Scriptures, DAN-JIB
Sacred scriptures of all religions, viewed as the word of God or inspired by God, have influenced the moral and ethical standards of countries, peoples, and religious groups. Their interpretation has long been a subject of discussion and, at times, controversy.
Scriptures Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Daniel, The Book of
The Book of Daniel, a book of the Old Testament found in the Ketuvim (Writings), the third section of the Jewish......
Daozang
Daozang, a large, imperially sponsored collection of Daoist writings, very few of which have been translated into......
Dasam Granth
Dasam Granth, collection of writings attributed to Gurū Gobind Singh, the tenth and last spiritual leader of the......
Daxue
Daxue, brief Chinese text generally attributed to the ancient sage Confucius (551ā479 bc) and his disciple Zengzi.......
Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient, mostly Hebrew, manuscripts (of leather, papyrus, and copper) first found in 1947 on......
decretal
decretal, a reply in writing by the pope to a particular question of church discipline that has been referred to......
Deer, The Book of
The Book of Deer, illuminated manuscript written in Latin, probably in the 9th century, at a monastery founded......
Deuteronomist
Deuteronomist, (D), one of the supposed sources of a portion of the Hebrew canon known as the Pentateuch, in particular,......
Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy, (āWordsā), fifth book of the Old Testament, written in the form of a farewell address by Moses to......
Devi Mahatmya
Devi Mahatmya, Sanskrit text, written about the 5th or 6th century ce, that forms a portion of a larger work known......
devil
devil, (from Greek diabolos, āslandererā or āaccuserā), the spirit or power of evil. Though sometimes used for......
Dhammapada
Dhammapada, probably the best-known book in the Pali Buddhist canon. It is an anthology of basic Buddhist teachings......
Dharma-shastra
Dharma-shastra, ancient Indian body of jurisprudence that is the basis, subject to legislative modification, of......
Dhola
Dhola, oral epic that is sung in various Hindi dialects in honour of the goddess Shakti and is performed in the......
Diamond Sutra
Diamond Sutra, brief and very popular Mahayana Buddhist text widely used in East Asia and perhaps the best known......
Diatessaron
Diatessaron, the four New Testament Gospels compiled as a single narrative by Tatian (q.v.) about ad 150. It was......
DidachÄ
DidachÄ, the oldest surviving Christian church order, probably written in Egypt or Syria in the 2nd century. In......
Diognetus, Letter to
Letter to Diognetus, early Christian apologetic work probably dating from the 2nd or 3rd century ce. An insightful......
Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants, one of the four scriptures of Mormonism, along with the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and......
Douai-Reims Bible
Douai-Reims Bible, English translation of the Latin Vulgate Bible produced by Roman Catholic scholars in exile......
DÄnkart
DÄnkart, 9th-century encyclopaedia of the Zoroastrian religious tradition. Of the original nine volumes, part of......
Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes, (Preacher), an Old Testament book of wisdom literature that belongs to the third section of the biblical......
Ecclesiasticus
Ecclesiasticus, deuterocanonical biblical work (accepted in the Roman Catholic canon but noncanonical for Jews......
Edgerton Bible case
Edgerton Bible case, decision by the Supreme Court of the state of Wisconsin that outlawed devotional Bible reading......
Elohim
Elohim, (Hebrew: God), the God of Israel in the Old Testament. A plural of majesty, the term Elohimāthough sometimes......
Elohist source
Elohist source, biblical source and one of four that, according to the documentary hypothesis, comprise the original......
Enoch, First Book of
First Book of Enoch, pseudepigraphal work (not included in any canon of scripture) whose only complete extant version......
Enoch, Second Book of
Second Book of Enoch, pseudepigraphal work whose only extant version is a Slavonic translation of the Greek original.......
Enuma elish
Enuma elish, ancient Mesopotamian creation epic that tells the tale of Marduk, the chief god of the city of Babylon.......
Ephesians, Letter of Paul to the
Letter of Paul to the Ephesians, tenth book of the New Testament, once thought to have been composed by St. Paul......
Esdras, First Book of
First Book of Esdras, apocryphal work that was included in the canon of the Septuagint (the Greek version of the......
Esdras, Second Book of
Second Book of Esdras, apocryphal work printed in the Vulgate and many later Roman Catholic bibles as an appendix......
Esther, Book of
Book of Esther, book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. It belongs to the third section of the......
exegesis
exegesis, the critical interpretation of the biblical text to discover its intended meaning. Both Jews and Christians......
Exodus
Exodus, the liberation of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt in the 13th century bce, under the leadership......
