Religious Figures & Scholars, TIT-WIL
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
Titus, St
St. Titus ; Western feast day January 26 [with St. Timothy], Eastern feast day August 25) was a disciple of St.......
Toba Sōjō
Toba Sōjō was the 47th head priest of the Enryaku-ji, which is the headquarters of the Tendai sect of Buddhism,......
Tok Kenali
Tok Kenali was a Malay theologian and teacher who became the archetype of the rural Malay religious teacher (alim),......
Tolton, Augustus
Augustus Tolton was an American religious leader who is regarded as the first African American ordained as a priest......
Tomasek, Frantisek
Frantisek Tomasek was a Roman Catholic cardinal, archbishop of Prague (1977–91), whose cautious but resolute opposition......
Torrey, Charles Cutler
Charles Cutler Torrey was a U.S. Semitic scholar who held independent and stimulating views on certain biblical......
Troeltsch, Ernst
Ernst Troeltsch was a German scholar of considerable influence on younger theologians of his time for his insistence......
Trolle, Gustav
Gustav Trolle was a Swedish archbishop who instigated the Stockholm Bloodbath of 1520—the mass execution of 82......
Tu Duc
Tu Duc was the emperor of Vietnam who followed a policy of conservatism and isolation and whose persecution of......
Tunstall, Cuthbert
Cuthbert Tunstall was a prelate, bishop of London (1522–30) and of Durham (1530–52 and 1553–59), who was a leading......
Tutu, Desmond
Desmond Tutu was a South African Anglican cleric who in 1984 received the Nobel Prize for Peace for his role in......
Tyconius
Tyconius, one of the most important biblical theologians of 4th-century North African Latin Christianity. Although......
Tyndale, William
William Tyndale was an English biblical translator, humanist, and Protestant martyr. Tyndale was educated at the......
Tyrrell, George
George Tyrrell was an Irish-born British Jesuit priest and philosopher. He was a prominent member of the Modernist......
T’aigo Wangsa
T’aigo Wangsa was a Buddhist monk and the founder of the T’aigo sect of Korean Buddhism. T’aigo entered into Buddhism......
Ulfilas
Ulfilas was a Christian bishop and missionary who evangelized the Goths, reputedly created the Gothic alphabet,......
Ullathorne, William Bernard
William Bernard Ullathorne was a Roman Catholic missionary to Australia and first bishop of Birmingham, Eng. He......
Ulrich, Saint
Saint Ulrich ; canonized 993; feast day July 4) was a bishop and patron saint of Augsburg, the first person known......
Underhill, Evelyn
Evelyn Underhill was an English mystical poet and author of such works as Mysticism (1911), The Mystic Way (1913),......
Urban I, Saint
Saint Urban I ; feast day May 25) was the pope from 222 to 230. Succeeding that of St. Calixtus I, his pontificate......
Ursinus
Ursinus was an antipope from 366 to 367. After Pope Liberius’ death on Sept. 24, 366, two Roman deacons, Ursinus......
Ursula, St
St. Ursula ; feast day October 21) was a legendary virgin martyr and the leader of 11 or 11,000 virgins reputedly......
Usman dan Fodio
Usman dan Fodio was a Fulani mystic, philosopher, and revolutionary reformer who, in a jihad (holy war) between......
Ussher, James
James Ussher was an Anglo-Irish prelate of the Anglican church who was memorable for his activity in religious......
Uzziah
Uzziah, in the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 26), son and successor of Amaziah, and king of Judah for 52 years (c.......
Vacarius
Vacarius was a scholar of Roman (civil) and canon law, who was, at the nascent University of Oxford and elsewhere,......
Vajrabodhi
Vajrabodhi, was an Indian Buddhist monk who helped transmit Buddhism to China. Vajrabodhi and his disciple Amoghavajra......
Valdes
Valdes was a medieval French religious leader. A successful merchant, Valdes underwent a religious conversion,......
Valentine, St
St. Valentine ; feast day February 14) was the name of one or two legendary Christian martyrs whose lives seem......
Valentinus
Valentinus was an Egyptian religious philosopher and the founder of Roman and Alexandrian schools of gnosticism,......
Valerian
Valerian was a Roman emperor from 253 to 260. Licinius Valerianus was consul under Severus Alexander (emperor 222–235)......
Valignano, Alessandro
Alessandro Valignano was an Italian Jesuit missionary who helped introduce Christianity to the Far East, especially......
