Philosophy of Religion

Philosophy of religion is the rational study of the meaning and justification (or rebuttal) of fundamental religious claims, particularly about the nature and existence of divinity.

desines timere, si sperare desieris
- Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Ep. 5, 7 -

Ceux que la religion désunit ne sont pas religieux

*Philosophy of religion
*Philosophy of religion
*Philosophy of religion - Introduction
*Philosophy of religion - links

*Psychology of religion
*Psychology of religion

Mythology and Religion

Religion is based on the belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship is called a religion. Religion is the set of beliefs, feelings, dogmas and practices that define the relations between human being and sacred or divinity. Religions are mutualy exclusive. A given religion is defined by specific elements of a community of believers: dogmas, sacred books, rites, worship, sacrament, moral prescription, interdicts, organization. The majority of religions have developed starting from a revelation based on the exemplary history of a nation, of a prophet or a wise man who taught an ideal of life.
A religion may be defined with its three great characteristics:

Religions can be categorized into three groups:

History - Mythology

*Encyclopedia Mythica
*MythologyWeb
*Myths and Legends
*Ancient beliefs
*Windows to the World
*World Religions
*Religions Universe
*Virtual Religion Index
*Animism
*Solar deity - heliolatry
*The Sun, A Universal Deity - Manly Palmer Hall
*Heaven and Hell

*Sacred Texts
*Religious Texts
*Internet Medieval Sourcebook
*Hanover Historical Texts Project
*The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies
*Hermeneutics
*Syncretism
*Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions
*Adherents - statistics
*Worship
*Holy cities
*Sacred sites
*Sacred places

*Rites of Passage - Life-cycle Rituals - Transition Rites
*Rite of Passage - Wikipedia
*The Circle of Life
*Male Initiation/Passage Rituals
*Female Initiation/Passage Rituals

Proto-Saharan

*The Proto-Saharan Religions
*The Origins of Egyptian Religion

Egypt

*Egyptian Mythology
*Ancient Egyptian Religion
*Egyptian Mythology
*Ancient Egyptian Religion
*Egyptian Life - British museum
*The Pyramid Text
*The Coffin Texts
*The Book of Breathings
*The Egyptian Book of the Dead - The Papyrus of Ani - (1240 BC)
*The Egyptian Book of the Dead
*The Egyptian Heaven and Hell
*The Book of Am-Tuat or Amduat
*The Book of Gates
*The Litany of Re
*Gods and Mythology of Ancient Egypt
*Ra - Re-Horakhty
*Isis
*Osiris - Asar
*Thoth
*Manetho - (3rd C. BC)
*Corpus Hermeticum

Mesopotamia

*Mesopotamian religion
*Electronic Tools and Ancient Near Eastern Archives
*The Sumerians and Akkadians - Apocrypha
*The Assyro-Babylonian Mythology
*The Epic of Gilgamesh
*Babylonian Creational Myths - Enuma Elish
*The Seven Tablets of Creation - Enuma Elish
*Kidinnu, the Chaldaeans, and Babylonian astronomy
*Berossus - (3rd C. BC)
*Lost Works of Berosus - Berossus
*Fragments of Chaldæan History - Berossus
*An Historical Treatise of the Travels of Noah Into Europe - (pseudo-)Berossus

Mithraism

The Cult of Mithras was a mystery religion practised in parts of the Roman Empire, mostly in Rome and Ostia, Mauretania, Britain and in the provinces along the Rhine and Danube frontier.

*The Chaldaean Magi
*Mithraism
*Mithraism
*The Mysteries Of Mithra - Franz Cumont (1903)

Canaanite-Ugaritic

Ugaritic religion centered on the chief god, Ilu or El, the "father of mankind", "the creator of the creation". The Court of El or Ilu was referred to as the 'lhm. The most important of the great gods was Hadad, the king of Heaven, Athirat or Asherah, Yam (Sea, the god of the primordial chaos, tempests, and mass-destruction) and Mot (Death).

*Canaanite-Ugaritic Mythology
*Sabaeanism
*Canaan and Ancient Israel
*Canaanite/Ugaritic Mythology FAQ
*Illu or El
*Asherah
*Asherah, the Tree of Life and the Menorah : Continuity of a Goddess symbol in Judaism?
*Dagon
*Hadad or Ba'al - god of Storm and Rain
*The Baal Epic
*The Baal Epic
*Yaw - god of Rivers and Sea
*Mot - god of Death

*Ugarit and the Bible
*Canaanite Gods Mentioned in the Bible
*Elohim
*The Goddess in Judaism
*The Origins of Biblical Monotheism: Israel's Polytheistic Background and the Ugaritic Texts
*Israelite Religion to Judaism: the Evolution of the Religion of Israel

Greek and Roman

*Classical Mythology
*Seasonal Festivals of the Greeks and Romans

Greek

Greek mythology deals with the belief and myths of the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, their rituals and their view on the nature of the world and its creation.

γνωθι σεατον
- Oracle of Delphi, Temple of Apollo -

*Greek mythology
*Greek mythology
*Theoi Project
*Interpretatio graeca
*Creation of the world
*Eleusian Mysteries
*The Eleusinian Mysteries of Antiquity
*Chthonic - Mysteries
*Samothrace temple complex
*Hesiod - (ca. 700 BC)
*Works by Hesiod - Hesiod
*Theogony - Hesiod
*Pythagoras - (c.580-500 B.C.)
*Pythagoreanism
*The Symbols of Pythagoras
*Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans
*The pentagram - Pythagoras
*Epitome Theologiae Pythagoricae - John Opsopaus
*The Quaternary
*Apollonius of Tyana - (ca. 1 BC-ca. 100)
*Apollonius of Tyana - (ca. 1 BC-ca. 100)
*Lucius Flavius Philostratus - (c.170-c.247)
*The Life of Apollonius - Flavius Philostratus

Orphicism

Orphism is the teachings of an ancient Greek philosophical cult which exerted great influence on Greek culture, and later on Western mysticism and occultism. It began in the sixth century BC, and is attributed to the mythical Orpheus. The chief teachings are of reincarnation, a Greek version of Karma, a history of the universe which was formed by Cronus who formed an egg and created the first king of the gods (Protogonus or Phanes) - whom Zeus supplanted and fathered Dionysus - the divine child. Other teachings are that the body is the prison of the soul, animals were not to be killed or eaten, the good were to be rewarded while the evil were to be punished in Nether World, and teachings of self-denial and seriousness in religious matters. Apollo was the kindered god who demanded purification and righteousness.

