religions

Definition von religions im Englisch Englisch wörterbuch: Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, and much more; plural of religion; are social institutions that espouse a belief in God (or Gods) Religious creeds usually include instructions for worship, prayer, family life, and social action, as well as ethical standards and theological beliefs Although nearly all religions include ethical instruction, ethics is not religion People from different religious backgrounds can accept common ethical principles, and atheists can justify and understand ethical imperatives and act ethically Since ethics extends beyond any particular religion, a religion's ethics can be viewed as falling within the domain of ethics as a more general category, viz Christian ethics, Muslim ethics, Buddhist ethics, etc; This entry includes a rank ordering of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population
liberal religions: plural form of liberal religion
organized religions: plural form of organized religion
religion: Any practice that someone or some group is seriously devoted to
religion: Any ongoing spiritual practice one engages in, in order to shape their character or improve traits of their personality
religion: A collection of practices, based on beliefs and teachings that are highly valued or sacred
religion: An ideological and traditional heritage
world religions: plural form of world religion
religion: {n} a system of faith and worship, obedience to divine commands, from love to a Supreme Being, pious, devout, holy, bound by vows
African religions: Indigenous religions of the African continent. The introduced religions of Islam (in northern Africa) and Christianity (in southern Africa) are now the continent's major religions, but traditional religions still play an important role, especially in the interior of sub-Saharan Africa. The numerous traditional African religions have in common the notion of a creator god, who made the world and then withdrew, remaining remote from the concerns of human life. Prayers and sacrificial offerings are usually directed toward secondary divinities, who are intermediaries between the human and sacred realms. Ancestors also serve as intermediaries (see ancestor worship). Ritual functionaries include priests, elders, rainmakers, diviners, and prophets. Rituals are aimed at maintaining a harmonious relationship with cosmic powers, and many have associated myths that explain their significance. Animism is a common feature of African religions, and misfortune is often attributed to witchcraft and sorcery
Afro-Brazilian and Afro-American religions Afro-Caribbean: Religions among persons of African ancestry in the Caribbean, Brazil, and U.S. These include Haitian vodun, the Jamaican Rastafarian movement, Santería, and Candomblé and other Macumba sects in Brazil. Similarly syncretistic religions appeared in the U.S. during the era of slavery. The Nation of Islam combines black nationalism with an unorthodox version of Islam. Black Protestant churches (especially Baptist and Pentecostal) have imported some forms of lively worship from Africa
Iranian religions: Ancient religions of the peoples of the Iranian plateau. The Medes and Persians were dominated by a powerful priestly tribe, the magi. The magi were responsible for chanting accounts of the origin and descent of the gods, and they were probably the source of the dualism that later characterized Zoroastrianism, the best known of the Iranian religions. The chief god of the pre-Zoroastrian pantheon was Ahura Mazda, the creator of the universe and the one who maintains the cosmic and social order. Mithra was the second most important deity and the protector of covenants. Other major deities included Anahita, the war goddess; Rashnu, the god of justice; and astral deities such as Tishtrya, identified with the star Sirius. The ancient Iranians did not build temples or make images of their gods, preferring to worship in the open. The central ritual was the yazna, which consisted of a festive meal at which the worshipers made animal sacrifices and invited the deity to attend as a guest. Fire was regarded as a sacred element. The sacred drink hauma, which contained a mind-altering drug, was used to inspire worshipers with insight into truth and to stimulate warriors going into battle
Mesoamerican religions: Religions of the pre-Columbian cultures of Mexico and Central America, notably the Olmec, Maya, Toltec, and Aztec. All religions of Mesoamerica were polytheistic. The gods had to be constantly propitiated with offerings and sacrifices. The religions also shared a belief in a multilevel universe that had gone through five creations and four destructions by the time of the Spanish conquest. Mesoamerican religions heavily emphasized the astral bodies, particularly the sun, the moon, and Venus, and the observations of their movements by astronomer-priests were extraordinarily detailed and accurate. The Aztecs approached the supernatural through a complex calendar of ceremonies that included songs, dances, acts of self-mortification, and human sacrifices performed by a professional priesthood, in the belief that the welfare of the universe depended on offerings of blood and hearts as nourishment for the sun. The Mayan religion likewise called for human sacrifices, though on a smaller scale. Information on the astronomical calculations, divination, and ritual of the Mayan priests has been gathered from the Maya Codices. See also Mesoamerican civilization