Vanier, Jean
Jean Vanier was a Swiss-born Roman Catholic social activist, theologian, and philosopher who was involved in efforts......
Vedantadeshika
Vedantadeshika was a leading theologian of the Vishishtadvaita (Qualified Nondualist) school of philosophy and......
Verbiest, Ferdinand
Ferdinand Verbiest was a Dutch Jesuit missionary and astronomer who became an influential official in the Chinese......
Vergerio, Pietro Paulo
Pietro Paulo Vergerio was an Italian reformer and the most famous of the "Old Catholic" bishops in the 16th century......
Vermigli, Peter Martyr
Peter Martyr Vermigli was a leading Italian religious reformer whose chief concern was eucharistic doctrine. The......
Veronica, St.
St. Veronica ; feast day July 12) was a renowned legendary woman who, moved by the sight of Christ carrying his......
Vianney, St. John
St. John Vianney ; canonized May 31, 1925; feast day August 4 [formerly August 9]) was a French Roman Catholic......
Victor
Victor (IV) was an antipope from 1159 to 1164 and the second antipope designated as Victor IV. He was the first......
Victor
Victor (IV) was an antipope from March to May 29, 1138. He was a cardinal when chosen pope by a faction opposing......
Victor I, St.
St. Victor I ; feast day July 28) was the pope from about 189 to 198/199. After succeeding St. Eleutherius in 189,......
Victor II
Victor II was the pope from 1055 to 1057. Victor was of noble birth and was appointed bishop of Eichstätt in 1042.......
Victor III, Blessed
Blessed Victor III ; beatified July 23, 1887) ; feast day September 16) was the pope from 1086 to 1087. Of noble......
Vieira, António
António Vieira was a Jesuit missionary, orator, diplomat, and master of classical Portuguese prose who played an......
Viganò, Carlo Maria
Carlo Maria Viganò is a Roman Catholic archbishop and a former papal nuncio (ambassador) to the United States whose......
Vigny, Alfred-Victor, comte de
Alfred-Victor, count de Vigny was a poet, dramatist, and novelist who was the most philosophical of the French......
Vincent de Paul, St
St. Vincent de Paul ; canonized 1737; feast day September 27) was a French saint who founded the Congregation of......
Vincent Ferrer, St
St. Vincent Ferrer ; canonized 1455; feast day April 5) was an Aragonese (Spain) friar and a renowned preacher......
Vincent of Lérins, Saint
Saint Vincent of Lérins ; feast day May 24) was a Gallo-Roman saint, the chief theologian of the Abbey of Lérins,......
Vinet, Alexandre-Rodolphe
Alexandre-Rodolphe Vinet was a French-Swiss theologian, moralist, and literary critic who was instrumental in establishing......
Visser ’t Hooft, Willem Adolph
Willem Adolph Visser ’t Hooft was a Dutch clergyman and theologian who led the World Council of Churches as its......
Vital, Ḥayyim ben Joseph
Ḥayyim ben Joseph Vital was one of Judaism’s outstanding Kabbalists (expounder of Jewish esoteric or occult doctrine).......
Vitoria, Francisco de
Francisco de Vitoria was a Spanish theologian best remembered for his defense of the rights of the Indians of the......
Vivekananda
Vivekananda was a Hindu monk, spiritual leader, preacher, and reformer in India and an activating force in the......
Voetius, Gisbertus
Gisbertus Voetius was a Dutch Reformed theologian, scholar in Semitic languages, and educator who upheld uncompromising......
Vídalín, Jón Thorkelsson
Jón Thorkelsson Vídalín was a Lutheran bishop, best known for his Húss-Postilla (1718–20; “Sermons for the Home”),......
Wach, Joachim
Joachim Wach was a Protestant theologian and one of the foremost scholars in the modern study of religion. As a......
Wahhāb, Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb was a theologian and founder of the Wahhābī movement, which attempted a return to the......
Wala, Saint
Saint Wala ; feast day August 31) was a Frankish count, Benedictine abbot, and influential minister at the courts......
Walafrid Strabo
Walafrid Strabo was a Benedictine abbot, theologian, and poet whose Latin writings were the principal exemplar......
Walburga, Saint
Saint Walburga ; feast day February 25) was an abbess and missionary who, with her brothers Willibald of Eichstätt......
Wallace, Anthony F.C.
Anthony F.C. Wallace was a Canadian-born American psychological anthropologist and historian known for his analysis......
Walther, Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm
Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther was a Lutheran theologian whose conservative views played an important role in the......