Ezekiel, The Book of
The Book of Ezekiel, one of the major prophetical books of the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament). According......
Ezra and Nehemiah, books of
books of Ezra and Nehemiah, two Old Testament books that together with the books of Chronicles formed a single......
Fall of Man
Fall of Man, in Christian doctrine, the descent of humanity from a state of innocence lived in the presence of......
False Decretals
False Decretals, a 9th-century collection of ecclesiastical legislation containing some forged documents. The principal......
Fengfayao
Fengfayao, discussion of Buddhist precepts written in the 4th century ce by Xi Chao, who, though a Daoist, was......
Fomoire
Fomoire, in Irish myth, a race of demonic beings who posed a threat to the inhabitants of Ireland until they were......
form criticism
form criticism, a method of biblical criticism that seeks to classify units of scripture into literary patterns......
Gabriel
Gabriel, in the three Abrahamic religionsāJudaism, Christianity, and Islamāone of the archangels. In Western Christianity......
Galatians, Letter of Paul to the
Letter of Paul to the Galatians, ninth book of the New Testament, written by St. Paul the Apostle to Christian......
Galilee
Galilee, northernmost region of ancient Palestine, corresponding to modern northern Israel. Its biblical boundaries......
Gandavyūha Sūtra
GandavyÅ«ha SÅ«tra, MahÄyÄna Buddhist sÅ«tra that forms the climax of a larger text, the Avataį¹saka SÅ«tra. The Avataį¹saka......
Gath
Gath, one of the five royal cities of the Philistines, the exact location of which in modern Israel has not been......
gematria
gematria, the substitution of numbers for letters of the Hebrew alphabet, a favourite method of exegesis used by......
Genesis
Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Its name derives from the opening words: āIn the beginningā¦.ā Genesis narrates......
Genesis Apocryphon
Genesis Apocryphon, pseudepigraphal work (not accepted in any canon of scripture), one of the most important works......
Genesis Rabbah
Genesis Rabbah, systematic exegesis of the book of Genesis produced by the Judaic sages about 450 ce, which sets......
Geneva Bible
Geneva Bible, English translation of the Bible published in Geneva (New Testament, 1557; Old Testament, 1560) by......
Gideons International
Gideons International, organization of Protestant business and professional lay men that places copies of the Bible......
Gita Press
Gita Press, Hinduismās largest printer, publisher, and distributor of religious literature. Envisaged as the Hindu......
Gog and Magog
Gog and Magog, in the Hebrew Bible, the prophesied invader of Israel and the land from which he comes, respectively;......
Golden Bough, The
The Golden Bough, a study of comparative religion by Sir James Frazer. It was originally published in two volumes......
golden calf
golden calf, idol worshipped by the Hebrews during the period of the Exodus from Egypt in the 13th century bc and......
Gospel
Gospel, any of four biblical narratives covering the life and death of Jesus Christ. Written, according to tradition,......
GuhyasamÄja-tantra
GuhyasamÄja-tantra, (āThe Mystery of TathÄgatahood [Buddhahood]ā), oldest and one of the most important of all......
Gutenberg Bible
Gutenberg Bible, the first complete book extant in the West and one of the earliest printed from movable type,......
Habakkuk, The Book of
The Book of Habakkuk, the eighth of 12 Old Testament books that bear the names of the Minor Prophets. The book......
Haggada
Haggada, in Judaism, those parts of rabbinical, or Talmudic, literature that do not deal directly with the laws......
Haggadah
Haggadah, in Judaism, the special book containing the story of the biblical Exodus as it must be retold at the......
Haggai, The Book of
The Book of Haggai, the 10th of 12 Old Testament books that bear the names of the Minor Prophets. Haggai (fl. 6th......
Halakhah
Halakhah, in Judaism, the totality of laws and ordinances that have evolved since biblical times to regulate religious......
Haman
Haman, biblical character, a court official and villain whose plan to destroy the Jews of Persia was thwarted by......
Heart Sutra
Heart Sutra, in Mahayana Buddhism, an extremely brief yet highly influential distillation of the essence of Prajnaparamita......
Hebrew Bible
Hebrew Bible, collection of writings that was first compiled and preserved as the sacred books of the Jewish people.......
Hebrew literature
Hebrew literature, the body of written works produced in the Hebrew language and distinct from Jewish literature,......
Hebrews, Letter to the
Letter to the Hebrews, anonymous New Testament letter traditionally attributed to St. Paul the Apostle but now......
Hermeneutics
Hermeneutics, the study of the general principles of biblical interpretation. For both Jews and Christians throughout......