Mesopotamian religions: Religious beliefs and practices of the Sumerians and Akkadians, and later of their successors, the Babylonians and Assyrians, who inhabited ancient Mesopotamia. The deities of Sumer were usually associated with aspects of nature, such as fertility of the fields and livestock. The gods of Assyria and Babylonia, rather than displacing those of Sumer and Akkad, were gradually assimilated into the older system. Among the most important of the many Mesopotamian gods were Anu, the god of heaven; Enki, the god of water; and Enlil, the earth god. Deities were often associated with particular cities. Astral deities such as Shamash and Sin were also worshiped. The Mesopotamians were skilled astrologers who studied the movements of the heavenly bodies. Priests also determined the will of the gods through the observation of omens, especially by reading the entrails of sacrificed animals. The king functioned as the chief priest, presiding at the new-year festival held in spring, when the kingship was renewed and the triumph of the deity over the powers of chaos was celebrated
North American Indian religions: Religious beliefs and practices of the indigenous peoples of North America. They are characterized by a conviction that spirit moves through all things, animate and inanimate, and that the living are intimately connected with the souls of the dead. They discover recognizable beings in the natural world of animals, plants, and trees, as well as in natural features such as mountains, lakes, and clouds. Because North American religions were so highly localized, it is impossible to determine how many have existed, and their beliefs have varied widely. Whereas Iroquois elders speak of a perfectly wise and good Creator who planned the universe, the Koyukon envision the creator as Raven, a trickster god who is only one of many powerful spirits. Whereas nearly all Navajo ceremonies are performed on behalf of individuals in response to specific needs, most Pueblo ceremonies are performed communally and scheduled according to the cycles of nature. However, all native North American religions share certain features: ancestral lands and locally sacred spots are important; access to some knowledge is restricted, and initiation is required to acquire it; kinship obligations are central; the oral tradition includes narratives that record human interaction with nonhuman powers; and generosity is a religious act. Contact with Europeans led to development of new religious movements, including the Ghost Dance tradition and the Native American Church. See also Mesoamerican religions
Oceanic religions: Non-Christian religions practiced in Oceania. Traditional Melanesian religions, which are giving way under the pressures of Christianity and capitalism, hold that ancestral ghosts and other spirits are participants in daily life. Their presence and effects are manifested in dreams, in divination, and in human successes and failures. Magic is widely practiced, and sorcery is seen as the major cause of death and illness. The traditional religions of Micronesia, which have largely died out, recognized several high gods and many other spirits, including the spirits of ancestors and the dead. Magic played an important role. In Polynesia, each of the gods, whether high or local, had its own ritual requirements, and schools of priests were often required to carry them out. All things were believed to possess mana, which had to be protected by complicated rules and taboos. The Polynesians often offered human sacrifices on important occasions, such as the formal investiture of a priest or chief. With the introduction of modern goods, the peoples of all these islands became susceptible to cargo cults
South American Indian religions: Religious beliefs and practices of the indigenous peoples of South America. The ancient Andean civilizations of the Chimu and the Inca had highly developed religions. The Inca religion combined complex ceremonies, animistic beliefs, belief in objects having magical powers, nature worship, and sun worship. The Incas built monumental temples, occupied by priests and Chosen Women. Priests conducted divination, and sacrifices were offered on every important occasion. Human sacrifice was offered when the need was extreme. In present-day South America, as many as 1,500 distinct native cultures have been described, and religious beliefs vary greatly. Creation mythologies are of major importance, often describing the origin of the first world and its fate as well as the creation and destruction of subsequent worlds. Ceremonial initiation into adulthood is widely practiced, both for males and females, with the initiation ceremony often acting out events from the dawn of creation. Initiations are also used to mark the ascent of individuals into positions of religious authority, with priests, diviners, and spirit mediums playing special roles. The shaman specializes in inducing states of ecstasy, controlling the passage of the soul out of and back into the body. Ritual fires, musical instruments (especially the rattle), esoteric languages, and sacred songs may be used in a theatrical performance designed to demonstrate the shaman's command of invisible powers. Christianity has come to be a strong component of folk belief among many native peoples, but it continues to be interpreted in the light of local tradition, and elements of traditional religion continue to survive. See also Mesoamerican religions
