Religion Introduction Vocab Flashcards
Agnostic
a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God
Apostate
a person who rejects a religious belief
Atheist
disbelief or denial of the existence of god
Atonement
compensation for a wrong; making amends
Canon
any officially recognized set of sacred books
Deity
a god or goddess
Denominations
a large group of religious congregations united under a common faith and name. Example: Catholicism
Divine
of, from, or like god
Doctrine
a framework, set of rules; the body of teachings of a religion
Dogma
a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as true; a doctrine concerning faith or morals formally stated by a church
Dualism
the religious doctrine that the universe contains opposed powers of good and evil
Eschatology
having to do with or relating to the end of the world
Evangelize
to preach or spread the word of god
Exegesis
a critical examination of a religious text
Fundamentalism
a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles
Henotheistic
belief in or worship of one god without denying the existence of others
Heretic
a member of an established religion whose beliefs are not consistent with the establishes orthodoxy
Incarnation
physical embodiment of the divine
Martyr
one who suffers for the sake of principle
Messiah
an expected deliverer of the people; “chosen” one
Monotheistic
the belief that there is one god and the denial of all other gods
Myth
a story expressing the ideals about reality or spiritual history, usually at a different time.
Nontheistic
the absence of deities within a religion
Orthodox
following traditional doctrine; sound or correct in opinion or doctrine
Pantheistic
a doctrine that identifies god with the universe, or regards the universe as a manifestation of god
Parable
an allegorical story, usually illustrating a religious moral point
Polytheistic
belief in or worship of more than one god
Prophet
one who speaks by divine inspiration
Rites
established, ceremonious (usually religious) acts
Sacred
things and actions set apart as religious or spiritual which are entitled to reverence
Sect
a religious body, especially one that has separated from a large denomination
Secular
of or relating to the worldly or temporal
Theology
the study of religious faith, practice, or experience
Transcendent
existing outside the material universe; beyond or above the range of normal or merely physical human experience