*Orpheus - Orphicism
*Protogonus or Phanes - Orphicism
*Orphic Hymns
*The Theogonies - Orphicism
*Orphica Holodemiurgia vel Conditus Universi Orphicus

Roman

Roman myhtology evolved through the influence of the Greek mythology and contained both original Roman elements as Greek influences (syncretism).

Principio caelum ac terras camposque liquentis
lucentemque globum Lunae Titaniaque astra
spiritus intus alit, totamque infusa per artus
mens agitat molem et magno se corpore miscet.
- Publius Vergilius Maro, Aeneis VI, 724-727 -

*Roman mythology
*The Life of Numa Pompilius
*Roman Pantheon
*Roman Pantheon
*Roman Pantheon - FAQ
*Roman Gods
*Deus Sol Invictus - Dies Natalis Solis Invicti
*The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism - Franz Cumont
*The demise of paganism

World mythology

*Aztec mythology
*Maya mythology
*Chinese mythology
*Persian mythology
*Ancient Iranian Mythology

*Gog and Magog
*Tibetan Book of the Dead

The Abrahamic religions

In the study of comparative religion, an Abrahamic religion is any of those religions deriving from a common ancient Semitic tradition and traced by their adherents to Abraham ("Father/Leader of many"), a patriarch whose life is narrated in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, and as a prophet in the Qur'an and also called a prophet in Genesis 20:7. This forms a large group of largely monotheistic religions, generally held to include Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Bahá'í faith, and comprises about half of the world's religious adherents.

*Ur Kasdim or Ur of the Chaldaeans
*Abraham
*Idolatry

Judaism

Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. It is one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths and one of the oldest religious traditions still practiced today. The values and history of the Jewish people are a major part of the foundation of other Abrahamic religions such as Samaritanism, Islam, and Christianity. The Judaic Bible, T-N-CH, consists of the Tora (Pentateuch), Nebiim (Profets) and Chetubim (Writings). The Hebrews had three common names of God, El, Elohim, and Eloah; besides, they had the proper name Yahweh. In the gematria system of the Kabbalah, the number 13 gains an extra significance (in contrast to its Christian meaning): it is the numerical value of EHhaD, meaning "one". That "God is one" ("Unitarianism") is the central affirmation in the Jewish religion.

*Judaism
*Judaism 101
*Jewish Virtual Library
*Jewish Encyclopedia
*Flavius Josephus - (c.37-c.100)
*The Works of Flavius Josephus - Flavius Josephus
*Varieties of Orthodox Judaism
*YaHWeH
*Tetragrammaton - YHWH
*The Jewish Life Cycle
*Idolatry - Judaism
*Jewish philosophy

*Mosaic Law
*The Jews and Mosaic Law
*Sanhedrin
*Tanach - Jewish Bible
*Tanakh - Hebrew Bible
*Pentateuch
*Mishneh Torah
*Halakha - Jewish Law
*The 613 Mitzvot
*Mechon Mamre
*Talmud
*The Babylonian Talmud
*Aleppo Codex - (10th Century)
*Leningrad Codex - (1010)
*Maimonides - Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon
*The Fountains of Jewish Belief - Maimonides
*Moses Mendelssohn
*Ahasverus - The Wandering Jew

*Jewish Mysticism
*Jewish Mysticism
*Kabbalah
*Kabbalah
*Kabbalah
*Gematria
*Hebrew Gematria
*Temurah
Netrikon
*Sepher Yetzirah or The Book of Creation
*Names of God in Judaism
*Elohim

*Orthodox Judaism
*Masorti Judaism - Conservative Judaism
*Masorti Judaism
*Reconstructionist Judaism
*Reconstructionist Judaism
*Reform Judaism
*Reform Judaism

*Karaite Judaism
*Karaite Judaism
*Hasidism
*Chabad Lubavitch
*Israel ben Eliezer - Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760)
*Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson - (1902-1994)
*Misnagdim
*Sephardim
*Ashkenazim
*The Kebra Nagast - The Queen of Sheba and Her Only Son Menyelek
*Beta Israel - Chabasim - Falasha
*The History of Ethiopian Jews
*The Falash Mura
*Jewish Languages
*Cherem

*Brit Noah - Noachide Laws
*The Noachide Laws for all Mankind
*High Council of B'nei Noah
*Noachides
*To designate March 26, 1991, as 'Education Day, U.S.A.'. - Seven Noahide Laws (USA)

*Kings of Israel
*Jeroboam - (ca. 928-907 BC)
*Saul
*David
*Solomon
*Alexander Jannaeus

*Temple Institute
*The Kotel - Western Wall - Wailing Wall
*The Temple Mount in Jerusalem
*Beit HaMikdash or The Temple of Solomon - (10th century BCE-586 BCE)
*Beit HaMikdash or The Temple of Solomon - (10th century BCE-586 BCE)
*Jachin and Boaz
*Second Temple - (515 BCE and 70 CE)
*Julian the Apostate and the Holy Temple
*The Third Temple - (?)