Walī Allāh, Shāh
Shāh Walī Allāh was an Indian theologian and promulgator of modern Islamic thought who first attempted to reassess......
Wang Che
Wang Che was the founder of the Ch’üan-chen (Perfect Realization) sect of Taoism, in 1163. After receiving secret......
Warburton, William
William Warburton was an Anglican bishop of Gloucester, literary critic, and controversialist. Ordained priest......
Ward, William George
William George Ward was an English author and theologian, one of the leaders of the Oxford movement, which sought......
Warham, William
William Warham was the last of the pre-Reformation archbishops of Canterbury, a quiet, retiring intellectual who......
Warren, Rick
Rick Warren is an American pastor who, as the founder of Saddleback Church and as the author of The Purpose-Driven......
Warriston, Archibald Johnston, Lord
Archibald Johnston, Lord Warriston was a Scottish Presbyterian who was a leading anti-Royalist during the English......
Watson, William
William Watson was an English Roman Catholic priest who was executed for his part in the “Bye Plot” against King......
Watts, Alan
Alan Watts was a British-born American writer, philosopher, and lecturer who is credited with introducing and popularizing......
Waynflete, William of
William of Waynflete was an English lord chancellor and bishop of Winchester who founded Magdalen College of the......
Weil, Simone
Simone Weil was a French mystic, social philosopher, and activist in the French Resistance during World War II,......
Weiss, Johannes
Johannes Weiss was a German theologian known for his work in New Testament criticism. He wrote the first eschatological......
Welby, Justin
Justin Welby was the 105th archbishop of Canterbury, serving from 2013 until his resignation in 2024. He was the......
Welch, Adam Cleghorn
Adam Cleghorn Welch was one of the greatest Scottish biblical scholars. The son of a United Presbyterian missionary,......
Wellhausen, Julius
Julius Wellhausen was a German biblical scholar best known for his analysis of the structure and dating of the......
Wenceslas I
Wenceslas I ; feast day September 28) was the prince of Bohemia and a Christian martyr who is venerated as the......
Wesley, John
John Wesley was an Anglican clergyman, evangelist, and founder, with his brother Charles, of the Methodist movement......
Westcott, Brooke Foss
Brooke Foss Westcott was an Anglican bishop of Durham, England, and a biblical scholar who collaborated with Fenton......
Weymouth, Richard Francis
Richard Francis Weymouth was a philologist and biblical scholar who made one of the major 20th-century translations......
Whately, Richard
Richard Whately was an Anglican archbishop of Dublin, educator, logician, and social reformer. The son of a clergyman,......
White, Alma Bridwell
Alma Bridwell White was an American religious leader who was a founder and major moving force in the evangelical......
White, Ellen Gould Harmon
Ellen Gould Harmon White was an American religious leader who was one of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist......
White, Paula
Paula White is an American Pentecostal pastor, speaker, and author associated with the controversial prosperity......
White, William
William White was the first bishop consecrated in England for the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States......
Whitefield, George
George Whitefield was a Church of England evangelist who, by his popular preaching, stimulated the 18th-century......
Whitgift, John
John Whitgift was the archbishop of Canterbury who did much to strengthen the Anglican church during the last years......
Whitman, Marcus
Marcus Whitman was an American physician, Congregational missionary to the Indians in the territories of present-day......
Wilberforce, Samuel
Samuel Wilberforce was a British cleric, an Anglican prelate and educator and a defender of orthodoxy, who typified......
Wilfrid, Saint
Saint Wilfrid ; feast day October 12) was one of the greatest English saints, a monk and bishop who was outstanding......
Wilkinson, Jemima
Jemima Wilkinson was an American religious leader who founded an unorthodox Christian sect, the Universal Friends,......
William De La Mare
William De La Mare was an English philosopher and theologian, advocate of the traditional Neoplatonic-Augustinian......
William of Auvergne
William of Auvergne was the most prominent French philosopher-theologian of the early 13th century and one of the......
William of Auxerre
William of Auxerre was a French philosopher-theologian who contributed to the adaptation of classical Greek philosophy......
William of Champeaux
William of Champeaux was a French bishop, logician, theologian, and philosopher who was prominent in the Scholastic......
William Of Hirsau
William Of Hirsau was a German cleric, Benedictine abbot, and monastic reformer, the principal German advocate......
William of Moerbeke
William of Moerbeke was a Flemish cleric, archbishop, and classical scholar whose Latin translations of the works......