ancient Arabian religions: Polytheistic religions of Arabia prior to the rise of Islam. Most of the deities of the Arab tribes were sky gods, associated with heavenly bodies such as the Sun and Moon, and they had the power to ensure fecundity, protection, or revenge. At the head of the southern Arabian pantheon was Athtar, a god of thunderstorms and rain. Each kingdom also had a national deity, of whom the nation called itself the progeny. Sanctuaries were carved in rock on high places and held a baetyl ("raised stone") or statue of the god in an open-air enclosure, accessible only to ritually clean persons. In northern Arabia they included a walled enclosure with a covered or enclosed altar, similar to the Muslim Kabah. Libations, animal sacrifices, and other offerings were made to the gods, and priests interpreted oracles and performed divination. Worshipers made yearly pilgrimages to important shrines, participating in rites that included purification, the wearing of ritual clothing, sexual abstinence, abstention from shedding blood, and circuits performed around the sacred object
religion: Sacred beliefs reflected in the daily conduct of an individual
religion: n the service and worship of God or the supernatural a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
religion: Anything that involves the association of people in a manner resembling a religious institution or cult
religion: there are four major religious traditions on Hepekeria: 1) the standard ten-deity system of Western Lythia (Dalanya, Ivinian colonies, Xerium, Isynen and Bothisa), 2) Ziryabism, the indigious Numec faith, 3) Buqdini totem rituals and 4) Falanian ancestor worship
religion: Strictness of fidelity in conforming to any practice, as if it were an enjoined rule of conduct
religion: A specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices, generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects
religion: a code of belief or philosophy- involves the worship of God or gods
religion: A system of ideas and rules for behavior based on supernatural explanations
religion: The outward act or form by which men indicate their recognition of the existence of a god or of gods having power over their destiny, to whom obedience, service, and honor are due; the feeling or expression of human love, fear, or awe of some superhuman and overruling power, whether by profession of belief, by observance of rites and ceremonies, or by the conduct of life; a system of faith and worship; a manifestation of piety; as, ethical religions; monotheistic religions; natural religion; revealed religion; the religion of the Jews; the religion of idol worshipers
religion: The adoration and service of God as expressed in divine worship and in daily life Religion is concerned with all of the relations existing between God and human beings, and between humans themselves because of the central significance of God Objectively considered, religion consists of a body of truth which is believed, a code of morality for the guidance of conduct, and a form of divine worship Subjectively, it is a person's total response, theoretically and practically, to the demands of faith; it is living faith, personal engagement, self-commitment to God Thus, by creed, code and cult, a person orders and directs his or her life in reference to God and, through what the love and service of God implies, to all people and all things
religion: Specifically, conformity in faith and life to the precepts inculcated in the Bible, respecting the conduct of life and duty toward God and man; the Christian faith and practice
religion: institution to express belief in a divine power; "he was raised in the Baptist religion"; "a member of his own faith contradicted him
religion: A number of customs and rituals associated with such beliefs
religion: Oxford dictionary definition (theistic): "1 the belief in a superhuman controlling power, esp in a personal God or gods entitled to obedience and worship 2 the expression of this in worship 3 a particular system of faith and worship " Non-Theistic definition: "The word religion has many definitions, all of which can embrace sacred lore and wisdom and knowledge of God or gods, souls and spirits Religion deals with the spirit in relation to itself, the universe and other life Essentially, religion is belief in spiritual beings As it relates to the world, religion is a system of beliefs and practices by means of which a group of people struggles with the ultimate problems of human life " (Hubbard, 1994) [1: theology]
religion: originally meant to 'bind together' - as binding the heavenly and the earthly things together Modern usage refers to the teachings of and the rituals conducted by the Church or any other institutionalised religious organisation
religion: Any system or institution which one engages with in order to foster a sense of meaning or relevance in relation to something greater than oneself
