Scriptures, PHI-WHO
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
Philemon, Letter of Paul to
Letter of Paul to Philemon, brief New Testament letter written by St. Paul the Apostle to a wealthy Christian of......
Philippians, Letter of Paul to the
Letter of Paul to the Philippians, eleventh book of the New Testament, written by St. Paul the Apostle to the Christian......
Philokalia
Philokalia, (Greek: “Love of the Good, the Beautiful”), prose anthology of Greek Christian monastic texts that......
philological criticism
philological criticism, method of biblical criticism consisting mainly in the study of the biblical languages in......
Pirkei Avot
Pirkei Avot, in Judaism, a tractate within the Mishnah that focuses on ethical, communal, and religious values.......
Platform Sutra
Platform Sutra, important text from the Ch’an (Zen) school of Chinese Buddhism, most likely composed in the 8th......
polyglot Bible
polyglot Bible, any of several editions of the Bible in which the text consists of translations in various languages......
Prajnaparamita
Prajnaparamita, body of sutras and their commentaries that represents the oldest of the major forms of Mahayana......
Pramana-varttika
Pramana-varttika, perhaps the foremost work on Buddhist logic and epistemology, written in the 7th century. The......
Priestly code
Priestly code, biblical source that, according to the document hypothesis, is one of the four original sources......
Prophets, The Lives of the
The Lives of the Prophets, pseudepigraphal collection (not in any scriptural canon) of folk stories and legends......
Protevangelium of James
Protevangelium of James, pseudepigraphal (noncanonical and unauthentic) work written about the mid-2nd century......
Proverbs, The
The Proverbs, an Old Testament book of “wisdom” writing found in the third section of the Jewish canon, known as......
Psalm 23
Psalm 23, Biblical poem in the book of Psalms in the Hebrew Bible that expresses trust and confidence in God and......
Psalms
Psalms, book of the Old Testament composed of sacred songs, or of sacred poems meant to be sung. In the Hebrew......
Purana
Purana, in the sacred literature of Hinduism, any of a number of popular encyclopaedic collections of myth, legend,......
Q
Q, in the study of biblical literature, a hypothetical Greek-language proto-Gospel that might have been in circulation......
qiyas
qiyas, in Islamic law, analogical reasoning as applied to the deduction of juridical principles from the Qurʾān......
Qodashim
Qodashim, (Hebrew: “Holy Things”), the fifth of the six major divisions, or orders (sedarim), of the Mishna (codification......
Qurʾān
Qurʾān, the sacred scripture of Islam. According to conventional Islamic belief, the Qurʾān was revealed by the......
rakshasa
rakshasa, in Hindu mythology, a type of demon that figures prominently in Hindu epic and Puranic literature. Rakshasas......
Raphael
Raphael, in the Bible, one of the archangels. In the apocryphal Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) Book of Tobit, he......
Ravana
Ravana, the 10-headed king of the demons (rakshasas) and primary antagonist in the Sanskrit epic Ramayana (“Rama’s......
redaction criticism
redaction criticism, in the study of biblical literature, method of criticism of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)......
religionsgeschichtliche Schule
religionsgeschichtliche Schule, in the study of religion and particularly in the study of biblical literature,......
responsa
responsa, (“questions and answers”), replies made by rabbinic scholars in answer to submitted questions about Jewish......
Revelation to John
Revelation to John, last biblical book of the New Testament. It is the only book of the New Testament classified......
Rigveda
Rigveda, the oldest of the sacred books of Hinduism, composed in an ancient form of Sanskrit about 1500 bce, in......
Romans, Letter of Paul to the
Letter of Paul to the Romans, sixth book of the New Testament and the longest and doctrinally most significant......
Ruth, Book of
Book of Ruth, Old Testament book belonging to the third section of the biblical canon, known as the Ketuvim, or......
Saint John’s Bible
Saint John’s Bible, illuminated English-language Bible (2011) notable for its incorporation of contemporary themes......
Salafi movement
Salafi movement, broad set of Islamic movements that strive to emulate the practices of al-salaf al-ṣāliḥ (“the......
Samael
Samael, in Jewish folkloric and mystical tradition, the true name of Satan. According to tradition, Samael is the......
Samuel, books of
books of Samuel, two Old Testament books that, along with Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, and 1 and 2 Kings, belong......
