Religious Beliefs, BEN-CEN
Our religious beliefs can affect our lifestyle, our perceptions, and our way of relating to fellow human beings. Is there a higher power (or powers) that governs the universe and judges all of us? Does committing a mortal sin mean the death of a soul, or is there a chance for forgiveness? The answers to such questions differ widely across different religions.
Religious Beliefs Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Benedictine Rule
Benedictine Rule, regulation for monastic conduct as prescribed by the 6th-century monk St. Benedict of Nursia.......
benediction
benediction, a verbal blessing of persons or things, commonly applied to invocations pronounced in Godâs name by......
berakah
berakah, in Judaism, a benediction (expression of praise or thanks directed to God) that is recited at specific......
bet din
bet din, Jewish tribunal empowered to adjudicate cases involving criminal, civil, or religious law. The history......
Beta Israel
Beta Israel, Jews of Ethiopian origin. Their beginnings are obscure and possibly polygenetic. The Beta Israel (meaning......
Betrothal
Betrothal, promise that a marriage will take place. In societies in which premarital sexual relations are condoned......
Bhagavata
Bhagavata, member of the earliest Hindu sect of which there is any record, representing the beginnings of theistic......
bhakti
bhakti, in Hinduism, a movement emphasizing the mutual intense emotional attachment and love of a devotee toward......
bhanavara
bhanavara, any of the units, usually 8,000 syllables in length, into which Pali Buddhist texts were divided in......
bhava-cakra
bhava-cakra, in Buddhism, a representation of the endless cycle of rebirths governed by the law of dependent origination......
bhikku
bhikku, in Buddhism, one who has renounced worldly life and joined the mendicant and contemplative community. While......
bhut
bhut, in Hindu mythology, a restless ghost. Bhuts are believed to be malignant if they have died a violent death......
bhƫmi
bhĆ«mi, in MahÄyÄna Buddhism, the stages of spiritual progress of the bodhisattva, or one who, though capable of......
biblical canon
biblical canon, collection of sacred texts of Judaism and Christianity which, after being determined either by......
Biblical criticism
Biblical criticism, discipline that studies textual, compositional, and historical questions surrounding the Old......
biblical literature
biblical literature, four bodies of written works: the Old Testament writings according to the Hebrew canon; intertestamental......
- Introduction
- Theology, Prophecy, Poetry
- Old Testament, Canon, Versions
- Torah, Prophets, Writings
- Christian Canon, Old Testament, New Testament
- Texts, Versions, Canon
- Deliberate Changes
- Qumran Texts, Scrolls
- Early Versions, Translations, Canon
- Origen's Hexapla, Bible Translation, Septuagint
- Versions, Translations, Canon
- Translations, Versions, English
- Translation, Coverdale, Bible
- King James, Versions, Translations
- RSV, Canon, Interpretation
- New King James, Bible Versions, Translations
- Medieval, French, German
- Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese
- Slavic Versions
- Non-European Versions
- Exodus, Conquest, Moses
- Divided Monarchy, Restoration, Prophets
- Babylonian Exile, Restoration
- Old Testament, Hebrew Bible, Canon
- Documentary, JEDP, & Source
- Patriarchal Narratives, Genesis, Abraham
- Exodus, Moses, Israelites
- Tabernacle, Instructions, Rituals
- Holiness Code, Leviticus, Laws
- Wanderings, Paran, Exodus
- Deuteronomy, Introduction, Laws
- Deuteronomy, Lawbook, Conclusion
- Nevi'im, Prophets, Scriptures
- Conquest, Canaan, History
- Deuteronomic Theology, History, Covenant
- Judges, Authority, Leadership
- Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah
- Samuel, Israel, Saul
- Prophet, Israel, Judges
- Saul, Kingship, Israel
- Early Reign, Monarchy, Israel
- Kings, Solomon, Reign
- Kings, Successors, Israel
- Prophecy, Miracles, & Exile
- Elisha, Prophecy, Miracles
- Isaiah, Prophecy, Poetry
- Deutero-Isaiah, Prophecies, Hope
- Prophecy, Poetry, & Parables
- Prophecy, Poetry, Parables
- Amos, Hosea, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah
- Prophecy, Social Justice, Israel
- Amos, Hosea, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah
- Ketuvim, Poetry, Prose
- Psalms, Poetry, Devotion
