

The Bible Articles

Old Testament Articles

Doctrines and laws

New Testament Articles

Mormonism’s Sacred Texts

Branches of Christianity

Catholicism

History of the Catholic Church

Catholic Philosophy

Faith in Catholicism

Catholic belief
God in Catholicism
Paschal Mystery
Catholic Theology
Salvation
Blessed Virgin Mary

Worship in Catholic Church

Catholic liturgy

Catholic Particular Churches And Liturgical Rites

Catholic Spirituality

Sacraments of the Catholic Church

Prayer In The Catholic Church

Hierarchy of The Catholic Church

Catholic Schools

Catholicism and Other Religions

More on Catholicism

Eastern Christianity

Eastern denominational families

Spirituality in Eastern Christianity

Protestantism

Protestant denominational families

Adventism

Anabaptism

Anglicanism

Continuing Anglican movement

Lutheranism

Baptism

Calvinism

Evangelicalism

Methodism

Black Church

Other Protestant Families

Nontrinitarianism

Traditional Christian groups

Modern Christian groups

Mormonism

What Is the Trinity?

Son of God

God the Holy Spirit

Jesus Christ

Mary, Mother of Jesus

Who is Mary, Mother of Jesus?

Perspectives on Mary

 Chronology

Marian dogmas

The Torah Scroll

The Torah Scroll

Judaism

Judaism (יהודה, Yehudah, “Judah”) is the religion of the Jewish people. It is an ancient, monotheistic, Abrahamic religion with the Torah as its foundational text. It encompasses the religion, philosophy, and culture of the Jewish people.

Judaism is considered by religious Jews to be the expression of the covenant that God established with the Children of Israel. Judaism encompasses a wide corpus of texts, practices, theological positions, and forms of organization. The Torah is part of the larger text known as the Tanakh or the Hebrew Bible, and supplemental oral tradition is represented by later texts such as the Midrash and the Talmud. With between 14.5 and 17.4 million adherents worldwide, Judaism is the tenth largest religion in the world.

Main articles

Jewish History

Jewish Principles of Faith

God in Judaism

Prophets in Judaism

Wisdom in Judaism

 

Judaism practices

Jewish Law (Halakha)

Dietary laws and customs

Jewish Mysticism

Apostasy in Judaism

Jewish prayers

Judaism’s Religious Books

Written Torah

Oral Torah

Rabbinic literature

Jewish Liturgy

Articles on Jewish Religious Books

Branches and denominations

Development of Rabbinic Judaism

Origins of Rabbinic Judaism
Origins of Christianity
Split of early Christianity and Judaism

Historical Judaism

The Star of David (or Magen David), is a generally recognized symbol of modern Jewish identity and Judaism.

The Star of David

Rabbinic Judaism

New Religious Movement

Jewish Culture

Interactions with other religions

Al Hakim Mosque, Islamic Cairo.

Al Hakim Mosque, Islamic Cairo.

Islam

Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion teaching that there is only one God (Allah) and that Muhammad is the messenger of God. It is the world’s second-largest religion with over 1.8 billion followers or 24% of the world’s population, most commonly known as Muslims. Muslims make up a majority of the population in 50 countries. Islam teaches that God is merciful, all-powerful, and unique and has guided humankind through prophets, revealed scriptures, and natural signs. The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran, viewed by Muslims as the verbatim word of God, and the teachings and normative example (called the sunnah, composed of accounts called hadith) of Muhammad (c. 570 – 8 June 632 CE).

Belief in Islam

Faith (iman) breaks down into six axioms (Six articles of faith) Belief in:

  1. The existence and unicity of God (Allah).
  2. The existence of Angels.
  3. The existence of the books of which God is the author
  4. The existence of Prophets.
  5. The existence of Judgment Day.
  6. The existence of God’s predestination, whether it involves good or bad.

Beliefs and practices of Shia

Islamic Concept of God

Angels in Islam

Types of angels

Beings and Forces in Islam

Islamic Sacred Texts

The Holy Quran (read more)

What is Hadith?