*Anti-Semitism
*Progrom

Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the New Testament accounts of the life, teachings, and actions of Jesus of Nazareth, (Jehoshua, Jeschua, meaning Jahweh saves) known by Christians as Jesus Christ (Christos is Greek for Messiah, meaning the "The anointed One."). Its origins are intertwined with Judaism, with which it shares much sacred text and early history; specifically, it shares the Hebrew Bible, known in the Christian context as the Old Testament. Christianity is considered an Abrahamic religion, along with Judaism and Islam.
Religiously Christianity is rooted in Judaism, but its philosophy is based on ancient Greek philosophy (Plato, Aristotle). Both neo-Platonism and Aristotelianism have provided a philosophical basis to Christianity and the Early Church Fathers used familiar terms from Hellenistic philosohy to describe Christian concepts. Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) worked to create a philosophical system which integrated Christian doctrine with elements taken from the philosophy of Aristotle (Thomism). Thomas Aquinas moved Christian philosophy toward Aristotle and away from the Neo-Platonic view of Augustinus of Hippo (354-430), whose philosophy had provided the basis of early medieval Christian philosophy.
The Egyptian city of Alexandria was an important intellectual centre of study and research for early Christian Platonism and Neo-Platonism. Early Antiochian theology was more oriented towards Aristoteles, in opposition to Alexandrian thought. The Palestinian, Cappadocian and North African (e.g. Augustine of Hippo) theological regions were additional centres of early Christian philosophy and theology.

The Gospels were written in the first two centuries A.D.. From about 34 Gospels, only 4 were retained in the canon (canonical):

The Christian and Judaic Bible begins with: Genesis 1: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. ...

Nos fecisti ad te et inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te
- Augustinus of Hippo, Confessiones -

*The Four Evangelists
*Tetramorph - Ezekiel 1:10
*Synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke
*The Synoptic Problem
*The Lost Books of the Bible
*The Five Gospels Parallels - canonical and Thomas
*The Gospel of Thomas
*The Gospel of Judas
*The Book of Enoch
*Pseudepigrapha & Apocrypha
*Noncanonical Literature
*Publius Lentulus
*Letter from First Consul Publius Lentulus to Caesar Tiberius
*Physical Descriptions of Jesus of Nazareth

*Early Christian Writings
*Christianity
*Sacred Text Archive
*Early Church History - Ecole Initiative
*Christian Classics Ethernal Library
*Biblical Heritage Center
*Legenda Aurea - Jacobus de Voragine
*Idolatry - Christianity
*Christian philosophy

*Christian philosophy
*Mystery Religions and early Christianity
*Syncretism in Christianity
*Syncretism in Christianity
*The Alexandrian & Essene influence upon early Christianity - (verify)
*Alexandrian Theology
*Thomism
*Esoteric Christianity
*Rex Deus
*The Nazarene Way

*The History and Territorial Evolution of the Christianity
*The History of the Origins of Christianity - Ernest Renan
*Apostolic Christianity - (1-100)
*Ante-Nicene Christianity - (100-325)
*Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity - (311-600)
*Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus I - (272–337)
*Constantine I and Christianity
*Constantinian shift
*Apostles' Creed
*Nicene Creed - (325 and 381)
*Nicene Creed - (325 and 381)

*Mediaeval Christianity - (590-1073)
*The Middle Ages - From Gregory VII., 1049, to Boniface VIII. - (1049-1294)
*The Middle Ages - From Boniface VIII., 1294 to the Protestant Reformation, 1517 - (1294-1517)
*Modern Christianity. The German Reformation.
*Modern Christianity. The Swiss Reformation.

*Natural theology
*Deism
*English Deism
*French Deism
*Panendeism
*Theism
*Pantheism
*Monergism
*Monergism vs. Synergism
*Synergism

*Biblical Archaeology Society
*The International Association of Manichaean Studies
*Salminius Hermias Sozomen - (c. 400- c. 450)
*Historia Ecclesiastica - Sozomen
*Early Church
*Early Church Fathers
*The Nag Hammadi Library
*List of the treatises in the Nag Hammadi Coptic Library together with the Berlin Papyrus 8502
*The Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls

*Ebionites
*Gospel of the Ebionites
*Didache - (50-120 C.E.)
*Apostolic Constitutions - Didascalia - (4th Century)

*The World's Great Sermons
*The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth - Thomas Jefferson
*Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, Count of Zinzendorf and Pottendorf - (1700-1760)
*John Wesley - (1703-1791)

*Patrologia Latina
*Patrologia Graecae
*Books of the Bible - comparison
*The Development of the Canon of the New Testament
*Masoretic Text
*Peshitta
*The Aramaic Bible - Peshitta
*The Aramaic Bible - Peshitta
*The Aramaic Bible Research Directory
*Septuagint
*Septuagint
*Codex Sinaiticus - (4th Century)
*Codex Vaticanus - (4th Century)
*Codex Vaticanus - (4th Century)
*Codex Alexandrinus - (5th Century)
*Codex Alexandrinus - (5th Century)
*Codex Bezae or Cantabrigiensis - (6th Century)
*Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus - (12th Century)
*Vulgate - (5th Century)
*Vulgata - Latin
*Codex Amiatinus - (8th Century)
*Codex Fuldensis - (5th Century)
*Vulgata with Douay-Rheims English translation and King James Version.
*King James Bible
*English Bible Translations
*Sceptic's Annotated Bible

*World Council of Churches - WCC
*ReligiousTolerance.org
*religion-online.org
*Christian.Net
*Ecumenical Councils
*Constitutum Donatio Constantini
*Discourse on the Forgery of the Alleged Donation of Constantine - Lorenzo Valla
*Henotikon - 482
*Constantinople and Rome
*East-West Schism - 1054
*Orthodox Church vs. Catholic Church - 1054
*Three-Chapter Controversy
*Monophysitism - Christ has one nature
*Chalcedonian - Christ has two natures
*Avignon Papacy - Papal Schism (1309-1378)
*Avignon Papacy - Papal Schism (1309-1378)
*Letter Criticizing the Avignon Papacy - Petrarch
*Western Schism - 1378
*Council of Constance - (1414-1418)

*International Association for Religious Freedom - IARF
*Christus Rex et Redemptor Mundi
*Biblical Studies Foundation