- Wisdom, Parables, Poetry
- Job, Poetry, Wisdom
- Megillot, Scrolls, Poetry
- Lamentations, Jeremiah, Poetry
- Prophecy, Exile, & Visions
- Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles
- Intertestamental, Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha
- Persian, Hellenistic, Influences
- Judith, Apocrypha, Heroine
- Ahikar, Wisdom, Parables
- Greek Additions, Esther
- Wisdom, Proverbs, Psalms
- Pseudepigraphal, Apocrypha, Dead Sea Scrolls
- Paralipomena, Jeremiah, Prophecy
- Apocalyptic, Eschatological, Prophecy
- Apocalyptic, Prophecy, Esdras
- Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, & Enoch
- Qumran, Dead Sea Scrolls
- New Testament, Canon, Versions
- Canonization, Texts, History
- Canons, Texts, History
- Canon, 4th Century, Bible
- Writing Materials, Methods
- Critical Scholarship
- Uncials, Manuscripts, Texts
- Minuscules, Textual Criticism, Canonization
- Versions, Translations, Canon
- Textual Criticism, Canonization, Translations
- New Testament, History, Gospels
- Pharisees, Judaism, Scriptures
- Greco-Roman World, 1st Century AD
- Gospels, Parables, Miracles
- Gospels, Epistles, Apocrypha
- Form Criticism
- Synoptic Problem, Gospels, Sources
- Synoptic Gospels, Parables, Parables
- Gospel of Mark, Unique Structure
- Gospel, Matthew, Parables
- Luke, Parables, Parables of Jesus
- Fourth Gospel, John, Gospel
- Gospel, Parables, Miracles
- Acts, Apostles, Christianity
- Acts, History, Christianity
- Pauline Letters, Epistles, Scripture
- Paul, Romans, Salvation
- Paul, Corinthians, Faith
- Paul, Corinthians, 2nd Letter
- Paul, Galatians, Christianity
- Paul's Epistle, Faith, Salvation
- Paul, Philippians, Joy
- Paul, Colossians, Epistle
- Thessalonians, Paul, Epistles
- Pastoral Letters, Timothy, Titus
- Paul, Philemon, Epistle
- Hebrews, Epistle, Faith
- Catholic Letters, Epistles, Pauline
- 1 Peter, Epistles, Christianity
- Theology, Authorship, & Canon
- Revelation, Apocalyptic, Prophecy
- Authorship, Style, Canon
- Apocrypha, Gospels, Epistles
- Gospels, Parables, Parables
- Liturgy, Canon, Texts
- Canon, Interpretation, Catholicism
- Exegesis, Hermeneutics, Criticism
- Critical Methods
- Literary Criticism, Canon, Texts
- Exegesis, Criticism, Hermeneutics
- Hermeneutics, Interpretation, Exegesis
- Moral Interpretation
- Hermeneutics, Exegesis, Interpretation
- Exegesis, Hermeneutics, Judaism
- Medieval, Canon, Interpretation
- Patristic Period, Canonization, Interpretation
- Reformation, Canon, Texts
- Canon, Criticism, & Interpretation
Biblical source
Biblical source, any of the original oral or written materials that, in compilation, came to constitute the Bible......
Biblical translation
Biblical translation, the art and practice of rendering the Bible into languages other than those in which it was......
bidÊżah
bidÊżah, in Islam, any innovation that has no roots in the traditional practice (Sunnah) of the Muslim community.......
biform
biform, having or appearing in two dissimilar guises. The term is used of characters in classical mythology that......
Bihu
Bihu, three distinct festivalsâBohag Bihu, Kati Bihu, and Magh Bihuâcelebrated in the Indian state of Assam, each......
bimah
bimah, (from Arabic al-minbar, âplatformâ), in Jewish synagogues, a raised platform with a reading desk from which,......
bindi
bindi, a mark or sticker worn on the forehead between the eyebrows by Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist women and occasionally......
biretta
biretta, stiff square hat with three or four rounded ridges, worn by Roman Catholic, some Anglican, and some European......
bishop
bishop, in some Christian churches, the chief pastor and overseer of a diocese, an area containing several congregations.......
Bishops, Synod of
Synod of Bishops, in the Roman Catholic Church, the institution of periodic meetings of bishops established in......
Bisj pole
Bisj pole, carved wooden pole used in religious rites of the South Pacific Islands. Bisj poles are occasionally......
Bkaâ-brgyud-pa
Bkaâ-brgyud-pa, Buddhist sect in Tibet. Its members are followers of the 11th-century teacher Mar-pa, who distinguished......
black mass
black mass, in the Roman Catholic church, a requiem mass during which the celebrant wears black vestments. The......
blasphemy
blasphemy, irreverence toward a deity or deities and, by extension, the use of profanity. In Christianity, blasphemy......
