Religious Figures & Scholars
Discover the influential religious figures and scholars whose teachings, writings, reforms, and example have shaped belief, practice, and spiritual life across traditions.
Browse Subcategories
Religious Figures & Scholars Encyclopedia Articles
Featured Articles
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German theologian and religious reformer who was the catalyst of the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. Through his words and actions, Luther precipitated a movement that reformulated...
St. John Paul II
St. John Paul II ; beatified May 1, 2011; canonized April 27, 2014; feast day October 22) was the pope, the bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church, from 1978 to 2005. He was the first non-Italian...
Muhammad
Muhammad was the founder of Islam and the proclaimer of the Qurʾān. He is traditionally said to have been born in 570 in Mecca and to have died in 632 in Medina, where he had been forced to emigrate to...
John Calvin
John Calvin was a theologian and ecclesiastical statesman. He was the leading French Protestant reformer and the most important figure in the second generation of the Protestant Reformation. His interpretation...
Absalom
Absalom was the third and favourite son of David, king of Israel and Judah. The picture of Absalom that is presented in 2 Samuel 13–19 suggests that he was the Alcibiades of the Old Testament, alike in...
St. Augustine
St. Augustine ; feast day August 28) was the bishop of Hippo from 396 to 430, one of the Latin Fathers of the Christian church, and perhaps the most significant Christian thinker after St. Paul. Augustine’s...
St. Joan of Arc
St. Joan of Arc ; canonized May 16, 1920; feast day May 30; French national holiday, second Sunday in May) is a national heroine of France, a peasant girl who, believing that she was acting under divine...
Moses
Moses was a Hebrew prophet, teacher, and leader who, in the 13th century bce (before the Common Era, or bc), delivered his people from Egyptian slavery. In the Covenant ceremony at Mt. Sinai, where the...
St. Paul the Apostle
St. Paul the Apostle was one of the leaders of the first generation of Christians, often considered to be the most important person after Jesus in the history of Christianity. In his own day, although...
St. Gregory VII
St. Gregory VII ; canonized 1606; feast day May 25) was the pope, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, from 1073 to 1085. One of the greatest popes of the medieval church, he lent his name to the 11th-century...
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve, in the Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions, the original human couple, parents of the human race. In the Bible there are two accounts of their creation. According to the Priestly (P) history...
Religious Figures & Scholars Subcategories
Popes & Antipopes
Meet the popes whose devotion, leadership, writings, and influence left a lasting mark on Christian history and religious life.
Articles
-
Saints Anne and Joachim
parents of Mary
-
Francis
pope
-
St. Thomas Aquinas
Italian Christian theologian and philosopher
Saints
Saints are influential religious figures honored for their faith, teachings, service, or devotion. Learn more about these martyrs, missionaries, mystics, and religious leaders who have shaped the beliefs, worship, and religious practices across the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and other Christian traditions.
Articles
-
St. Mary Magdalene
disciple of Jesus
-
St. Nicholas
bishop of Myra
-
St. George
Christian martyr
Spiritual Leaders & Religious Figures
Religious and spiritual leaders have shaped beliefs, practices, and traditions throughout history. Learn more about influential religious leaders, spiritual teachers, founders, reformers, mystics, and other notable figures.
Articles
Theologians & Religious Scholars
Theologians and religious scholars have influenced the beliefs, teachings, and traditions of world religions throughout history. Learn more about theologians and religious thinkers from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and other faiths.
Articles
-
Madhva
Hindu philosopher
-
Buddhaghosa
Buddhist scholar
-
Guru Gobind Singh
Sikh Guru
Britannica Premium Subscription
Unlock Exclusive Content!
Subscribe to Britannica Premium and unlock our entire database of the most trusted content in the world today.
SUBSCRIBE
