Religious Figures & Scholars, PON-SAB
Discover the influential religious figures and scholars whose teachings, writings, reforms, and example have shaped belief, practice, and spiritual life across traditions.
Religious Figures & Scholars Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Ponce de LeĂłn, Pedro
Pedro Ponce de LeĂłn was a Spanish Benedictine monk believed to have been the first person to develop a method for......
Pontian, Saint
Saint Pontian ; feast day August 13) was the pope, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, from 230 to 235. Many......
Porres, St. MartĂn de
St. MartĂn de Porres ; canonized 1962; feast day November 3) was a Peruvian Roman Catholic friar noted for his......
Potok, Chaim
Chaim Potok was an American rabbi and author whose novels introduced to American fiction the spiritual and cultural......
Powell, Vavasor
Vavasor Powell was a Welsh preacher and Fifth Monarchist during the English Civil Wars and Commonwealth. Educated......
Prejean, Sister Helen
Sister Helen Prejean is an American nun, who was a leader in the movement to abolish the death penalty. Prejean......
Priesand, Sally J.
Sally J. Priesand is an American rabbi who on June 3, 1972, became the first woman in the United States to be so......
Priestley, Joseph
Joseph Priestley was an English clergyman, political theorist, and physical scientist whose work contributed to......
Priscillian
Priscillian was an early Christian bishop who was the first heretic to receive capital punishment. A rigorous ascetic,......
Pro JuĂĄrez, Miguel
Miguel Pro JuĂĄrez was a Mexican Jesuit priest martyred during anti-Roman Catholic persecutions of the 1920s in......
Proclus
Proclus was the last major ancient Greek philosopher. He was influential in helping Neoplatonic ideas to spread......
Prokopovich, Feofan
Feofan Prokopovich was a Russian Orthodox theologian and archbishop of Pskov, who by his administration, oratory,......
Prosper of Aquitaine, Saint
Saint Prosper of Aquitaine ; feast day July 7) was an early Christian polemicist famous for his defense of Augustine......
Proud, Joseph
Joseph Proud was an English Swedenborgian minister and hymn writer who possessed considerable gifts as a preacher.......
Provoost, Samuel
Samuel Provoost was a North American colonial and later U.S. clergyman, the first Protestant Episcopal bishop of......
Prudentius
Prudentius was a Christian Latin poet whose Psychomachia (âThe Contest of the Soulâ), the first completely allegorical......
Przysucha, Jacob Isaac ben Asher
Jacob Isaac ben Asher Przysucha was a Jewish កasidic leader who sought to turn Polish កasidism away from its reliance......
Psellus, Michael
Michael Psellus was a Byzantine philosopher, theologian, and statesman whose advocacy of Platonic philosophy as......
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite was probably a Syrian monk who, known only by his pseudonym, wrote a series of......
Purandaradasa
Purandaradasa was an Indian saint who was a major poet and composer of Haridasa devotional song, one of the major......
Pusey, E.B.
E.B. Pusey was an English Anglican theologian, scholar, and a leader of the Oxford movement, which sought to revive......
Putnam, Robert D.
Robert D. Putnam is an American political scientist and educator best known for his study of social capital. Just......
PĂĄez, Pedro
Pedro PĂĄez was a learned Jesuit priest who, in the tradition of Frumentiusâfounder of the Ethiopian churchâwent......
Quadratus, St.
St. Quadratus ; feast day May 26) was the earliest known Apologist for Christianity. With only a fragment of his......
Quesnel, Pasquier
Pasquier Quesnel was a controversial French theologian who led the Jansenists (followers of Bishop Cornelius Jansenâs......
Quinet, Edgar
Edgar Quinet was a French poet, historian, and political philosopher who made a significant contribution to the......
Quiroga, Vasco de
Vasco de Quiroga was a Spanish bishop, social reformer, and humanist educator who founded the Colegio de San NicolĂĄs......
Rabanus Maurus
Rabanus Maurus was an archbishop, Benedictine abbot, theologian, and scholar whose work so contributed to the development......
Rabbula
Rabbula was a reforming bishop of Edessa and theologian who was a leading figure in the Christian church in Syria.......
Rachel
Rachel, in Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), one of the two wives of the patriarch Jacob.......
Radegunda, St.
St. Radegunda ; feast day August 13) was the queen of the Merovingian king Chlotar I, who left her husband to become......
Radewyns, Florentius
Florentius Radewyns was a Dutch Roman Catholic theologian, successor to Geert Groote as leader of the Brethren......
Rahner, Karl
Karl Rahner was a German Jesuit priest who is widely considered to have been one of the foremost Roman Catholic......