*Philo of Alexandria or Philo Judeaus - "Logos" (20 BCE - 40 CE)
*The Works of Philo Judaeus
*Philo's view of God
*The Creation of the World - Philo Judaeus
*Justin the Martyr a.k.a Justin of Caesarea - "Son of God as the Logos" (100-165)
*Polycarp - (?- ca; 155)
*Polycarp to the Philippians - ( 110-140)
*Irenaeus - Canon (ca. 130-202)
*Writings of Irenaeus
*Clement of Alexandria - (2nd C.-ca. 214)
*Exhortation to the Heathen - Clement
*The Stromata, or Miscellanies - Clement
*The Paedagogus - Clement
*Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus or Tertullian - (ca. 155-230)
*Tertullianus - (ca. 155-230)
*Works of Tertullian - "tres Personae, una Substantia" (Trinity)
*The Tertullian Project
*Theophilus of Antioch - (180-185) - "God, His Word and His Wisdom." (Trias)
*Theophilus of Antioch - (180-185)
*Apologia ad Autolycum - Theophilus
*Origen - (ca. 182-ca. 251)
*Origen of Alexandria - (ca. 182-ca. 251)
*Arius - (256-336)
*Arius - (256- 336)
*Eusebius of Caesarea - (c. 275-339)
*Athanasius of Alexandria - (c.298–May 2, 373)

*Basil of Caesarea - (330-379)
*Ambrosius - (339-397)
*Hieronymus - (347-419/20)
*Augustinus of Hippo - (354-430)
*Civitas Dei - City of God - Augustinus
*Pope Gregorius I - the great (540–604)
*Gregorian Chant
*Johannes Damascenus, Chrysorrhoas - (c. 676-749)
*John Scottus Eriugena - (c.800 - c.877)
*Thomas Aquinas - (1224–1274)
*Corpus Thomisticum - Thomas Aquinas
*Summa Theologica - Thomas Aquinas
*The 24 Thomistic Theses - 27 July 1914
*John Duns Scotus - (1265/66-1308)
*Pope Gregory XIII - (1502-1585)
*Gregorian calendar - Pope Gregory XIII
*Richard Hooker - (1554-1600)
*Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity - Richard Hooker (1593)
*François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon - (1651-1715),
*Avis Chretiens - Spiritual Progress - Fénelon
*Jacques Maritain - (1882-1973)
*Etienne Gilson - (1884-1978)
*Karl Barth - (1886-1968)
*D. H. Th. Vollenhoven - (1892-1978)

*Christian Answers.Net
*National Right to Life Committee
*Creationism
*Intelligent Design

*Christianity and anti-Semitism

Conceptions of God

*Conceptions of God
*Christology
*Christology
*The Original Doctrines of the Christian Faith - (CCG)

Unitarianism

*Unitarianism
*Socinianism, Arianism and Unitarianism
*Waldensians

Binitarianism

*Binitarianism
*Pneumatomachi - "fighters against the Spirit"

Trinitarianism

*Trinitarianism
*The Origin of Trinitarianism
*Perichoresis
*Jesus Christ the Logos
*The Trinitarian Controversy - 1690?1750
*The Unitarian/Trinitarian Wars - (CCG)
*Apostles' Creed
*Nicene Creed - (325 and 381)
*Nicene Creed - (325 and 381)
*First Council of Nicaea - 325
*First Council of Constantinople - 381

Theodicy

Theodicy is a specific branch of theology and philosophy that attempts to reconcile the existence of evil in the world with the assumption of a benevolent God.

*Theodicy
*The problem of evil
*The Problem of Evil - Leibniz
*Theodicy - Leibniz

Eschatology

Eschatology is a part of theology and philosophy concerned with the final events in the history of the world or the ultimate destiny of human kind, commonly phrased as the end of the world.

*Eschatology - Wikipedia
*Eschatology - Catholic Encyclopedia
*Apocalypticism
*Apocalyptic Literature in Judaism & Early Christianity
*Book of Daniel - Deuterocanonical
*Book of Daniel - Deuterocanonical
*Book of Revelation - The Apocalypse of John
*The Apocalypse of Peter
*Summary of Christian eschatological differences
*Idealism
*Futurism
*Preterism
*Historicism
*Joseph Mede - (1586-1638)
*Clavis Apocalypticae - Joseph Mede (1627)
*The Gift of Prophecy - Isaac Newton
*Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John - Isaac Newton (1733)

Pauline and Thomasine Churches

The origins of Pauline Christianity lie in the teachings of Paul of Tarsus, who declared himself the "Apostle to the Gentiles", and its development in his circle and among his followers.
Thomasine Christianity refers to the Christians in India who recognize the Apostle Thomas to be the founder of their churches. The usual term for these groups is Saint Thomas Christians. St. Thomas, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, is believed to have landed in AD 52 in Cranganore near Cochin, which was at that time an important seaport on the Malabar Coast, having trade connections with the Middle East in those days.
Thomasine Christianity also refers to the ancient religious communities that revered the Gospel of Thomas, the Book of Thomas the Contender, and related works.

*Pauline Christianity
*Paul of Tarsus - (c. 9-c. 67 AD)
*Paul of Tarsus - (c. 9-c. 67 AD)
*Saul of Tarsus - (c. 9-c. 67 AD)
*Original sin
*Original sin

*The Apostle Thomas
*St Thomas Christians
*St Thomas Christians - Wikipedia
*St Thomas Christians - Catholic encyclopedia
*Indian Christianity
*Syrian Malabar Nasrani
*Christians of Kerala
*Diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church
*The Mar Thoma Church
*The Gospel of Thomas Collection

The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church - Roman Catholicism

The Roman Catholic Church, or Catholic Church, is the Christian Church led by the Pope, the Bishop of Rome. The Roman Catholic Church has defined itself as "the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter" - i.e. the Pope - "and the bishops in communion with him". It teaches that it is the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Jesus for the salvation of all people.
The Roman Catholic Church (papacy) was established in 444 A.D. when the Roman Emperor Valentinian III (425-455 A.D), acting in conjunction with the bishop of Rome (Pope) Leo I the Great, issued the famous Novel 17, which assigned to the bishop of Rome supremacy over the provincial churches in the Western Roman Empire. "Certum est et nobis et imperio nostro unicum esse praesidium in supernae divinitatis (deitatis d) favore, ad quem promerendum praecipue Christiana (Christianorum Deusd.) fides et veneranda nobis religio suffragatur. ..."