Satan
Satan, in the three major Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), the prince of evil spirits and......
Satanic panic
In the 1980s Americans became gripped with satanic panic, the fear that Satan worshippers were committing heinous......
Satyasiddhi-śāstra
Satyasiddhi-śāstra, (Sanskrit: True Attainment Treatise), treatise in 202 chapters on the doctrine of the void......
scripture
scripture, the revered texts, or Holy Writ, of the world’s religions. Scriptures comprise a large part of the literature......
Sefer ha-bahir
Sefer ha-bahir, (Hebrew: “Book of Brightness”), largely symbolic commentary on the Old Testament, the basic motif......
Sefer ha-temuna
Sefer ha-temuna, (Hebrew: “Book of the Image”), anonymous work in Hebrew that imbues the letters of the Hebrew......
Sefer Torah
Sefer Torah, (Hebrew: “Book of the Law”), in Judaism, the first five books of the Old Testament written in Hebrew......
Septuagint
Septuagint, the earliest extant Greek translation of the Old Testament from the original Hebrew. The Septuagint......
seraph
seraph, in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic literature, celestial being variously described as having two or three......
Sermon on the Mount
Sermon on the Mount, a biblical collection of religious teachings and ethical sayings of Jesus of Nazareth, as......
Shepherd of Hermas
Shepherd of Hermas, 2nd-century Christian writing that is one of the works representing the Apostolic Fathers (Greek......
Shruti
Shruti, in Hinduism, the most-revered body of sacred literature, considered to be the product of divine revelation.......
Sibylline Oracles
Sibylline Oracles, collection of oracular prophecies in which Jewish or Christian doctrines were allegedly confirmed......
Sinai covenant
Sinai covenant, conditional agreement between God and the people of Israel that takes place at Mount Sinai. Building......
Sishu
Sishu, four ancient Confucian texts that were used as official subject matter for civil service examinations in......
Smectymnuus
Smectymnuus, acronym under which was published (1641) in England a book upholding the Presbyterian theory of the......
Smriti
Smriti, that class of Hindu sacred literature based on human memory, as distinct from the Vedas, which are considered......
Sodom and Gomorrah
Sodom and Gomorrah, notoriously sinful cities in the biblical book of Genesis, destroyed by “sulfur and fire” because......
Solomon, Psalms of
Psalms of Solomon, a pseudepigraphal work (not in any biblical canon) comprising 18 psalms that were originally......
Solomon, Song of
Song of Solomon, an Old Testament book that belongs to the third section of the biblical canon, known as the Ketuvim,......
Solomon, Wisdom of
Wisdom of Solomon, an example of the “wisdom” genre of religious literature, which commends a life of introspection......
Sraosha
Sraosha, in Zoroastrianism, divine being who is the messenger of Ahura Mazdā and the embodiment of the divine word.......
Susanna, The History of
The History of Susanna, apocryphal addition to the Old Testament Book of Daniel; it appears in both the Septuagint......
sutra
sutra, in Hinduism, a brief aphoristic composition; in Buddhism, a more extended exposition, the basic form of......
Sutta Pitaka
Sutta Pitaka, extensive body of texts constituting the basic doctrinal section of the Buddhist canon—properly speaking,......
Suttanipāta
Suttanipāta, (Pāli: “Collection of Discourses”), one of the earliest books of the Pāli canon (where it appears......
Synoptic Gospels
Synoptic Gospels, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke in the New Testament, which present similar narratives......
Tabernacle
Tabernacle, (“dwelling”), in Jewish history, the portable sanctuary constructed by Moses as a place of worship......
tafsīr
tafsīr, the science of explanation of the Qurʾān, the sacred scripture of Islam, or of Qurʾānic commentary. So......
Talmud and Midrash
Talmud and Midrash, commentative and interpretative writings that hold a place in the Jewish religious tradition......
Tanakh
Tanakh, an acronym derived from the names of the three divisions of the Hebrew Bible: Torah (Instruction, or Law,......
Tantra
Tantra, any of numerous texts dealing with the esoteric practices of some Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain sects. In the......
Tao-te Ching
Tao-te Ching, classic of Chinese philosophical literature. The name was first used during the Han dynasty (206......