religion: A religion is a particular system of belief in a god or gods and the activities that are connected with this system. the Christian religion. Relation of human beings to God or the gods or to whatever they consider sacred or, in some cases, merely supernatural. Archaeological evidence suggests that religious beliefs have existed since the first human communities. They are generally shared by a community, and they express the communal culture and values through myth, doctrine, and ritual. Worship is probably the most basic element of religion, but moral conduct, right belief, and participation in religious institutions also constitute elements of the religious life. Religions attempt to answer basic questions intrinsic to the human condition (Why do we suffer? Why is there evil in the world? What happens to us when we die?) through the relationship to the sacred or supernatural or (e.g., in the case of Buddhism) through perception of the true nature of reality. Broadly speaking, some religions (e.g., Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) are outwardly focused, and others (e.g., Jainism, Buddhism) are inwardly focused. Australian religion Baltic religion Celtic religion civil religion Egyptian religion establishment of religion clause Etruscan religion Finno Ugric religion Germanic religion Greek religion mystery religion prehistoric religion religion philosophy of Religion Wars of Roman religion Slavic religion Vedic religion Religion of the Heavenly Way African religions Afro Caribbean Afro Brazilian and Afro American religions American Indian religions North American Indian religions South Arabian religions ancient Iranian religions Mesoamerican religions Mesopotamian religions Oceanic religions
religion: a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; "he lost his faith but not his morality"
religion: System of beliefs and practices concerned with sacred things and or symbols uniting individuals into a single moral community
religion: Religion is belief in a god or gods and the activities that are connected with this belief, such as praying or worshipping in a building such as a church or temple. his understanding of Indian philosophy and religion
religion: the way of acting, or perspective, according to which we interpret all our duties as divine commands
religion: 1 belief in, worship of, or obedience to a supernatural power or powers considered to be divine or to have control of human destiny 2 any formal or institutionalised expression of such belief
religion: A system of thinking that recognizes a supersoul and performs some sort of adoration of that supersoul
religion: a set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices pertaining to supernatural power
religion: A matter of belief Better kept private Defend the separation of Church and State
religion: a subjective relationship to certain metaphysical, extramundane factors A kind of experience accorded the highest value, regardless of its contents The essence is the person's relationship to God or salvation Jung called them psychotherapeutic systems and believed they contained, offered a gradiant for, and transformed instinctual (hence asceticism), nonpersonal energies, giving people a cultural counterpole to blind instinct, help through difficult transitional stages, and a sense of meaning They also help separate the growing person from his parents For Jung, the unconscious had a religious function, and religion rests on an instinctive basis Different from creeds, which are codified and dogmatized versions of a religious experience Creeds usually say they have THE truth and are a collective belief For Jung, no contradiction existed between faith and knowledge because science has nothing to say about metaphysical events, and beliefs are psychological facts that need no proof
religion: A monastic or religious order subject to a regulated mode of life; the religious state; as, to enter religion
religion: a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; "he lost his faith but not his morality" institution to express belief in a divine power; "he was raised in the Baptist religion"; "a member of his own faith contradicted him
religion: {i} collection of beliefs concerning the origin of man and the universe, faith
religion: Any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life
religion: Generally a belief in a deity and practice of worship, action, and/or thought related to that deity Loosely, any specific system of code of ethics, values, and belief
religion: A system of beliefs, including belief in the existence of at least one of the following: a human soul or spirit, a deity or higher being, or self after the death of one's body
religion: A set of rituals, beliefs, and rules based on a specific philosophy
religion: belief in supernatural or divine power that invites expression in conduct and often involving ethics and a philosophy (or a specific system of such belief and conduct)
religion: n 1 a Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe b A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship 2 The life or condition of a person in a religious order 3 A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader 4 A cause, a principle, or an activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion
religion: (generic definition of): A means of getting in touch with and of attaining at-onement with "ultimate reality " In slightly different words, a religion is a system of symbols (e g , words and gestures, stories and practices, objects and places) that functions religiously, namely, an ongoing system of symbols that participants use to draw near to, and come into right or appropriate relationship with, what they deem to be ultimate reality
religion: (religious conviction, religious faith): Form of spirituality that involves meditation, prayer, and/or churchgoing
religion: The personal commitment to and serving of God, or a supreme being There are many different systems of faith and worship around the world, each having distinct beliefs, observances, patterns and practices
religion: institution to express belief in a divine power; "he was raised in the Baptist religion"; "a member of his own faith contradicted him"