*Catholicism
*Catholicism
*Roman Catholic Church
*Theodosius I - (379-395 A.D.)
*Theodosius I - (379-395 A.D.)
*State Church Of The Roman Empire

*The Vatican
*Cathechism of the Catholic Church
*Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
*Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth
*Catholic links
*L'Osservatore romano
*Church Fathers
*Doctors of the Catholic Church
*Noncanonical Literature - Apocryphal
*Apocrypha
*Code of Canon Law
*Papal and Episcopal Documents relating to Catholic Social Justice Teaching

*Rituale Romanum
*RomanRite.com
*Ambrosian Rite
*Pre-Tridentine Mass
*Tridentine Mass
*Quo Primum - Pope St. Pius V - July 14, 1570
*Tridentine Mass - Latin Mass
*The Latin Mass Society
*Post-Tridentine Mass - Novus Ordo Missae of Pope Paul VI

*Vaticanum II
*Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce - (FIUV)
*Traditionalmass.org
*Ordo Reticandi
*Sedevacantists - Aquinas site
*Society of St. Pius V
*Society of St. Pius X
*How the Jews Changed Catholic Thinking - Joseph Roddy

*Jansenius and Jansenism
*Cornelius Jansen - (1585–1638)
*Antoine Arnauld - (1612-1694)
*Gallicanism
*Aggiornamento
*Catholic Restoration
*De Fide
*Civitas Dei
*Papal Orders
*Order of Malta
*Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem - Malta Obedience and Paris Obedience under the Patronage of the Spanish Crown
*The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem - Malta Obedience under the Patronage of the Crown of France
*The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem - Paris Obedience under the Patronage of the French Crown
*Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem - United Grand Priories
*The Order of Saint John of Jerusalem
*The Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller.
*Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei
*Catholic Charismatic Movement
*Liberation Theology
*Liberation Theology - history
*Emmaus International
*Assumptionists
*The Order of Saint Benedict
*Dominicans
*Franciscans
*Society of Jesus - Jesuits
*The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius - Jesuits
*The Community of The Monks of Adoration

*Medieaval Crusades
*Medieaval Crusades

*Papal Protection of the Jews - Pope Gregory X, 1272
*Heresy
*Heresy
*Excommunication
*Anathema
*Exorcismus in satanam et angelos apostaticos - Pope Leo XIII (1614)
*De Exorcismus et supplicationibus quibusdam - Pope John Paul II (1999)
*Demonology
*Angels
*Satan
*Incubi
*Succubi

*Witchcraft - Europe
*Canon Episcopi - (ca. 900 AD)
*Sollicita et Provida - Pope Benedict XIV (1753)
*Roberto Francesco Romolo Cardinal Bellarmino - (1542-1621)
*The Inquisition
*Directorium Inquisitorum (1578)- R. P. F. Nicolai Eymerici, Ord. Præd. S. Theol. Mag.
*Malleus Maleficarum (1580)- Heinrich Institoris
*The Malleus Maleficarum - (1580)
*Daemonologie by King James I - (1597)
*Newes From Scotland - (1591)

*The Spanish Inquisition
*Tomás de Torquemada - (1420-1498)
*Auto da fé - acte de foi - actus fidei
*The Spanish Inquisition - Fact versus Fiction - Marvin R. O'Connell (Priest)
*The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition - Ellen Rice (Catholic Dossier)
*One Cheer for Inquisitions - Gerard Bradley (Catholic Dossier)
*The Goa Inquisition
*Index librorum prohibitorum - (1557-1966)
*Index librorum prohibitorum - famous authors

Orthodox Christianity

Orthodox Christianity is a generalized reference to the Eastern traditions of Christianity, as opposed to the Western traditions which descend through, or alongside of, the Roman Catholic Church. Orthodox Christianity claims to be the original Christian church founded by Christ and the Apostles, and traces its lineage back to the early church through the process of Apostolic Succession. There are three main branches of Orthodox Christianity: the Church of the East, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Oriental Orthodoxy.

*Orthodox Christian Information Center
*The Orthodox Doctrinal Tradition
*Orthodox Christianity
*Armenian Apostolic Church
*Church of the East
*Syriac Orthodox Resources
*Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church
*Indian Orthodox Church
*Eastern Orthodox Church
*Oriental Orthodoxy
*Orthodox Unity
*Two Families of Orthodox
*Euchologion
*Nestoriansim
*The Orthodox Page - USA
*Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
*Christian Hellenism

Coptic Christianity

*Coptic Web
*Coptic Papacy
*The Christian Coptic Orthodox Church Of Egypt
*The Life of our Holy Mother Mary of Egypt
*Coptic Orphans Support Organization

*The Kebra Nagast - The Queen of Sheba and Her Only Son Menyelek
*Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
*Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
*Saint TekleHaymanot the Ethiopian
*Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church

Sabbath-keeping Churches

The Sabbath-keeping churches or Sabbatati, kept the Judaic Sabbath from early ante-Nicene Christianity.

*Sabbath-keeping Churches
*Sabbath-keeping Churches of God - articles
*Church of God - (COG)
*Living Church of God - (LCG)
*Christian Churches of God - (CCG)
*Herbert W. Armstrong - (1892-1986)
*Worldwide Church of God

Protestantism

Protestantism is one of three primary branches of Christianity. The term "Protestant" represents a diverse range of theological and social perspectives, denominations, individuals, and related organizations. While no particular belief or practice can be said to define this branch of Christianity, those denominations considered to be well within the realm of Protestantism all have firm roots in the Protestant Reformation in Europe during the sixteenth century.