Targum
Targum, (Aramaic: “Translation,” or “Interpretation”), any of several translations of the Hebrew Bible or portions......
Tattvasamgraha Tantra
Tattvasamgraha Tantra, tantra of Chen-yen Buddhism. During the 7th, 8th, and 9th centuries the Vajrayāna forms......
Ten Plagues of Egypt
Each year during Passover, at the seder meal, celebrants of the Jewish holiday recite the Ten Plagues of Egypt......
Testamentum Domini
Testamentum Domini, one of a series of writings (including the Apostolic Constitutions and the Apostolic Tradition......
Theragāthā/Therīgāthā
Theragāthā/Therīgāthā, Buddhist lyrics, included in the Suttanipāta (one of the earliest books of the Pāli canon,......
Thessalonians, Letters of Paul to the
Letters of Paul to the Thessalonians, two New Testament letters written by St. Paul the Apostle from Corinth, Achaea......
Thomas, Gospel of
Gospel of Thomas, apocryphal (noncanonical) gospel containing 114 sayings attributed to the resurrected Jesus,......
Timothy, Letters of Paul to
Letters of Paul to Timothy, either of two New Testament writings addressed to St. Timothy, one of St. Paul the......
Titus, Letter of Paul to
Letter of Paul to Titus, New Testament writing addressed to one of St. Paul the Apostle’s close companions, St.......
Tobit
Tobit, apocryphal work (noncanonical for Jews and Protestants) that found its way into the Roman Catholic canon......
Torah
Torah, in Judaism, in the broadest sense, the substance of divine revelation to Israel, the Jewish people: God’s......
Tosafot
Tosafot, (Hebrew: “additions”), critical remarks and notes on selective passages of the Talmud that were written......
Tosefta
Tosefta, (Aramaic: Supplement, or Addition), a collection of oral traditions related to Jewish oral law. In form......
tradition criticism
tradition criticism, in the study of biblical literature, method of criticism of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)......
Trinity
Trinity, in Christian doctrine, the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. The......
Twelve Patriarchs, Testaments of the
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, pseudepigraphal work (not in any biblical canon) purporting to present the......
Twelve, The
The Twelve, book of the Hebrew Bible that contains the books of 12 minor prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah,......
Twenty-five Articles of Religion
Twenty-five Articles of Religion, creed that was prepared by John Wesley, founder of Methodism, for the Methodist......
Upanishad
Upanishad, one of four genres of texts that together constitute each of the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of most......
Uriel
Uriel, in the Jewish and Christian Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, a leading angel, sometimes ranked as an archangel......
Vatican Council, Second
Second Vatican Council, (1962–65), 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, announced by Pope John......
vaṃsa
vaṃsa, particular class of Buddhist literature that in many ways resembles conventional Western histories. The......
Veda
Veda, a collection of poems or hymns composed in archaic Sanskrit by Indo-European-speaking peoples who lived in......
Vimalakīrti Sūtra
Vimalakīrti Sūtra, Mahāyāna Buddhist sūtra. It dates from no later than the 3rd century ce, based on its earliest......
Vinaya Piṭaka
Vinaya Piṭaka, (Pāli and Sanskrit: “Basket of Discipline”), the oldest and smallest of the three sections of the......
Visitation
Visitation, the visit, described in the Gospel According to Luke (1:39–56), made by the Virgin Mary, pregnant with......
Visuddhimagga
Visuddhimagga, encyclopedic and masterful summary and exposition of the teaching of the Mahavihara school of Theravada......
Vulgate
Vulgate, (from the Latin editio vulgata, “common version”), Latin Bible used by the Roman Catholic Church, primarily......
War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness, The
The War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness, a Dead Sea Scroll, and one of the most important documents......
Wars of Yahweh, Book of the
Book of the Wars of Yahweh, lost document referred to and quoted in the Old Testament (Num. 21:14ff.). The book......
Westminster Confession
Westminster Confession, confession of faith of English-speaking Presbyterians. It was produced by the Westminster......
What Is the Shortest Verse in the Bible?
The shortest verse in the Christian Bible is from the Gospel According to John in the New Testament. In the New......
Who Wrote the King James Bible?
“Let there be light.” “My brother’s keeper.” “Fight the good fight.” A number of the most well-known phrases in......