Raimundo, Don
Don Raimundo was an archbishop and leading prelate of the 12th-century Spanish Christian church, whose patronage......
Rainald Of Dassel
Rainald Of Dassel was a German statesman, chancellor of the Holy Roman Empire, and archbishop of Cologne, the chief......
Rajneesh, Bhagwan Shree
Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh was an Indian spiritual leader who preached an eclectic doctrine of Eastern mysticism, individual......
Ramadan, Tariq
Tariq Ramadan is a Swiss theologian, Islamics scholar, philosopher, and media personality. Although Ramadanâs parents......
Ramana Maharshi
Ramana Maharshi was a Hindu philosopher and yogi called âGreat Master,â âBhagavanâ (the Lord), and âthe Sage of......
Ramatirtha
Ramatirtha was a Hindu religious leader known for the highly personal and poetic manner in which he taught what......
Rampolla, Mariano
Mariano Rampolla was an Italian prelate who played a notable role in the liberalization of the Vatican under Leo......
Ramsey, Michael, Baron Ramsey of Canterbury
Michael Ramsey, Baron Ramsey of Canterbury was the archbishop of Canterbury (1961â74), theologian, educator, and......
Rancé, Armand-Jean Le Bouthillier de
Armand-Jean Le Bouthillier de Rancé was a French abbot who revived the Cistercian abbey of La Trappe, influenced......
Rapp, George
George Rapp was a German-born American ascetic who founded the Rappites (Harmonists), a Pietist sect that formed......
RashÄ«d RiážÄ
RashÄ«d RiážÄ was an Islamic scholar who formulated an intellectual response to the pressures of the modern Western......
Ratramnus
Ratramnus was a theologian, priest, and monk at the Benedictine abbey of Corbie whose important 9th-century work......
Rauschenbusch, Walter
Walter Rauschenbusch was a clergyman and theology professor who led the Social Gospel movement in the United States.......
Rauscher, Joseph Othmar von
Joseph Othmar von Rauscher was a cardinal and the influential tutor of the Habsburg emperor Francis Joseph; he......
Raymond of Peñafort, St
St. Raymond of Peñafort ; canonized 1601; feast day January 7) was a Catalan Dominican friar who compiled the Decretals......
Rebekah
Rebekah, in the Hebrew Bible, matriarch who is the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob, both key patriarchs.......
Reeves, Ambrose
Ambrose Reeves was an Anglican prelate who was bishop of Johannesburg, South Africa (1949â61), and a strong opponent......
Reinkens, Joseph Hubert
Joseph Hubert Reinkens was a German bishop, historical scholar, and a leader of the Old Catholics (Altkatholiken),......
Relly, James
James Relly was a Welsh Methodist minister and revivalist who influenced the development of Universalism, a theological......
Remigius of Reims, Saint
Saint Remigius of Reims ; feast day October 1) was a bishop of Reims who greatly advanced the cause of Christianity......
Renan, Ernest
Ernest Renan was a French philosopher, historian, and scholar of religion, a leader of the school of critical philosophy......
Renwick, James
James Renwick was the last of the prominent Covenanter martyrs of Scotland. Educated at Edinburgh University, Renwick......
Rescuing Muhammad Aliâs Lost Legacy
People today understand that Muhammad Ali defied the United States government and alienated mainstream America......
Retz, Jean-François-Paul de Gondi, Cardinal de
Jean-François-Paul de Gondi, cardinal de Retz was one of the leaders of the aristocratic rebellion known as the......
Reverend Ike
Reverend Ike was an American clergyman who built his prosperity gospel on the concepts of self-motivated wealth......
Reynolds, Walter
Walter Reynolds was an archbishop of Canterbury best known for his political involvement with Edward II. Reynolds......
Rhodes, Alexandre de
Alexandre de Rhodes was a Jesuit missionary who was the first Frenchman to visit Vietnam. De Rhodes was admitted......
Ricci, Matteo
Matteo Ricci was an Italian Jesuit missionary who introduced Christian teaching to the Chinese empire in the 16th......
Richard le Grant
Richard le Grant was the 45th archbishop of Canterbury (1229â31), who asserted the independence of the clergy and......
Richard of Chichester, Saint
Saint Richard of Chichester ; canonized Jan. 28, 1262; feast day April 3) was a bishop of Chichester, who championed......
Richard of Saint-Victor
Richard of Saint-Victor was a Roman Catholic theologian whose treatises profoundly influenced medieval and modern......
Richelieu, Cardinal
Cardinal Richelieu was the chief minister to King Louis XIII of France from 1624 to 1642. His major goals, which......
Ridley, Nicholas
Nicholas Ridley was a Protestant martyr, one of the finest academic minds in the early English Reformation. Ridley......