Post tenebras spero lucem
Vulgata, Job 17:12

*What was the Protestant Reformation?
*The Protestant Reformation
*The Protestant Reformation
*The Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation
*The Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation
*The Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation
*Protestant

*Christian Colligation of Apologetics Debate Research and Evangelism - CADRE
*Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics
*The Bereans
*The Reformed Network
*Anglican Communion
*The Protestant Alliance - USA
*The Protestant Reformed Churches in America
*The European Liberal Protestant Network
*Soli Deo Gloria

*John Wycliffe - (c.1320-1384)
*John Knox - (1505, 1513 or 1514 ? 1572)
*Martin Luther
*Lutheran Electronic Archive
*95 Theses - Martin Luther (1517)
*Philipp Melanchton - (1497-1560)
*The Augsburg Confession - Luther, Melanchton (1530)
*John Calvin - (1509-1564)
*Calvin's commentaries on the Bible
*Calvinism
*Emmanuel Swedenborg - (1688-172)
*Swedenborgianism

*Huguenots de France et d'ailleurs
*Édit de Nantes en faveur de ceux de la religion prétendue réformée - 1599
*Édit de Fontainebleau ou révocation de l'Édit de Nantes - 1685
*Camisards - (1702-1715)
*Camisards - (1702-1715)

*Socinianism
*Lelio Sozini - (1525-1562)
*Fausto Paolo Sozzini - (1539-1604)

*Old Catholic Church
*Reformed Catholic Church
*Pentecostalism
*Eternal Grace church
*Newfrontiers
*Vineyard International Consortium
*Sovereign Grace Ministries
*The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
*The Book of Mormon
*Jehova's Witnesses
*Scientology
*The Religious Society of Friends - Quakers
*Religious Society of Friends - Quakers
*Seventh-day Adventists
*Methodists
*Quietism
*Cathars
*Cathars

*Giordano Bruno - (1548-1600)
*Writings of Giordano Bruno
*Jan Huss - (1369-1415)
*Final Declaration - Jan Huss (1 July 1415)
*Girolamo Savonarola - (1452-1498)
*The Ascension of Christ - Girolamo Savonarola

Arian Christianity

Arian Catholicism follows the teachings of Arius of Alexandria (256-336). Arian Catholicism, which is the ecumenical ideology and theology of the early Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, upholding the doctrine of Arius of Alexandria which were compatible with early non-Roman Christianity,

*Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church - The Church of Arian Catholicism
*Paul of Samosata - (200-275)
*Lucian of Antioch - (ca. 240-312)
*Arius of Alexandria - (256-336)
*Arianism
*Ulfilas - (c. 310-383)
*The Apostles' Creed - pre-Nicene Creed
*Newton's Arian belief - Isaac Newton

Gnostic Christianity

The Gnostics, early Christian Coptics, believed in salvation through wisdom and knowledge rather than by faith or good works. Gnosticism typically recommends the pursuit of mysticism or 'special knowledge' (gnosis) as the central goal of life. Gnosticism depicts creation as a mythological struggle between competing forces of light and dark, and posit a marked division between the material realm, typically depicted as under the governance of malign forces (such as the demiurge), and the higher spiritual realm from which it is divided, governed by God (the Monad) and the Aeons. God is the high source of the pleroma, the region of light. The various emanations of God are called æons.

*Gnosis
*Gnosticism
*The Gnostic Society Library
*Gnosticism
*The Gnosis Archive
*Gnostic.net Links
*The Nag Hammadi Library
*The Nag Hammadi Library

*Valentinus - (ca 100-ca 153)
*Valentinus and the Valentinian Tradition
*Basilides - (ca 117-138)
*Fragments from the Writings of Basilides
*Septem Sermones ad Mortuos - Basilides (transcribed by CG Jung)
*Mandaeanism
*Mandaeanism
*Mandaeanism
*Manichaeism

*The Gospel of Thomas
*The Gospel of Thomas Homepage
*The Gospel of Thomas Collection
*The Book of Thomas the Contender
*The Hymn of the Pearl - Hymn of the Robe of Glory
*The Gospel of Judas
*The Sophia of Jesus Christ
*The Gospel of Truth
*The Gospel According to Mary Magdalene
*Pistis Sophia: The Books of the Savior
*The Apocalypse of Peter
*The Hypostasis of the Archons

*Apostolic Gnostic Church in America
*The French Gnostic Tradition
*l'Eglise du Plérôme
*l'Eglise Gnostique Catholique Apostolique
*Ecclesia Gnostica Hermeneutica
*Church of Gnostic Luminism
*Thomasine Church
*Sophia Fellowship
*Illuminism
*Hesychasm

Islam

Islam, "submission (to the will of God)", is a monotheistic faith. Islam is an Abrahamic religion, along with Christianity and Judaism. The followers, known as Muslims, believe that God (Allah in Arabic) revealed his divine word directly to humanity through many earlier prophets, and that Muhammad was the final prophet of Islam.

The Holy Qur'an of Islam begins with Surah 1. The Opening
1. In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
2. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds;
3. Most Gracious, Most Merciful;
4. Master of the Day of Judgment.
5. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.
6. Show us the straight way,
7. The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.