Blessingway
Blessingway, central ceremony of a complex system of Navajo healing ceremonies known as sings, or chants, that......
bodhi
bodhi, (Sanskrit and PÄli: âawakening,â âenlightenmentâ), in Buddhism, the final Enlightenment, which puts an end......
bodhisattva
bodhisattva, in Buddhism, one who seeks awakening (bodhi)âhence, an individual on the path to becoming a buddha.......
Boethusian
Boethusian, member of a Jewish sect that flourished for a century or so before the destruction of Jerusalem in......
Bon
Bon, one of the most popular annual festivals in Japan, observed July 13â15 (August 13â15 in some places), honoring......
Bon
Bon, indigenous religion of Tibet that, when absorbed by the Buddhist traditions introduced from India in the 8th......
Bon Festival
Bon, also popularly called Obon, is a major Japanese festival held every July (or, in some locations, August).......
book of hours
book of hours, devotional book widely popular in the later Middle Ages. The book of hours began to appear in the......
Boshan xianglu
Boshan xianglu, Chinese bronze censer common in the Han dynasty (206 bcâad 220). Censers (vessels made for burning......
boy bishop
boy bishop, boy chosen to act as bishop in connection with the Feast of the Holy Innocents on December 28, in a......
brahma-loka
brahma-loka, in Hinduism and Buddhism, that part of the many-layered universe that is the realm of pious celestial......
brahmacharya
brahmacharya, in Buddhism, strictly, the practice of sexual chastity; more generally, the term denotes the endeavour......
Brahman
Brahman, highest ranking of the four varnas, or social classes, in Hindu India. The elevated position of the Brahmans......
brahman
brahman, in the Upanishads (Indian sacred writings), the supreme existence or absolute reality. The etymology of......
Brahmana
Brahmana, any of a number of prose commentaries attached to the Vedas, the earliest writings of Hinduism, explaining......
Brahmanism
Brahmanism, ancient Indian religious tradition that emerged from the earlier Vedic religion. In the early 1st millennium......
brahmavihÄra
brahmavihÄra, (Sanskrit: âliving in the Brahman-heavenâ), in Buddhist philosophy, the four noble practices of mental......
Branch Davidian
Branch Davidian, member of an offshoot group of the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Church that made headlines on......
breviary
breviary, liturgical book in the Roman Catholic Church that contains the daily service for the divine office, the......
Bride
Bride, a woman on her wedding day. The word bride appears in many combinations, some of them archaicâe.g., "bride......
brownie
brownie, in English and Scottish folklore, a small, industrious fairy or hobgoblin believed to inhabit houses and......
bubi
bubi, in the religion of the Bantu-speaking Luba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the notion of......
Buddhism
Buddhism, religion and philosophy that developed from the teachings of the Buddha (Sanskrit: âAwakened Oneâ), a......
- Introduction
- Enlightenment, Dharma, Four Noble Truths
- Four Noble Truths, Dharma, Enlightenment
- Origins, Spread, Teachings
- Decline, India, Revival
- Southeast Asia, Theravada, Mahayana
- Central Asia, China, Dharma
- Korean, Japanese, Traditions
- Tibet, Mongolia, Himalayas
- Buddhism in the West
- Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana
- Pali Canon, Tipitaka, Dharma
- Mahayana, Dharma, Sutras
- Yogachara, Vijnanavada, Faxiang
- Pure Land
- Vajrayana, Tantric, Esoteric
- Rnying-ma-pa, Tibetan, Esoteric
- Mythology, Dharma, Enlightenment
- Celestial Buddhas, Bodhisattvas
- Local Gods, Demons
- Meditation, Dharma, Karma
- Pilgrimage, Sacred Sites, Rituals
- Modern Practice, Beliefs, Teachings
Buddhist council
Buddhist council, any of several assemblies convened in the centuries following the death of the Buddha to recite......
Buddhist meditation
Buddhist meditation, the practice of mental concentration leading ultimately through a succession of stages to......
bugaku
bugaku, repertoire of dances of the Japanese Imperial court, derived from traditional dance forms imported from......
bull cult
bull cult, prehistoric religious practice that originated in the eastern Aegean Sea and extended from the Indus......
bunyip
bunyip, in Australian Aboriginal folklore, a legendary monster said to inhabit the reedy swamps and lagoons of......
burial
burial, the disposal of human remains by depositing in the earth, a grave, or a tomb, by consigning to the water,......
Burial mound
Burial mound, artificial hill of earth and stones built over the remains of the dead. In England the equivalent......
butsudan
butsudan, in Japanese households, the Buddhist family altar; historically, it was maintained in addition to the......
Byzantine rite
Byzantine rite, the system of liturgical practices and discipline observed by the Eastern Orthodox Church and by......
