Learn the definitions of religious terms and concepts with our extensive Glossary of Religion. Choose a letter above or explore the random terms below.

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aureole

A halo that surrounds a sacred figure's whole body.

dharmachakra mudra

Buddhist hand gesture representing the turning of the wheel (of dharma).

endless knot

Buddhist symbol representing the Buddha's endless wisdom and compassion.

Baha'i

A religion that arose out of the Persian Islamic sect Babi in the 1860s. It was founded by Bahaullah who claimed to be the prophet foretold by Ali Mohammed Shirazi, the founder of the Babi sect. Bahaism emphasizes both social goals and spritual truths: the oneness of God, the unity of all faiths, the harmony of all people, universal education, obedience to government, the importance of personal conscience, and the inevitable unification of humankind.

Ganesha

("Lord of Hosts"). Also Ganesha, Vinayaka, Ekadanta, Lambodara, Siddhadata, Vighnaraja. God of wisdom and good fortune, represented with a pot belly and the head of an elephant. Ganesh has been one of the most popular Hindu gods since medieval times and is claimed by all sects as their own. As the remover of obstacles, he is invoked before religious ceremonies and worldly undertakings.

abhaya mudra

Buddhist hand gesture representing fearlessness.

Council of Nicea

Council of Christian bishops convened by Emperor Constantine in 325 in modern-day Iznik, Turkey. Condemned Arianism as a heresy and produced the Nicene Creed.

baptismal cross

Cross with eight points, symbolizing regeneration.

Five Wounds

The five wounds of Christ suffered during the Passion: the piercing of his two hands, two feet and side. Devotion to the Five Wounds developed in the Middle Ages.

lotus

Decorative motif of highly conventionalized flowers or buds derived from certain Egyptian plants; common in ancient Egyptian art and, in classicizing styles, in anthemions.