Spiritual Leaders & Religious Figures, STR-WEL
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.
Spiritual Leaders & Religious Figures Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Strauss, David Friedrich
David Friedrich Strauss was a controversial German-Protestant philosopher, theologian, and biographer whose use......
Sturzo, Luigi
Luigi Sturzo was an Italian priest, public official, and political organizer who founded a party that was a forerunner......
Sulpicius Severus
Sulpicius Severus was an early Christian ascetic, a chief authority for contemporary Gallo-Roman history, who is......
Sunday, Billy
Billy Sunday was an American evangelist whose revivals and sermons reflected the emotional upheavals caused by......
Suzuki ShĆsan
Suzuki ShĆsan was a Japanese Zen priest. Suzuki was born of a samurai (warrior) family that had traditionally served......
Swithin, St
St. Swithin ; feast day July 15) is a celebrated Anglo-Saxon saint who was bishop of Winchester, England, and a......
Sylvester I, St
St. Sylvester I ; Western feast day December 31, Eastern feast day January 2) was the pope, the leader of the Roman......
Söderblom, Nathan
Nathan Söderblom was a Swedish Lutheran archbishop and theologian who in 1930 received the Nobel Prize for Peace......
SĂŒleyman Ăelebi
SĂŒleyman Ăelebi was one of the most famous early poets of Anatolia. SĂŒleyman appears to have been the son of an......
T.H. Huxley on evolution and biology
Although his formal education occurred between the ages of 8 and 10, plus four or five years at medical school,......
Tait, Archibald Campbell
Archibald Campbell Tait was the archbishop of Canterbury, remembered primarily for his efforts to moderate tension......
Takuan SĆhĆ
Takuan SĆhĆ was a Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest responsible for the construction of the TĆkai Temple. Takuan......
Tanaquil
Tanaquil, legendary Etruscan prophet, the wife of Tarquinius Priscus, traditionally the fifth king of Rome. According......
Tatian
Tatian was a Syrian compiler of the Diatessaron (Greek: âThrough Four,â âFrom Four,â or âOut of Fourâ), a version......
Tausen, Hans
Hans Tausen was a religious Reformer known as âthe Danish Lutherâ for his major role in bringing the Reformation......
Teilhard de Chardin, Pierre
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a French philosopher and paleontologist known for his theory that man is evolving,......
Telesphorus, St.
St. Telesphorus ; Western feast day January 5; Eastern feast day February 22) was the pope from about 125 to about......
Temple, Frederick
Frederick Temple was the archbishop of Canterbury and an educational reformer who was sometimes considered to personify,......
Temple, William
William Temple was the archbishop of Canterbury who was a leader in the ecumenical movement and in educational......
Tencin, Pierre Guérin de
Pierre Guérin de Tencin was a French statesman, cardinal, and anti-Jansenist of the 18th century. Tencin owed his......
Tennent, Gilbert
Gilbert Tennent was an Irish-born American Presbyterian clergyman, one of the leaders of the Great Awakening of......
Teresa, Mother
Mother Teresa ; canonized September 4, 2016; feast day September 5) was the founder of the Order of the Missionaries......
Tertullian
Tertullian was an important early Christian theologian, polemicist, and moralist who, as the initiator of ecclesiastical......
Theobald
Theobald was the archbishop of Canterbury from 1138, prominent during the reigns of kings Stephen and Henry II......
Theodore Ascidas
Theodore Ascidas was a monk-theologian and archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, who was the leading advocate of......
Theodore of Canterbury, Saint
Saint Theodore of Canterbury ; feast day September 19) was the seventh archbishop of Canterbury and the first archbishop......
Theodore Of Mopsuestia
Theodore Of Mopsuestia was a Syrian theologian, considered the greatest biblical interpreter of his time and the......
Theodoret Of Cyrrhus
Theodoret Of Cyrrhus was a Syrian theologian-bishop, representative of Antiochâs historico-critical school of biblical-theological......
Theodosius I
Theodosius I was a Roman emperor of the East (379â392) and then sole emperor of both East and West (392â395), who,......
Theodosius I Boradiotes
Theodosius I Boradiotes was a Greek Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople (1179â83), an inflexible opponent of the......
Theodosius Of Alexandria
Theodosius Of Alexandria was a patriarch of Alexandria (535â566), theologian, and leader of the Monophysites in......
Theodosius of Palestine, Saint
Saint Theodosius of Palestine ; feast day January 11) was a principal proponent of orthodoxy in the Christological......
Theodotus The Tanner
Theodotus The Tanner was the principal exponent at Rome of the heresy of Adoptionism (see Monarchianism). A wealthy......
Theodotus, St
St. Theodotus ; feast day November 2) was a theologian, bishop of Ancyra, and a leading advocate of orthodoxy in......
Theodulf of Orléans
Theodulf of Orléans was a prelate, poet, and one of the leading theologians of the Frankish empire. A member of......
Theognostus Of Alexandria
Theognostus Of Alexandria was a Greek theologian, writer, and prominent head of Alexandriaâs Catechetical school,......