*Muhammad ibnu Abdillah - (ca.570-632)
*Prophet Muhammad
*Prophet Muhammad
*Islam
*The Islam Page
*Islam guide
*Five Pillars of Islam
*Five Pillars of Islam
*The Holy Ka'bah
*Quraan.com Authentic Islamic Literature
*Discover Islam
*The True Religion - Islam
*Islam: The Perfect Religion and Best Way of Life for All
*Life Cycle Observances in Islam
*Sacred Places of Islam
*People of the Book
*Idolatry - Shirk - Islam
*Tawhid - Monotheism in Islam
*Kafir - Unbeliever in Islam

*Islamic Philosophy
*Islamic philosophy
*Islam, Qur'an & Science
*Illuminationist philosophy
*Abu Hamid al-Ghazali - (505-1111)
*Rabi'ah al-'Adawiyah - (717-801)
*Rabi'ah al-'Adawiyah - (717-801)
*Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi - (1207-1272)
*The Masnavi I Ma'navi - Rumi
*Quranic commentary - Tafsir
*Futuwa
*Irfan
*Massud Ahmen Khan

*Wahhabism - Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab
*Sunnism - Islam
*SunniPath - Islam
*Shi'ite Islam
*Shi'a Encyclopedia
*Shi'ite Islam - Islamic Thought Foundation
*Sufism - The Way of The Heart
*Sufism - Sufis - Sufi Orders
*Naqshbandiya Foundation For Islamic Education
*Qadiriyyah
*Cheshtiya - Chishti Order
*The Chishti Nizami Habibi Soofie Sufi Order
*Senussi
*Nation of Islam - USA
*Institute of Druze Studies
*Lebaneze Druze Community

*Deviant Sects and Cults
*The Islamic and Christian views of Jesus: a comparison

The Bahá'í Faith

The Bahá'í Faith is a religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh, a 19th century Persian exile. Bahá'u'lláh claimed to be a new and independent Messenger from God. Bahá'ís view Bahá'u'lláh as the most recent in a succession of divine Messengers.
Bahá'u'lláh taught that there is only one God and one human family, that all religions represent progressive stages in the revelation of God's Will, and that humanity is reaching its long-awaited stage of maturity, when a peaceful and just world order can finally be realized.

*The Bahá'ís
*Bahá'u'lláh
*The Bahá'í Faith
*The Bahá'í Faith
*The Bahá'í Faith
*The Bahá'í Faith - USA
*Bahá'í Sacred Texts
*Bahá'í Prayers

Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism is uniquely important in the history of religion because of its possible formative links to both Western Abrahamic and Eastern Dharmic religious traditions.

Zoroastrianism is the name of the religion and philosophy based on the teachings ascribed to the prophet Zoroaster (Zarathushtra, Zartosht, Sarastro). Zurman is the primordial god in Persian religion, Zurvan is the father of the good god Ahura Mazda and the evil god Angra Mainyu. In Zurvanism, the state religion of the Sassanides in the 3rd-7th century CE, Zurvan is the highest god and lord of the four elements.and the god of infinite time and space.
Ahura Mazda/Ohrmuzd (together with, or represented by, Spenta Mainyu) is the guardian of humankind. Spenta Mainyu ("holy spirit") is the god of life and the personification of the good and the light. He is the twin brother of Angra Mainyu (Ahriman), the god of darkness, with whom he fights an eternal battle.
Angra Mainyu (Avestan) or Ahriman is the Evil equivalent of the deity Ahura Mazda. Angra Mainyu is the god of darkness, the eternal destroyer of good, personification and creator of evil, bringer of death and disease. He is also known as Ahriman, and his name means "fiendish spirit".
Zoroastrianism recognizes various classes of spiritual beings besides the Supreme Being (Ahura Mazda): The Amesha Spentas, Yazatas, and Fravashis. Amesha Spenta is an Avestan language term for a class of divinity/divine concepts in Zoroastrianism, and literally means "Bounteous Immortal".
The six Amesha Spenta (Phl. Amahraspandan) or primeval creations brought together in Yasna 47.1 of the Gathas are as follows:

Mazdaism is the name of the religion that acknowledges the divine authority of Ahura Mazda, proclaimed by Zoroaster to be the one uncreated Creator of all (God).

*Zarathushtra
*Gathas
*Gathas
*Yasna
*Zoroastrian Archives - Avesta
*Avesta
*Khorda Avesta
*Amesha Spenta
*Zoroastrian angelology
*Angel in Zoroastrian Religion

*The Zarathushtrian Assembly
*World of Traditional Zoroastrianism
*The Chaldaean Oracles of Zoroaster - Expositions of Pletho and Psellus
*Funeral ceremonies
*Tower of Silence
*Parsi

The Dharmic religions

Dharmic religions are a family of religions whose theology and philosophy center on the concept of Dharma, a Sanskrit term for "fixed decree, law, duty", especially in a spiritual sense of "natural law, reality". All Dharmic religions were born in India. It is mostly influential across the Indian subcontinent, East Asia and South East Asia with influence felt throughout the world. These Dharmic religions are very closely interrelated. The main Dharmic religions are: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.

Hinduism

Hinduism is a religion or philosophy that originated from the Indian subcontinent and nearby surrounding areas. Indian philosophy is divided in "Astika" and "Nastika". Nastika is a Sanskrit term meaning: "One who does not see; unbeliever". It is the antonym of astika, or "one who sees; believer". Astika refers to those schools that accept the revealed authority of the Vedas as supreme scripture. This includes the four major Hindu groups: Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, Smartism.
There are six Darshanas (viewpoints) of the Astik religion: Vedanta, Samkhya, Nyaya, Yoga, Purva Mimamsa, Vaisheshika.
Nastika refers to all traditions that reject and deny the scriptural authority of the Vedas. This in general includes Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, the Charvaka materialists and others.

*Hinduism
*Hinduism
*Hinduism
*Hinduism Today
*Hindu philosophy
*Hindu Trinity
*Brahma
*Brahman
*Brahman - The Absolute God of Hinduism
*Vishnu
*Shiva
*The Philosophy of Brahman
*Vedas and Vedic Knowledge Online
*Upanishads
*The Vedas
*Mahabharata
*Advaita Vedanta Anusandhana Kendra
*Arsha Vidya Gurukulam
*Swami Vivekananda
*Swami Vivekananda at the 1893 World Religion Parliament
*Sri Ramakrisha & Swami Vivekananda

*Shaivism
*Shaktism
*Vaishnavism
*Smartism

*Vedanta
*Samkhya
*Nyaya
*Yoga
*Purva Mimamsa
*Vaisheshika
*Vaisheshika - Contributions to Physics

*Sanskrit
*Sanskrit tutor
*Astika and Nastika

Buddhism

Buddhism (also known as the Dharma or Buddha Dharma, meaning approximately: The Law or Law of the Awakened One) is a religion, a practical philosophy, and arguably a psychology, focusing on the teachings of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, who lived in ancient India most likely from the mid-6th to the early 5th century BCE. Buddhism is divided primarily into three traditions: Theravada (Sanskrit: Sthaviravada), Mahayana, and Vajrayana.