Prophethood and Messengerhood in Islam

Muhammad

Jesus

Mary, Mother of Jesus

The Judgment Day

What is the Afterlife?

Islamic eschatology

Resurrection and Judgment

Death and the Human Spirit

Soul

The Spirit

Places

Predestination, Destiny, Free will, and Divine will

Islamic Practice

Worship and prayers

Etiquette and diet

Fasting

Hajj (Pilgrimage)

Charity

Sin and Repentance in Islam

Islamic Spirituality

Wisdom in Islam

Islamic Law

Character in Islam

Jihad

Criticism of Islam

Islam and other religions

Islamic Society

Islam and Family life

Women in Islam

Education in Islam

Islamic Holidays

 Government and politics

Social responsibilities

Islamic Culture

History of Islam

Muhammad’s revelation (610–632)

Caliphate and civil strife (632–750)

Caliphate and civil strife (632–750)

History Of Shia Islam

Ahl al-Kisa

Classical era (750–1258)

Pre-Modern era

Postmodern times (20th century–present)

Islamic Schools and branches

Sufism

Islamic Philosophy and Theology

Islamic Philosophy

Islamic Theology

Muslim philosophers

Kwakwaka'wakw Cedar sisiutl mask.

Kwakwaka’wakw Cedar sisiutl mask.

Indigenous (ethnic, folk) religions

Indigenous religions or Nature Religions consist of the traditional customs and beliefs (Paganism, Animism, Totemism, Shamanism) of particular ethnic groups, refined and expanded upon for thousands of years, often lacking formal doctrine.

Main articles: Indigenous Religions and Outline Indigenous Religions

Common concepts in Indigenous Religions

Articles about Indigenous Religions

African

Traditional African religions

Afro-American religions

European

Austronesian

Austroasiatic

Japanese

American

Uralic (Eurasian)

Altaic

Chinese

Korean

Hope Owl Candle Light Sun Sea Guy Shape Snow

Summer and Winter, that’s magic

New Religious Movements

New religious movements, a heterogeneous group of religious faiths emerging since the nineteenth century, often syncretizing, re-interpreting, or reviving aspects of older traditions such as Western esotericism, Modern Paganism, Hindu derived religions, New ethnic religions, Entheogenic religions, New Thought, some inspired by science-fiction, Political Religions, and Parody religions.

A cult is a social group that is defined by its unusual religiousspiritual, or philosophical beliefs, or by its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal.

New Religious Movements Articles

Concepts in New Religious Movements

The New Age Movement

Other new religions

Irreligion

New Thought

Modern Paganism

Ethnic neopaganism

Syncretic neopaganism

Cult

Western esotericism

New ethnic religions

Native American

Chicano/Mexican-American

Cargo cults

Entheogenic religions

Post-theistic and naturalistic religions

Parody religions

UFO religions

New Hindu-derived religions

Science

Political Religions

Mountain of Gods, Nemrut- turkey Mountain of Gods, Nemrut- turkey

Historical Religions

Historical religions of the ancient world shared many of the same patterns with each other even though the cultures may never have had any contact with each other. Such as Prehistoric religion, Ancient Egyptian ReligionAncient Mesopotamian ReligionBrahmanismReligion in pre-Islamic ArabiaInca mythology, ancient Greece and Rome, and their Hellenistic descendants.

Main article: Religions of The Ancient Near East

Common concepts in Historical Religions

The religions of the ancient world shared many of the same patterns with each other even though the cultures may never have had any contact with each other.

Article about Historical Religions

These are the articles about historical religions on our website so far.

Bronze Age

Classical antiquity

Other

Atheism Atheism

Atheism

Atheism refers in its broadest sense to a denial of theism (the belief in the existence of a single deity or deities). Atheism has many shades and types. Some atheists strongly deny the existence of God (or any form of deity) and attack theistic claims.

General Atheism Concepts

Related positions

What type of thing is atheism?

Types of atheism

History of atheism

Persons influential in atheism

Atheistic arguments