Rigdon, Sidney
Sidney Rigdon was an American churchman, an early convert to Mormonism (1830) and first counselor to its founder,......
Ritschl, Albrecht
Albrecht Ritschl was a German Lutheran theologian who showed both the religious and ethical relevance of the Christian......
Robert of JumiĂšges
Robert of JumiĂšges was one of the Normans given high position by the English king Edward the Confessor. Robert......
Robert of Molesme, St.
St. Robert of Molesme ; canonized 1222; feast day April 29) was a French Benedictine monk and abbot, monastic reformer,......
Roberts, Oral
Oral Roberts was an American Pentecostal evangelist known for his televised faith-healing ministry. Roberts was......
Robertson, Pat
Pat Robertson was an American evangelist who was noted for his conservative views. He founded (1960) what became......
Robinson, Edward
Edward Robinson was an American biblical scholar, considered the father of biblical geography. Robinson graduated......
Robinson, Henry Wheeler
Henry Wheeler Robinson was a notable Nonconformist English Baptist theologian and Old Testament scholar. Robinson......
Robinson, John
John Robinson was an English Puritan minister called the pastor of the Pilgrim Fathers for his guidance of their......
Robinson, V. Gene
V. Gene Robinson was the ninth Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire (2004â13) and the first openly gay bishop in the......
Roger of Pont lâĂvĂȘque
Roger of Pont lâĂvĂȘque was an archbishop of York and adviser of King Henry II of England, who supported the King......
Rogers, Fred
Fred Rogers was an American television host, producer, minister, and writer best known for Mister Rogersâ Neighborhood......
Rogers, John
John Rogers was a religious Reformer and the first Protestant martyr of the English queen Mary Iâs reign. He was......
Rogers, Mary Joseph
Mary Joseph Rogers was the founder of the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, popularly called the Maryknoll Sisters,......
Rohan, Louis-RenĂ©-Ădouard, prince de
Louis-RenĂ©-Ădouard, prince de Rohan was a cardinal from 1778 and bishop of Strasbourg from 1779 to 1801, who was......
Rokycana, Jan
Jan Rokycana was a priest, archbishop, and follower of Jan Hus (1372/73â1415); he was a chief organizer of the......
Rolle, Richard
Richard Rolle was an English mystic and author of mystical and ascetic tracts. Rolle attended the University of......
Rolston, Holmes, III
Holmes Rolston III was an American utilitarian philosopher and theologian who pioneered the fields of environmental......
Romero, Ăscar, St
St. Ăscar Romero ; beatified May 23, 2015; canonized October 14, 2018; feast day March 24) was a Salvadoran Roman......
Roscelin
Roscelin was a French philosopher and theologian known as the originator of an extreme form of nominalism holding......
Rose of Lima, St
St. Rose of Lima ; canonized April 12, 1671; feast day August 23, formerly August 30) was the first person born......
Rosenzweig, Franz
Franz Rosenzweig was a German-Jewish religious Existentialist who, through his fresh handling of traditional religious......
Rosmini-Serbati, Antonio
Antonio Rosmini-Serbati was an Italian religious philosopher and founder of the Institute of Charity, or Rosminians,......
Rothe, Richard
Richard Rothe was a Lutheran theologian of the German idealist school, which held, in general, that reality is......
Roundtree, Dovey Johnson
Dovey Johnson Roundtree was an American lawyer, civil rights activist, military officer, minister, and an important......
Roux, Jacques
Jacques Roux was a French priest who became the leader of the democratic extremists known as the Enragés (literally......
Roy, Camille
Camille Roy was a critic and literary historian, noted as an authority on the development of French Canadian literature.......
Ruffo, Fabrizio
Fabrizio Ruffo was a Roman Catholic cardinal and politician who was royal vicar of the Neapolitan kingdom (1799)......
Rufinus, Tyrannius
Tyrannius Rufinus was a Roman priest, writer, theologian, and translator of Greek theological works into Latin......
Runcie, Robert
Robert Runcie was the archbishop of Canterbury and titular head of the Anglican Communion from 1980 to 1991. Runcie......
Russell, Charles Taze
Charles Taze Russell was the founder of the International Bible Students Association, forerunner of the Jehovahâs......
Ruth
Ruth, biblical character, a woman who after being widowed remains with her husbandâs mother. The story is told......
RÄzÄ«, al-
al-RÄzÄ« was a celebrated alchemist and Muslim philosopher who is also considered to have been the greatest physician......
Sabas, Saint
Saint Sabas ; feast day December 5) was a Christian Palestinian monk, champion of orthodoxy in the 5th-century......