*Buddhism
*Buddhism
*Introduction to Buddhism
*The Buddha and his Dhamma
*Dhammapada
*Four Noble Truths
*Dharmacakra - wheel of law
*Buddhism - Essentials
*History of Buddhism
*Schools of Buddhism
*Mahayana vs. Theravada
*Readings in Theravada Buddhism
*Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra
*The Eastern Buddhist Society
*Buddhanet.net
*Zen Buddhism WWW Virtual Library
*Shunkoin Temple - Japan

*The Silk Road - spreading of Buddhism
*Ashoka the Great - (304 BC–232 BC)
*Edicts of Ashoka - Ashoka
*Edicts of Ashoka - Ashoka
*Edicts of Ashoka - Ashoka
*Greco-Buddhism
*Greco-Buddhism
*Yona
*Buddhism and the Roman world
*Buddhist-Christian Parallels

*Mandala
*Introduction to Mandalas - Tibetan Buddhism

*Huineng - (638-713)
*Fa Xian - (ca. 337-ca. 422)
*Honen Bo Genku - (1133-1212)
*Myoan Eisai - (1141-1215)
*Shinran Shonin - (1173-1262)
*Dogen Zenji - (1200-1253)
*Nichiren - (1222-1282)
*Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki - (1870-1966)

Sikhism

Sikhism is a religion that began in sixteenth century Northern India with the teachings of Nanak and nine successive human Gurus. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat (literally the teachings of the Gurus) or the Sikh Dharma.
Guru Nanak (1469-1539) formalised the Three Pillars of Sikhism:

  1. Guru ji led the Sikhs directly to practise Simran and Naam Japna - meditation on God and reciting and chanting of God's Name - Waheguru
  2. He asked the Sikhs to live as householders and practise Kirat Karni - To honestly earn by ones physical and mental effort while accepting Gods gifts and blessing.
  3. The Sikhs were asked to share their wealth within the community by practising Wand kay Shako - "Distribution Before Consumption".

*Sikhism
*Sikhism
*Sikhism
*All about Sikhs
*Amrit World
*Kabira
*Gurmat
*Gurmat

*Guru Nanak Dev -(1469-1539)
*Guru Angad Dev - (1504-1552)
*Guru Amar Das - (1479-1574)
*Guru Ram Das - (1534-1581)
*Guru Arjun Dev - (1563-1606)
*Guru Har Gobind - (1595-1644)
*Guru Har Rai - (1630-1661)
*Guru Har Krishan - (1656-1664)
*Guru Teg Bahadur - (1621-1675)
*Guru Gobind Singh - (1666-1708)

Jainism

Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma, is a religion and philosophy originating in the prehistory of South Asia. Jainism stresses the spiritual independence and equality of all life with a particular emphasis on non-violence. Self-control (vrata) is the means by which Jains attain moksha, Keval Gnan, or realization of the soul's true nature.

*Jainism
*Jainism
*Jinvani
*Jainworld
*Jain Heritage Centres

Religions of the World

Asia

Confucianism

Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC) lived during the Chou dynasty. His writings deal primarily with individual morality and ethics, and the proper exercise of political power by the rulers.
Confucian ethical teachings include the following values:

The I Ching is an ancient book which teaches that everything is governed by an "immutable Law of Change". This dualism philosophy centers on the idea that the entire cosmos is composed of equal negative and positive energies. The Yin-Yang is the symbolic representation of this doctrine. The Yin principle symbolizes earthly, passive, negative, female, dark, etc. Yang symbolizes the opposite qualities, such as heavenly, active, positive, male, light, etc. Neither is in itself better or worse than the other, for the two principles have an equal part to play in the totality of existence.

*Confucianism
*Confucianism
*Confucius - (551-479 BC)
*Analects - Confucius
*Analects - Confucius
*Mencius - (4th Century BC)
*Xunzi or Hsun Tzu - (310-220 BC)
*Hanfeizi or Han Fei Tzu - (c.280–233 BC)
*Zhu Xi or Chu Hsi - (1130-1200)
*I Ching
*I Ching - Key to the I Ching
*Chinese Text Project
*Burning of Books - (213 BC)

Taoism

Taoism (Daojiao) is a philosophical school based on the texts the Tao Te Ching (ascribed to Laozi and alternately spelled Dào Dé Jïng) and the Zhuangzi.

*Taoism
*Lao Tse - Lao Tzu (6th C. BC)
*Tao Te King - Lao Tse
*Tao Te Ching - Lao Tse
*Zhuangzi or Chuang-Tzu - (369-298 BC)
*Works of Zhuangzi - Zhuangzi

Shinto

The term Shinto ("way of the kami") came into use to distinguish indigenous Japanese beliefs from Buddhism, which had been introduced into Japan in the 6th century AD. Shinto has no founder and no official scripture, though its mythology is collected in the Kojiki ("Records of Ancient Matters") and Nihon shoki ("Chronicles of Japan"), written in the 8th century.

*Shinto
*Shinto
*Encyclopedia of Shintoism
*Shinto Shrines
*Shinto
*Shinto Scripture
*The Kojiki - translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain (1919)
*The Kojiki - translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain (1919)
*Holy Nihongi

Om Sakthi

*Om Sakthi - Spiritual Movement

Africa

*African religion
*African traditional religion
*Atoms and Ancestors - Fred Welbourn

America

*Aztec Religion
*The Gods and Goddesses of the Aztecs
*Aztec religious texts
*Maya mythology
*Mayan religious texts
*Native American Spirituality
*Native American Spirituality