BÄbism
BÄbism, religion that developed in Iran around MÄ«rzÄ ÊżAlÄ« Moáž„ammadâs claim to be a bÄb (Arabic: âgatewayâ), or......
caduceus
caduceus, staff carried by Hermes, the messenger of the gods, as a symbol of peace. Among the ancient Greeks and......
cairn
cairn, a pile of stones that is used as a boundary marker, a memorial, or a burial site. Cairns are usually conical......
caitya
caitya, (Sanskrit: âthat which is worthy to be gazed upon,â thus âworshipfulâ), in Buddhism, a sacred place or......
Calendar of Catholic saint feast days
Throughout history the Roman Catholic Church has declared feast days to commemorate its canonized saintsâholy persons......
caliph
caliph, in Islamic history the ruler of the Muslim community. Although khalÄ«fah and its plural khulafÄÊŸ occur several......
Calvinism
Calvinism , the theology advanced by John Calvin, a Protestant reformer in the 16th century, and its development......
Camenae
Camenae, in Roman religion, goddesses who were perhaps originally water deities, having a sacred grove and spring......
camp meeting
camp meeting, type of outdoor revival meeting that was held on the American frontier during the 19th century by......
Candlemas
Candlemas, Christian festival on February 2 commemorating the occasion when the Virgin Mary, in obedience to Jewish......
canon law
canon law, body of laws made within certain Christian churches (Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, independent churches......
Canonization
Canonization, official act, mainly in the Roman Catholic Church but also in the Eastern Orthodox Church, of declaring......
canopic jar
canopic jar, in ancient Egyptian funerary ritual, covered vessel of wood, stone, pottery, or faience in which was......
Canterbury and York, Convocations of
Convocations of Canterbury and York, in the Church of England, ecclesiastical assemblies of the provinces of Canterbury......
Canterbury, Archbishop of
Archbishop of Canterbury, in the Church of England, the primate of all England and archbishop of the ecclesiastical......
canticle
canticle, (from Latin canticulum, diminutive of canticum, âsongâ), a scriptural hymn text that is used in various......
cantillation
cantillation, in music, intoned liturgical recitation of scriptural texts, guided by signs originally devised as......
cantor
cantor, in Judaism and Christianity, an ecclesiastical official in charge of music or chants. In Judaism the cantor,......
cardinal
cardinal, a member of the Sacred College of Cardinals, whose duties include electing the pope, acting as his principal......
cardinal camerlengo
cardinal camerlengo, in Roman Catholicism, one of the cardinals and key prelates of the Vatican who is appointed......
cargo cult
cargo cult, any of the religious movements chiefly, but not solely, in Melanesia that exhibit belief in the imminence......
Carnaval
Carnaval, the merrymaking and festivity that takes place in many historically Roman Catholic countries in the last......
Carneia
Carneia, important religious festival among ancient Dorian-speaking Greeks, held in the month of Karneios (roughly......
cassock
cassock, long garment worn by Roman Catholic and other clergy both as ordinary dress and under liturgical garments.......
catacomb
catacomb, subterranean cemetery composed of galleries or passages with side recesses for tombs. The term, of unknown......
catechetical school
catechetical school, in early Christianity, a type of educational institution with a curriculum directed toward......
catechism
catechism, a manual of religious instruction usually arranged in the form of questions and answers used to instruct......
catechumen
catechumen, a person who receives instruction in the Christian religion in order to be baptized. According to the......
Catechumens, Liturgy of the
Liturgy of the Catechumens, the instructional part of the Christian worship service, consisting of hymns, prayers,......
catholic
catholic, (from Greek katholikos, âuniversalâ), the characteristic that, according to ecclesiastical writers since......
Catholic Action
Catholic Action, the organized work of the laity that is performed under the direction or mandate of a bishop in......
Catholic imagination
Catholic imagination, a cultural and aesthetic tradition across art forms in which storytelling and creative expression......
catholicos
catholicos, (âuniversalâ bishop), in Eastern Christian Churches, title of certain ecclesiastical superiors. In......
Celebrating Ramadan
The Islamic holy month of Ramadan is a time for Muslims all over the world to renew their focus on spiritual life......
Celtic Church
Celtic Church, the early Christian church in the British Isles, founded probably in the 3rd century. Highly ascetic......
Celtic religion
Celtic religion, religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Celts. The Celts, an ancient Indo-European people,......
cemetery
cemetery, place set apart for burial or entombment of the dead. Reflecting geography, religious beliefs, social......
cenobitic monasticism
cenobitic monasticism, form of monasticism based on âlife in commonâ (Greek koinobion), characterized by strict......