Theoleptus Of Philadelphia
Theoleptus Of Philadelphia was a Greek Orthodox metropolitan of Philadelphia and theological polemicist and writer......
Theophilus of Alexandria, Saint
Saint Theophilus of Alexandria ; feast day, Egyptian Coptic Church, October 15; in the Syrian Church, October 17)......
Theophilus of Antioch
Theophilus of Antioch was a Syrian saint, the sixth bishop of Antioch, and one of the Christian Apologists of the......
Theophylact of Ochrid
Theophylact of Ochrid was an Eastern Orthodox archbishop of Ochrid (modern Ohrid, North Macedonia), theologian......
TheĆdĆ«rus AbĆ« Qurrah
TheĆdĆ«rus AbĆ« Qurrah was a Syrian Melchite bishop, theologian, and linguist. He was an early exponent of cultural......
Thoburn, Isabella
Isabella Thoburn was an American missionary to India whose work in education there culminated in the founding of......
Thomas Of Bayeux
Thomas Of Bayeux was the archbishop of York from 1070, who opposed the primacy of the archbishopric of Canterbury......
Thomas, St
St. Thomas ; Western feast day December 21, feast day in Roman and Syrian Catholic churches July 3, in the Greek......
ThorlĂĄksson, Gudbrandur
Gudbrandur ThorlĂĄksson was a Reformation scholar and Lutheran bishop who was responsible for the success of Lutheranism......
Thurman, Howard
Howard Thurman was an American Baptist preacher and theologian, the first African American dean of chapel at a......
Thurstan
Thurstan was the archbishop of York whose tenure was marked by disputes over precedence with the see of Canterbury......
Tikhon, Saint
Saint Tikhon ; canonized Oct. 9, 1989) was the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox church following the Bolshevik......
Tillemont, SĂ©bastien Le Nain de
SĂ©bastien Le Nain de Tillemont was a French ecclesiastical historian who was one of the earliest scholars to provide......
Timothy, St
St. Timothy ; Western feast day January 24 [in Roman church January 26 with St. Titus], Eastern feast day January......
Tiso, Jozef
Jozef Tiso was a Slovak priest and statesman who fought for Slovak autonomy within the Czechoslovak nation during......
Titus, St
St. Titus ; Western feast day January 26 [with St. Timothy], Eastern feast day August 25) was a disciple of St.......
Toba SĆjĆ
Toba SĆjĆ was the 47th head priest of the Enryaku-ji, which is the headquarters of the Tendai sect of Buddhism,......
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 (1977â91), whose cautious but resolute opposition......
Trolle, Gustav
Gustav Trolle was a Swedish archbishop who instigated the Stockholm Bloodbath of 1520âthe 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 (1522â30) and of Durham (1530â52 and 1553â59), 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......
Tyndale, William
William Tyndale was an English biblical translator, humanist, and Protestant martyr. Tyndale was educated at the......
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......
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......
Uzziah
Uzziah, in the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 26), son and successor of Amaziah, and king of Judah for 52 years (c.......
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 222â235)......
Valignano, Alessandro
Alessandro Valignano was an Italian Jesuit missionary who helped introduce Christianity to the Far East, especially......
Valmiki
Valmiki, an ancient Indian sage who is recognized in the Hindu tradition as the original author of the Sanskrit......
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......
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 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 EichstÀtt in 1042.......
Vieira, AntĂłnio
AntĂłnio Vieira was a Jesuit missionary, orator, diplomat, and master of classical Portuguese prose who played an......
ViganĂČ, Carlo Maria
Carlo Maria ViganĂČ 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 LĂ©rins, Saint
Saint Vincent of LĂ©rins ; feast day May 24) was a Gallo-Roman saint, the chief theologian of the Abbey of LĂ©rins,......
Vital, កayyim ben Joseph
កayyim ben Joseph Vital was one of Judaismâs outstanding Kabbalists (expounder of Jewish esoteric or occult doctrine).......
Vivekananda
Vivekananda was a Hindu monk, spiritual leader, preacher, and reformer in India and an activating force in the......
Vyasa
Vyasa was a legendary Indian sage who is traditionally credited with composing or compiling the Mahabharata, a......
VĂdalĂn, JĂłn Thorkelsson
JĂłn Thorkelsson VĂdalĂn was a Lutheran bishop, best known for his HĂșss-Postilla (1718â20; âSermons for the Homeâ),......
Wach, Joachim
Joachim Wach was a Protestant theologian and one of the foremost scholars in the modern study of religion. As a......
Walburga, Saint
Saint Walburga ; feast day February 25) was an abbess and missionary who, with her brothers Willibald of EichstÀtt......
Wallace, Anthony F.C.
Anthony F.C. Wallace was a Canadian-born American psychological anthropologist and historian known for his analysis......
Warburton, William
William Warburton was an Anglican bishop of Gloucester, literary critic, and controversialist. Ordained priest......
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......
Watson, William
William Watson was an English Roman Catholic priest who was executed for his part in the âBye Plotâ against King......
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,......
Welby, Justin
Justin Welby was the 105th archbishop of Canterbury, serving from 2013 until his resignation in 2024. He was the......