Hexapla
Hexapla, (Greek: āSixfoldā), edition of the Old Testament compiled by Origen of Alexandria in Caesarea, Palestine,......
Hijrah
Hijrah, the Prophet Muhammadās migration (622 ce) from Mecca to Yathrib (Medina) upon invitation in order to escape......
Hippolytus, Canons of Saint
Canons of Saint Hippolytus, a collection of 38 canons (church regulations) preserved in an Arabic translation.......
historical criticism
historical criticism, in the study of biblical literature, method of criticism of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)......
Holiness, Code of
Code of Holiness, collection of secular, ritualistic, moral, and festival regulations in the Old Testament Book......
Hosanna
Hosanna, in modern speech and liturgical usage, a cry of praise to God. It has acquired this meaning through the......
Hosea, Book of
Book of Hosea, the first of 12 Old Testament books that bear the names of the Minor Prophets, considered as one......
Huainanzi
Huainanzi, important Chinese classic written in the 2nd century bc under the patronage of the nobleman Huainanzi......
HÄrÅ«t and MÄrÅ«t
HÄrÅ«t and MÄrÅ«t, in IslÄmic mythology, two angels who unwittingly became masters of evil. A group of angels, after......
Iblīs
Iblīs, in Islam, the personal name of the Devil, possibly derived from the Greek diabolos. Iblīs, the counterpart......
Idrīs
IdrÄ«s, in Islam, prophet mentioned in the QurŹ¾Än (Islamic sacred scriptures) as an immortal figure. According to......
Imitation of Christ
Imitation of Christ, a Christian devotional book written between 1390 and 1440. Although its authorship is a matter......
incubus
incubus, demon in male form that seeks to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit......
Infancy Gospel of Thomas
Infancy Gospel of Thomas, apocryphal Christian text that purports to reveal events in the life of Jesus when he......
Isaiah, Ascension of
Ascension of Isaiah, pseudepigraphal work surviving intact only in a 5thā7th-century-ad Ethiopic edition. Fragments......
Isaiah, Book of
Book of Isaiah, one of the major prophetical writings of the Old Testament. The superscription identifies Isaiah......
Islam
Islam, major world religion promulgated by the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia in the 7th century ce. The Arabic term......
- Introduction
- Qur'an, Doctrines, Beliefs
- Eschatology, Judgment, Afterlife
- Prayer, Salat, Rituals
- Beliefs, Practices, History
- Beliefs, Sects, Sunnis
- Sunni Beliefs, Practices, & History
- Shi'a, Imams, Twelvers
- Philosophy, Theology, Mysticism
- Philosophy, Theology, Law
- Avicenna, Teachings, Philosophy
- Western Philosophers
- Averroes, Teachings, Philosophy
- Critiques, Theology, Aristotle
- Sufism, Mysticism, Ibn al-Arabi
- Modernism, Reforms, Beliefs
- Schools, Madrasas, Universities
- Art, Architecture, Calligraphy
- Myths, Legends, Beliefs
- Tales, Legends, Figures
Israel
Israel, either of two political units that are described in the Hebrew Bible: the united kingdom of Israel under......
IsrÄfÄ«l
IsrÄfÄ«l, in Islam, the archangel who will blow the trumpet from the holy rock in Jerusalem (see Dome of the Rock)......
IsrÄŹ¾
IsrÄŹ¾, in Islam, the Prophet Muhammadās night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem. As alluded to in the QurŹ¾Än (17:1),......
James, Letter of
Letter of James, New Testament writing addressed to the early Christian churches (āto the twelve tribes in the......
Jashar, Book of
Book of Jashar, ancient Israelite collection of poems quoted in various books of the Old Testament. Of uncertain......
Jataka
Jataka, any of the extremely popular stories of former lives of the Buddha, which are preserved in all branches......
Jefferson Bible
Jefferson Bible, abridgment of the New Testament compiled by Thomas Jefferson (1743ā1826), who rearranged the text......
Jehovah
Jehovah, artificial Latinized rendering of the name of the God of Israel. The name arose among Christians in the......
Jeremiah, The Book of
The Book of Jeremiah, one of the major prophetical writings of the Old Testament. Jeremiah, a Judaean prophet whose......
Jeremiah, The Letter of
The Letter of Jeremiah, apocryphal book of the Old Testament, in the Roman canon appended as a sixth chapter to......
Jerusalem Talmud
Jerusalem Talmud, one of two compilations of Jewish religious teachings and commentary that was transmitted orally......
Jibrīl
Jibrīl, in Islam, the archangel who acts as intermediary between God and humans and as bearer of revelation to......